Southern Summer Nights
Alabama would always hold a special place in her heart and that was why she had been happy when she had been offered the chance to return for the summer at her grandparent's request. A summer of new experiences waited.
Savannah Harper stepped out of the cab and smiled widely as she breathed in the sweet smell of summer and placed her feet on the soft dusty ground beneath her. She let out the breath she was holding and sighed happily, taking in her surroundings and the place in which she was about to spend her summer for the first time since she was a child. Alabama had been her home as a child but after her father was offered a better job when she had been ten years old, they had packed up and moved to the western part of the country. Leaving the only place she'd known had been hard but moving to New Mexico hadn't been as half as bad as you expected as a small child; she had settled in well and now she couldn't imagine not living there. Of course Alabama would always hold a special place in her heart and that was why she had been happy when she had been offered the chance to return for the summer at her grandparent's request.
As the light wind surrounded her and tousled her long brown curls she awoke from her thoughts and made her way up to the front porch of the house. Her grandparent's house was simple yet beautiful; from the flowers that greeted you in the front yard to the freshly painted white railings of the porch, everything was immaculate and well looked after. Her grandmother's doing no doubt; her grandfather would be too busy watching the baseball on TV or out fishing with the guy's, as he called them. Smiling at the thought of her grandparent's nature she mounted the steps of the porch and knocked on the front door, suddenly more eager to see them once again.
"Oh my dear Savannah, is that you?" An aged woman asked as she studied the girl in front of her, her hand to her mouth in shock.
Savannah nodded her head and smiled widely.
The woman launched forward to hug her eldest grandchild, the initial shock wearing off. "Oh my darling, look at you, all grown up and so beautiful. Where does the time go?"
Savannah hugged back, clinging on to her grandmother tightly as though she would disappear if she let go. "Grandma it's so good to see you again"
They pulled away and the older woman smiled brightly before urging her granddaughter inside the house. "Your grandfather is not going to believe his eyes when he see's you, he's out back pottering around – doing nothing useful as always"
Savannah giggled; she loved how her grandparent's acted around each other and the things they said because she knew it was all out of love for one another. Her grandparents had been together for forty-five years, ever since the day her grandfather had asked her grandmother to dance at a party, and they'd never looked back. As a child she'd love to hear the stories about her grandparents and how they fell in love but these day's she was aware that love like theirs was hard to come by but she still hoped, like she did when she was a child, that she could someday experience the emotion they called 'love' even if it were not to be forever. Hearing her grandmother's voice she shook her head, clearing her thoughts and returning her attention to the current day.
"Jack, oh Jack, come here, you won't believe who arrived" Mrs Harper shouted out to her husband from the back porch of the house.
The man looked up and rolled his eyes, she was off again he thought to him self – always wanting him for something. "If you haven't seen already my dear, I'm busy fixing the tool shed" He drawled out, his accent much thicker than his wife's.
"Jackson, you're granddaughter is here now get your lazy butt up to the house this minute"
"My Savannah is here? Why didn't you say so in the first place? I'll be right there" He shouted back, surprised his granddaughter had arrived already and happy to see her at last.
Savannah met him half way not wanting to wait any longer and he enveloped her in a hug that reminded her of being a child. She missed visiting her grandparents and she missed her grandfather's bear like hugs and she was immensely pleased that she would be able to spend an entire summer with them as she breathed in the familiar smell of her grandfather.
After settling in, unpacking, washing up and eating dinner, Savannah decided it was time to reacquaint herself with Madison, her beloved childhood home. Madison was a large but beautiful town in the south of Alabama with numerous amounts of parks and nature along with plenty of other things to do. Slipping her ballet flats on she bid her grandparents goodbye and set off out in the evening sunshine which was giving out a golden glow that stretched across the blue sky above. The neighbourhood was relatively calm with only the sounds of chattering on front porches or the giddiness of children to be heard in the background and Savannah found herself smiling once again – she sure had missed this place.
After walking without any purpose or destination in mind the brunette beauty took a sudden right turn, deciding she would head towards downtown and see if anything had changed in the last seven years. As she walked she admired the beautiful houses that had been so well cared for over the years and held thousands of memories created by their owners. As her mind wandered while she admired the passing houses she failed to see the excited dog that was bounding towards her from the house in the distance.
A soft "Oof" could be heard from her mouth as she fell to her butt at the force of the clash between her and the excited creature now licking her face. She giggled lightly at the eager dog before hearing the sound of what she presumed to be the owner's voice approaching them.
"Shit, I'm so sorry about that. Max get down, now" A charming male voice said and she almost wanted to sigh at the sweetness of his voice. She was interrupted from her thoughts by the owner "Here, let me give you a hand" He offered as he held out his hand to help her up off the ground.
Savannah stood and dusted herself off before lifting her head to see the stranger whose dog had knocked her down but as she opened her mouth to say something she stopped before the words came out, her breath taken away by the intense blue eyes carefully studying her. She'd never seen such blue eyes and they stood out clearly against his brown hair that flopped effortlessly across the handsome features of his face. He was simply beautiful.
Aware that she had been quiet for too long, she thought of what she had been about to say before being stunned. "Thanks for helping me up" She smiled genuinely at the strange boy in front of her.
He chuckled at her while she looked on confused. "There's no need to thank me, it was my dog that knocked you down after all. Sorry again about that"
"Its fine honestly, I should've been paying more attention to where I was going anyway"
He smiled widely before cocking his head to one side and studying her "So you're a klutz then?" He laughed "A pretty girl like you should be careful, don't want you falling down any holes or causing traffic accidents now do we?" He smiled widely as he watched her chocolate orbs sparkle at him.
She blushed at his 'pretty' comment and giggled at his humour; she liked a guy who wasn't afraid to make jokes. "That's me but I'll be sure to watch out for holes and cars just for you" She said as her smile matched his.
"You're not from 'round here are you? You're accent is different" He queried, interested in the beautiful teen that stood before him.
"Originally I am but we moved when I was ten to New Mexico for my dad's job" She answered truthfully as she continued to study him. Despite being a stranger she felt something compelling her to talk to him, to answer him honestly without hesitation.
"Ah I see. Well it's nice to meet you...oh I'm sorry I forgot to ask you your name! Well my mom will be proud I remembered my manners" He laughed before continuing "I'm Tyler, Tyler Austin. And you would be?"
"I'd be Savannah Harper and it's nice to meet you Tyler"
He smiled at her name, Savannah, it sounded so southern and sweet just like her he concluded as he watched the setting sun's glow emanate across her angelic features making her look even more beautiful, if that was possible. He couldn't deny that she was attractive, she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever laid eyes on and her sweet nature was drawing him in so much so that he hoped he would get a chance to see her again.
"Nice name. So what brings you back here then?" He wondered aloud as he hoped for an answer that meant she would be sticking around for a while.
"My grandparent's invited me; they wanted me to spend the summer with them, so here I am" She smiled brightly as she gestured to her surroundings.
Tyler could hear his mother in the background calling him and he cursed her mentally for cutting his time short with the petite teen in front of him whose company he was enjoying despite knowing her a mere fifteen minutes.
"Well I have to go but it's nice to meet you Savannah and I'm glad you're going to be around for the summer, maybe I'll see you later?" He hoped as he felt his heart pick up pace anticipating her answer.
"Absolutely, see you around" She replied softly before watching him walk away and continuing her journey towards downtown.
As she reached downtown, she walked around admiring the place that had hardly changed in years and making a mental note of the places she would visit when they were all open for business on Monday. It was weird how after seven years hardly anything had changed she thought, but she liked it – it was almost as if time had stood still or she was the sweet carefree child who had once lived here. As she made her way home – well home for the summer at least, she thought about Tyler and thought about how handsome he had been and how she hoped that she would get to see him again. He seemed different from most guys she thought as she reached the house but then she had known him only minutes, she shouldn't assume so much.
Savannah awoke Monday afternoon and was greeted with the warm sun shining in through the large window across from the bed. After dressing she headed downtown and shopped for a while until the heat of the late afternoon forced her to stop and head to get something cold to cool her down. She'd forgotten how hot it was here and how intense the sun could be even in the later parts of the day. Deciding she felt like a milkshake she headed to the diner a few blocks from where she was which had always sold shakes along with food.
Stepping inside she let out a long sigh of relief at the cool air that greeted her clammy skin and made the light hairs on her arms stand to attention. She'd never been so thankful for cool air she thought as she headed to the counter and placed her order for a strawberry milkshake. Pushing her sunglasses to the top of her head she took a look around the diner that had been around since she herself was a child and noted the pleasant atmosphere of the place. After receiving her milkshake she headed to one of the booths and took a seat, watching people go past out of the window and letting her mind wander to Tyler and whether she would see him again.
The teen didn't have long to wander as the bell above the door of the diner signalled someone new had entered the building and the person that appeared through the silver door was none other than Tyler. Her heart fluttered at the sight of him and her stomach twisted as she thought about if she should approach him or not and what she would say if she did.
Tyler turned around in his seat as he sipped on his banana milkshake and a smile erupted onto his face as he noticed the beautiful brunette he had met yesterday sitting in a booth by the window. Only minutes ago he had wondered when he would see her again.
"Hey Savannah" He greeted as he approached the girl who appeared to be lost in thought.
Savannah was startled – she hadn't anticipated him spotting her while she was thinking about approaching him. "Hey Tyler, scared me then" She smiled her sweet smile at him.
He slid into the booth, sitting across from her. "Sorry. How are you this fine day?" He said with a wide smile.
"I'm good. All the better for seeing you" She flirted confidently with him, unsure where her courage had come from.
His smile turned into a smirk at her flirtatiousness "Well I'm glad to hear it because I'm definitely happier now I've seen your beautiful face again"
Savannah blushed profusely at his comment before uttering a simple "Thanks" and taking a mouthful of milkshake, her courage disappearing.
Tyler watched the cute blush rise on her cheeks and smiled at the sight; she looked adorable when she was embarrassed he concluded. He thought about what to say next and knew he wanted to ask her to go out with him this evening; he wanted to get to know her more but he knew it was too soon. He was usually pretty confident around girls but this one had him weak at the knees after a day and he didn't want her to reject him.
Tyler met her chocolate eyes and smiled. "So how are you settling in?" He asked as he sipped on his milkshake.
"Good. It's a little strange being back but it's nice; I'm happy to see my grandparents again and hopefully some more of my family" She replied as she thought about her first couple of days back in Alabama.
"I'm glad you're settling in well and I bet your family are glad to have you back home for the summer too"
Savannah smiled "Yeah, I guess. My grandparents have a whole plan for my week I think; family are coming to visit and then I guess there's some community cookout going on? They mentioned something about it"
"Ah yeah the community cook out. Happens but once a year and is the highlight of my summer" Tyler said with a roll of the eyes.
Savannah giggled "Well I'll look forward to it then, sounds like a great day"
"Indeed...Anyway it was really nice to see you again Savannah but I have to run, promised my mom I'd help her out with some stuff"
"It was really great seeing you too Tyler, see you around?" She asked with a glimmer of hope in her voice.
Tyler gave a flash of a smile "Absolutely, you can bet on it"
With that he was gone and Savannah was once again left alone with her thoughts; thoughts of the week ahead and whether she would see Tyler at the community cookout. Picking her stuff up she headed out herself, she figured she would go and spend time with her grandparents considering it had been years since she had seen them.
Walking through the door Savannah was greeted with the smell of her Grandmother's stew which the whole family adored.
"Hello dear, nice day?" Mrs Harper called out from the kitchen.
"Yeah, shopped for a while then headed to the diner for a milkshake" Savannah replied as she sat on a stool at the breakfast bar.
"Oh very nice, meet anyone new while you were out? You should get to know some people while you're here, you don't want to be cooped up with two old folks"
"Um yeah, I met a boy while I was out. Tyler Austin, do you know him? Seems pretty cool" Savannah replied cautiously.
Mrs Harper thought for a moment before replying "Oh Tyler, yes, yes I know of him. I don't know him personally but he seems such a nice boy. I'm glad you're meeting people honey"
Savannah nodded her head in agreement before heading to her room until she would be called for dinner in a few hours. She spent her time finishing last bits of unpacking and calling home to assure them she was fine and settling in well.
The week passed slowly and with much hugging and kissing for Savannah as family dropped in to see their relation and spend some time with her while she was around. When the weekend finally did arrive it was time for the community cookout and Savannah found she was curious as to who would be there and if one person in particular would be there.
While her Grandparent's chatted to their neighbours about the weather or their garden's, Savannah found a spot in the shade and sat down with the book she had brought along. She wasn't trying to be anti-social or trying to isolate herself but truth was the majority of people there were either too old for her or too young, their lacked an abundance of awkward looking teens for her to make conversation with so she decided to lose herself in a different world for a while.
Tyler was bored. Bored, bored, bored; he dreaded this day every summer as there was not much to do besides sit and listen to old folks talk about their children or grandchildren or be tackled to the ground by a bunch of lively children. Neither were hobbies of his and as he wandered about for somewhere to hide, he spotted curly brunette locks flowing in the breeze somewhere in the distance. Knowing it was Savannah he smiled before heading straight towards her.
"Ah is this wonderful company out here not good enough for Miss New Mexico?" Tyler asked jokingly before setting himself down in front of her.
Savannah was startled for a second; he seemed to pick the worst moments to approach her but her startled look softly turned into a smile. "Let's just say I don't fit into the age bracket of most people here and I'd sooner not discuss how best to remove stains from my clothes"
Tyler chuckled "I hear you. Trust me, I go through this every year and I've heard things I'd sooner forget about" He said as he shook his head slightly.
"Yeah I can imagine. So how was your week then? Do anything interesting?" Savannah queried as she closed the book she had been reading and placed it beside her.
"Unless you call chores interesting, then no, my week was nothing to shout from the rooftops about. But what about you, did you enjoy seeing your family?"
"Yeah I guess so. I mean I love my family but most of them I haven't seen since I was ten or even before then and they were just a little insufferable at times" She laughed gently before shrugging her shoulders in a 'but what can you do' gesture.
"Well that's family for you. So how come your family back home didn't come with you this summer?" He asked, he wanted to know more about her and he figured starting with her family was the best way to go.
"Work commitments really. My Mom and Dad both have good jobs and they have a lot going on this summer. I guess that was part of my decision to spend a summer here"
"It must suck when your parents work so much? I'd like to say I sympathise but my Mom works part time and my Dad works at the local high school" Tyler replied while thinking he was glad her parents were working if it had brought her here.
"You get used to it but they don't work as much as they could so it's all good"
"Well either way it's nice to have you here. We should hang out sometime, give us both someone to talk too besides adults" Tyler stated as he stared down at the grass were his hands were picking at the blades.
"I'd like that Tyler" She smiled widely as she looked at the cute boy in front of her.
True to his word, Savannah found Tyler at her door the next afternoon with a plan to hang out. "So what did you have in mind for today then?" Savannah asked as they headed down the street.
"I thought we could just hang out, head the park maybe and then get milkshakes at the diner?" Tyler asked nervously. He hadn't stopped thinking about the girl beside him in days and she had him feeling nervous.
"Sounds good to me"
They walked around talking and laughing for hours, heading to the park and playing on the swings as though they were small children once again before making their way to the diner to get a milkshake to hydrate themselves in the blistering southern heat.
As they sat there in comfortable silence, Tyler watched Savannah and knew he liked her, he liked her a lot. He knew he wanted to ask her out but he was nervous, nervous and scared she would say no. He mentally cursed himself for being so stupid and so weak.
"Uh Savannah, I wanted to ask you something. Do you uh think that maybe you know you'd uh like t-to go out with me tonight?" He did it, he bit the bullet and asked her and there was no going back.
Savannah's heart expanded and contracted rapidly as she took in a deep breath. Tyler Austin had just asked her out and despite knowing only a little about him her stomach was doing flips and she wanted to jump for joy. She resisted the temptation to do such a thing and nodded at the boy who was eagerly awaiting her reply.
"I'd like that Tyler. I'd really like that" She replied as she bit her lip and looked into his cerulean blue eyes which lit up at her words.
"Wow, great. So I'll pick you up about seven. Oh and where are you staying?" He asked keenly, unable to believe she had agreed.
After obliging him with the details of her grandparent's residence they parted ways and she headed home to get ready for the evening, both excited and nervous to spend time with Tyler.
She ran up the porch steps with a spring in her step before pushing the front door open and greeting her grandparent's.
"Evening dear, have a nice day? Ohhh what's got you so happy?" The grey haired woman asked curiously.
Savannah bit her lip thinking of Tyler before answering "I'm going out with...a friend" She said hesitantly.
"Oh and does this friend happen to be that boy...oh what's his name? Oh yes, Tyler, by any chance?" The older woman smiled softly at her granddaughter thinking about how lovely it would be for her to make new friends and have some fun.
"Yeah it's him grandma. Anyway I have to go get ready" She replied as she walked towards her room to prepare for the evening ahead and desperately trying to avoid her grandma's curious nature. Don't get her wrong, she loved her grandmother for who she was but when she started getting all curious that was the time to run or she would want to know the ins and outs of everything and Savannah herself was unsure what was going on right now.
Slipping her favourite gold ballet flats on her small feet she admired herself in the full length mirror in her room. The shoes complemented her patterned apricot and cream coloured, chiffon summer dress which flowed loosely around her lower body. She hoped this was okay because Tyler had told her casual smart and had been helpfully unspecific, telling her she needn't worry. As she ran her hand through her soft curls, letting them bounce back into place, she heard a faint knock on the front door and smiled. She grabbed her purse and made her way to the front door, opening it to see a handsome Tyler looking nervous as he dug his hands in his pockets. Taking a moment to take in his appearance, she sucked in a breath – he was dressed in dark blue jeans and a light blue button up shirt which made the colour of his eyes more intense. The outfit was simple yet on him it looked nothing short of amazing and she felt her stomach do flips as she studied him carefully.
"Hey Savannah you ready to go? You look beautiful by the way" He smiled lightly as he took in her appearance, his breath catching in the back of his throat as he looked at the slender tanned legs on show.
"You don't look so bad yourself mister" She smiled flirtatiously "Let's go"
As they headed out the door she said goodnight to her grandparents and let them know she'd be back before midnight to which they murmured there goodnights and 'behaves' at her.
As they reached the car, Tyler opened the door for her before she got the chance.
"Thanks Tyler, who knew you were such a gentleman?" She teased him as she buckled herself in and he made his way to the driver seat.
"Ah that's one of my many traits that you'll grow to love" He said with a wink as he started the engine and drove off.
"Okay if you say so" She giggled. "So where are we going?"
"I thought we could go to this nice restaurant in town, it's nothing fancy just a nice place with outdoor seating and a nice atmosphere for talking and stuff" He explained nervously.
"Sounds Perfect"
The drive was relatively quiet for the most part, neither feeling the need to talk and the silence being perfectly comfortable between them. By this point the sun was hanging low in the sky and casting its usual glow on everything beneath it but the weather was still warm with only a hint of a breeze every now and again. Soon enough Savannah found they were at a beautiful restaurant in town which had hung fairy lights around to give it a romantic atmosphere outside. She liked it she thought as the waiter took them to their table, weaving them in and out of tables that were filled with people quietly talking or eating, on the way.
After they'd ordered and made small talk Tyler decided to question Savannah about her, he wanted to know everything, he somehow needed to know everything.
"So, tell me about yourself Savannah, I want to know who Savannah Harper is" He said with a flash of his famous smile.
"Hmm okay, let's see..." She said as she screwed the delicate features of her face up to think. "Well I'm 17 and I live in New Mexico as you already know – I'm an only child, I'm an honour roll student, I like to sing and dance, I enjoy reading, horseback riding and hanging out with my friends" She replied.
"Ah you're a brain box as well, huh? Might have known you'd be a smarty pants" He chuckled before continuing "So what else, favourite colour? Food? Do you have a middle name?" He questioned her further.
She thought for a second. "My favourite colour would have to be blue, my favourite food is pizza and my middle name is Leigh"
"Savannah Leigh Harper...I like it. It sounds very southern and it suits you" He said as he thought about how beautiful her name sounded to him.
"You're so weird" She laughed. "My parents were going to call me Savannah-Leigh as just my first name at first until they saw sense" She added.
"Yeah, well parents are weird anyway" He chuckled.
"That's for sure. Your turn now - tell me about Tyler Austin" She ordered sweetly.
"Well my middle name is Andrew; I'm an only child, I love basketball and baseball – I'm on the school teams, my favourite colour is also blue and my favourite food is also pizza" He laughed at how much it sounded like he was a child and copying his best friend.
"We have a lot in common then and you have good taste" She giggled softly.
They talked more throughout the time before their dinner arrived, getting to know one another, laughing and joking at funny stories and enjoying their time together as two teens with a summer of freedom ahead of them. After dinner the pair headed home with Tyler walking Savannah up to the porch of her grandparent's home.
"I had a nice time tonight Tyler, thanks" Savannah said softly under the porch lights.
"Me too Savannah, how about I take you out again tomorrow?" Tyler asked and once again he could feel the nervousness in his stomach even though he was more than sure she would agree.
"Yeah that'd be nice" Came the simple reply from Savannah as she studies his handsome features.
Tyler smiled lightly before leaning over and placing his lips softly to her cheek as he said goodnight and retreated to his car. The simple action had Savannah sigh in happiness as she watched his retreating form before heading inside.
The sun was burning in the sky once again the next day as Savannah made her way into the kitchen of the small home with a placated smiled gracing her delicate features.
"Did you enjoy your night last night my dear Savannah?" Jackson Harper asked his granddaughter as he watched her closely.
Savannah's smile grew at the mention of the previous night's events "Yeah I did, it was nice"
"That's good. When are you seeing him again?"
"This evening" Savannah replied before making her way out of the house into the garden where she would spend the day sunning herself.
Savannah fell asleep in the warm sun as she lay their listening to the peacefulness of her surroundings. She loved how it was so quiet most of the time in this part of town and she missed that in New Mexico. Awaking in the late afternoon Savannah was shocked to see she had less than an hour before Tyler would arrive to take her to the movies and she hadn't even begun to get ready – she still had to decide what to wear.
As the doorbell rang only 45 minutes later Savannah cursed while Mrs Harper laughed and answered the door to the awaiting boy. "Hello dear, you must be Tyler? Come on in, she's still getting ready"
"Thanks Mrs Harper" Tyler said politely as he took a seat on the sofa to wait for Savannah.
As Jackson Harper walked into the room he studied the boy sitting nervously on the sofa and concluded he at least looked like a decent boy. "I hope your intentions for my Granddaughter are good young man, she's very special is my Savannah" The grey haired man made clear as he made his presence in the room known.
Tyler's heart was racing, if he wasn't nervous before he was now "Absolutely sir, my intentions are nothing but good for Savannah. I understand she's very special"
"As long as we're clear on that then it's nice to meet you son, don't look so scared" Mr Harper chuckled.
"Grandpa, leave him alone. Hey Tyler" The petite teen said sweetly as she entered the living room in a simple flowery summer dress.
"Hey Savannah, you look beautiful. Shall we go?"
"Yeah let's get out of here" She giggled as she looked at her Grandfather.
After catching a movie they headed to a small park in close proximity to the restaurant where they could talk some more while admiring the beautiful summer night. As the teens walked slowly through the park, Tyler slipped his hand into Savannah's and smiled softly at her with no words necessary to explain his actions. Tyler could hardly believe how much two days could change your life and how much you could feel for a person after knowing them such a short time. He'd never felt like this for a girl, he'd dated girl's at school but they weren't like Savannah – she was sweet, funny, caring and they got on so well. She had him captivated and alls he knew right now was that every time he seen her he got a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Savannah too was thinking the same things and the feel of his warm hand clasped around her delicate one was making her heart beat faster by the minutes and she feared it was beating so hard he could hear it.
As the couple stopped by the lake in the park they looked on in awe at the moonlight that was reflecting upon the service and casting silvery shadows on the nature surrounding them. The mood was calm, the atmosphere warm and the only noise to be heard was the distant sounds of nature as they held hands beneath the glow of the stars in the sky.
Tyler took a deep breath taking it all in before turning to Savannah and watching her intently as she surveyed the scene in front of them with her glistening dark mocha orbs. "You're beautiful, you know that? He said softly and suddenly.
Savannah turned to him "I – um, thanks" She said almost in a whisper as she cast her eyes down to the ground.
"Look at me" He demanded softly as he put his fingers under her chin and lifted it so her eyes would meet his. "You're beautiful Savannah and I like you, a lot. I know we've known each other only a short while but I can't help how I feel when I'm around you, it's like I've known you longer" He stated sincerely as he looked her in the eyes, his nervousness apparent in his azure eyes.
She breathed in deeply, she was nervous and she was scared of what she was feeling so soon. "I-I like you too Tyler. I like you a lot" She breathed out as she focused on his eyes which were now showing intense emotion.
He leaned his head down closer to her face and she felt his warm breath close to her soft pink lips as his eyes flickered from her eyes to her mouth and back up to confirm his intentions. She took a shaky breath before letting her eyes drift close as his mouth moved closer to hers before their lips met in a soft but passion filled kiss that sent both their minds whirring and their feelings out of control. His large hands tangled themselves in her brown curls while her hands looped around the back of his neck, playing with the tiny hairs. They kissed until they needed air and they pulled back, both with dazed smiles on their moonlight bathed faces as they looked into each other's eyes, taking in what had just happened.
Soon after, the pair returned home - Tyler dropping Savannah off at her grandparent's house and leaving her with a sweet kiss while making plans for the following day. Both teens drifted into a sound sleep both with wide smiles gracing their face.
Savannah awoke early, her mind alert and ready to spend the day with Tyler, today they were heading to the beach in a nearby town. She was excited and she was looking forward to the rest of her summer with Tyler and her family too of course.
Tyler too was ready for the day ahead as he stepped out of the bathroom in his shorts and t-shirt with his cool sandals on his feet. He couldn't stop thinking about Savannah and how much he liked her after only a few days, it was so crazy it was almost unbelievable but he knew what he felt and that it was real. He grabbed his cell phone and keys before heading to the car to pick Savannah up.
Arriving at her porch, he made his way up the stairs only to be greeted by the brunette beauty bounding outside the house and greeting him with a warm hug which he happily returned before kissing her softly on the lips and murmuring a soft "Hey".
The sun was high in the sky by time they arrived at the beach and it was pushing almost 90 Fahrenheit by time they were settled on a towel, Savannah wrapped up in Tyler's arms as they laid there peacefully.
"Hmm I could lie here forever, it's so nice" Savannah spoke as she sighed happily.
Tyler chuckled "You'd get extremely cold in the winter though"
She shot him a 'are you seriously messing with me' look before slapping his chest lightly while Tyler chuckled further at her attempt at being serious. He watched her cute features as they stared back at him before he pressed his lips to hers in a lust filled kiss, his tongue grazing her bottom lip gently, begging for entry. Their tongues battled for dominance as lust filled their kiss and it turned slowly into making out beneath the burning sun which seemed to reflect their burning desires. It wasn't until they could physically breathe no more that they finally pulled away and lay breathing raggedly in each other's embrace.
"How about we go for a swim?" Tyler suggested as he thought about how much fun he could have splashing her.
Savannah groaned slightly "Mm no, I'm much too comfy here thank you very much"
He laughed at her before sweeping her up in his arms and placing her gently over his shoulder, heading to the glistening water. "Put me down, now!" She ordered as she swung her legs at him in an attempt to get down.
Tyler just laughed at her girly nature before placing her in the cold water when he was knee deep in it. "There you go, safe and sound" He said as he smirked at her.
"Argh it's so cold Tyler, I'm going to kill you" She said as she scooped the water into her hands and threw it at the unsuspecting boy.
They played in the water for hours, running out when it became too cold and then returning when they were warmer. By time they had finished running around, enjoying their time like children would, the pair returned to lying on the beach in each other's arms contentedly. They stayed that way for a long time, enjoying just being alone together on the now deserted beach and enjoying the view of the sun as it set behind the vast blue sea in front of them.
"It's so beautiful; somehow here it seems even more beautiful than back home" Savannah thought aloud as she watched the sun sink lower in the sky by the minutes.
Tyler turned his attention to the owner of the sweet voice "Yeah it's definitely beautiful"
Realising he was looking at her on speaking those words rather than the sunset, she looked at him and blushed slightly before reaching up to connect their lips in a gentle kiss. She didn't know she'd got so lucky as to spend her summer with the most amazing guy she'd ever had the opportunity to know. He was tall, dark and handsome and he made her weak at the knees when he simply flipped his floppy hair out of his face and gave her that cute lopsided grin. As if that wasn't enough, he had an amazing personality and was different from most guys – he was genuine and thoughtful and loved doing simple things in life such as cuddling or talking. She liked him, she liked him a lot, more than any guy she had ever been out with in her young lifetime.
For Savannah, it was hard to believe there were such guys as Tyler out in the world, she'd seen firsthand how obnoxious and idiotic guys could be but Tyler appeared to be nothing like them she thought as she walked around the stores downtown. Desperate to find some shade from the blazing and downright uncomfortable heart, she headed towards her favourite diner only to freeze as she passed a cafe across the road. There in the sunshine sat Tyler, her Tyler, with some other girl and they seemed to be pretty cosy from her perspective. She willed her feet to move but they appeared to be frozen to the spot as she watched the dark haired boy interact with the blonde girl opposite him; they were laughing and joking at something as they chatted comfortably. She forced her feet to move and walked at a fast pace back home not wanting to witness anymore.
Her cell phone rang, blasting out the latest Rihanna tune as she paced her bedroom floor, almost wearing a hole in the soft beige carpet. She knew who it was, he'd already called three times in the last hour but she didn't know what to say to him. The tune became louder and louder, annoying Savannah into picking the device up and pressing answer in annoyance.
"What is it Tyler?" She answered; her voice tight with emotion.
Tyler was taken aback, she sounded mad. "Savannah, what's up? I called you three times already"
She was pissed and she couldn't deny it. "What's up? Well let me see, could it be that my supposed boyfriend was with another woman today?"
"Savannah, what on earth are you talking about?" To say he was confused was putting it lightly.
"I'm not blind, I seen you with her Tyler. You two looked awfully cosy; is this what happens? You claim you like a girl and then run off behind her back with someone else?"
The hurt in her voice was evident behind the anger and Tyler couldn't understand what he'd done. "Savannah, can we be rational about this? I have no freaking idea what is going on!"
She scoffed "Like hell you don't. I don't go for cheating scumbags so goodbye Tyler"
"Wait..." He was too late, she'd hung up the phone on him and he was still none the wiser to what had happened.
Tyler sighed as he stared at the twilight sky outside, he really liked Savannah but he had no idea why she was acting all crazy. Cheating? How could she accuse him of that, why would she accuse him of that? Thinking about it, he suddenly cursed and shook his head. He knew what she'd saw and he had to fix this.
Knocking on the Harper's door, Tyler bounced from foot to foot in anticipation; he needed to clear this mess up before he lost her.
"Ah Tyler, how nice to see you, I was actually just heading out but Savannah is out back"
Tyler nodded, mumbling a quick "Thanks" before heading out back.
Savannah, upon hearing footsteps, sat up from her lying position on the ground and sighed when she seen Tyler. She was not in the mood for this today. "Tyler I said all I had to say..."
Tyler cut her off quickly "No, you need to listen Savannah. I had no idea what you were going on about before until you put the phone down. That girl you saw me with in town? That's my cousin. She was down here for the afternoon so I met up with her at that cafe; I completely forgot to let you know."
Savannah felt her cheeks flush and she lowered her eyes to the ground. "H-how do I know you didn't make that up Tyler?" She questioned quietly, daring to hope that perhaps her summer romance wasn't completely over.
Tyler sighed before taking a step closer to the beauty that was now standing in the glow of the twilight sky behind her. "Savannah, I'd never lie to you. I swear to you that was my cousin and I need you to believe me, I like you Savannah and I don't want this to end over some stupid misunderstanding"
She could the desperation in his voice, the plea to believe him and suddenly knowing he wasn't lying, she flung herself into his arms before their lips met in a fiery kiss.
"I'm sorry" She mumbled into his chest.
Tyler just chuckled as he admired the beauty in front of him "It's okay Savannah. Misunderstandings happen, just trust me next time"
Savannah just nodded as their lips once again became joined and their hands entangled in each other's hair under the twilight sky, neither daring to part sooner than necessary as per usual.
The days passed and eventually the weeks and day by day the couple found themselves enjoying each other more and more as they spent most evenings together and days whenever they could. As they sat together on the porch swing of his home he thought about the feelings inside of him and how intense they were right now. He knew every time he looked at her beautiful face or heard her sweet melodic laugh that he had fallen in love with her and he needed to tell her sooner rather than later.
He smiled as he heard her singing to the radio in the background. "You're too cute for words" He said as he poked her nose lightly.
"Huh? Why?" She looked on at him puzzled as to where his comment had come from. He often said random things to her and despite it confusing her often she loved it.
"You're singing, it's cute and you're cute too" He chuckled as he kissed the top of her head.
"Oh right, I like this radio station I like all the songs they play" She noted as she thought about country station currently playing.
"You really are a country girl at heart, aren't you?"
She thought about it for a second and realised that perhaps she really was a country girl at heart but had hid it away in her new life. "Yeah I guess I am"
He smiled adoringly at her "Can I tell you something?" He was nervous, he'd never had to tell a girl how much he loved her before because he'd never been in love.
She turned to face him. "Of course you can, what's up?" She asked slight concern etched in her soft voice.
Taking a deep breath he locked his blue eyes with her brown ones "Savannah, the things is – I realised something the other day and I – well I really need to tell you..." He started, he was unsure how to approach this situation and it was more terrifying than anything he could imagine.
"You can tell me Tyler, its okay. It's just me" Her voice was laced with further concern and puzzlement as she swayed along to the background music of 'Maybe it was Memphis' on the radio.
"Savannah – I love you" He said softly as he pushed a stray curl out of her face.
Savannah stopped swaying and froze. Had he just said he was in love with her? Was he serious? "Uh I-um I-love is a big word Tyler"
Tyler's faced held a confused expression "I know Savannah and I'm not just saying it, I do love you. I honestly absolutely positively – and I've run out of adjectives – love you"
She smiled softly, realising she already knew how she felt, and she had just been apprehensive and weary of his confession. "I've fallen in love with you too Tyler"
They kissed softly in the orange glow of the sky both expressing the feelings of love they had both come to know – the feelings of a first love and a summer romance. The night continued as they sat together comfortably in each other's arms humming along to the tune of 'Maybe it was Memphis' that was still playing softly in the background as the porch swing slowly rocked back and forth with the gentle sway of the breeze that rippled through the tree's close by.
A week later and Tyler couldn't have been happier as he sat in his back yard overlooking the hills in the far distance and a large field that was drying out in the heat wave that was their summer. The summer had gone at a perfect pace; not too fast and slow enough for him to savour every moment he spent with Savannah. He was head over heels for her and his friends had referred to him as 'whipped' many a times but he couldn't care less as he sat quietly and waited for his first love to arrive for their afternoon and evening together.
He was soon dragged out of his more than pleasant thoughts when he heard a sweet voice calling his name.
"Tyler, Tyler – hello earth to Tyler" Savannah's soft voice prompted the blue eye boy.
"Huh? Oh hey Anna" He replied, finally out of his daydream and using a nickname for her.
"Anna? Where'd that come from?" She queried him as she cocked her head to the side in puzzlement.
He chuckled. "It's your new nickname – you know Sav-anna-h"
"Oh right, I knew that" She giggled as she leaned over and gave him a sweet peck on the lips.
Not satisfied with a peck on the lips, he pulled her on to his lap and attached his lips to hers before leaning his forehead to hers and smiling crazily at her.
"I thought maybe we could go for a walk; the fields back there are really nice" He explained as he gestured to the vast fields behind them in the near distance.
She smiled at his sweet personality – he never minded going for walks and just talking and lying out in the sun all day and it pleased her to no end. "That sounds perfect" she sighed happily, placing another peck on his lips before standing up and pulling him up too.
"I actually have a picnic prepared, thought we could take it with us" He explained as he walked in to the kitchen and then back out with wicker basket and red and white check blanket.
Savannah was speechless; it was hard to believe he was so amazingly perfect and it made her want to cry out to fate or destiny and ask it if it was screwing with her because she couldn't keep him, at least not forever.
Shaking her head at him, her soft curls swaying slightly she replied "You're just too perfect."
Tyler took her small hand in his and they walked closely together through the fields of wild flowers which were standing proudly, showing off their various colours and beauty in the glistening sunlight as it beat down over them. They walked for what seemed like forever, talking and laughing softly with each other about anything and everything before finally settling beneath the shade of a great oak tree for the rest of the afternoon.
"You know I'm the greatest peanut butter and jelly sandwich maker ever, right?" Tyler said with his ever expanding ego as he smirked at her.
Savannah rolled her eyes, typical Tyler she thought. "Yeah right, of course you are" She said sarcastically as she challenged him playfully.
"Hey, you better say I'm the best PB&J sandwich maker ever or..."He thought for a second of something to punish her with "...I'm not giving you any of my delightful sandwiches"
Savannah just giggled at his ridiculous comeback and stuck her tongue out at him like a small child would when they were arguing playfully.
"Oh you better run missy, you don't pull tongues at me and get away with it" He laughed as he started to get up.
Savannah ran; she ran as fast as she could through the fields, round and round in circles for as long as she could but Tyler was fast; he was the athletic type and trained to gain a fast running pace. Meanwhile Tyler laughed as she stopped and he watched her bend over slightly, trying to regain her normal breathing pattern. She was just too endearing for words he thought as he snuck up behind her and grabbed her by the waist, spinning her round and round loving the loud giggles erupting from her mouth before they both collapsed onto the soft ground beneath them.
"You're mean, Tyler" Savannah pouted playfully at him as she lay on the ground.
Tyler couldn't resist that pout if he tried; the way she stuck her plush pink bottom lip out made him cave in every time. "Ah you're killing me with that pout" He groaned before smiling "Okay okay, I give up, I'm mean but you know I love you right?"
"I love you more" She smirked at him; she was definitely feeling in a playful mood today.
Tyler just smiled and shook his head at her as he lay on his stomach watching her with her beautiful curls splayed around her head before pressing his lips suddenly to hers in a kiss that portrayed the raw emotion that was filling his heart and soul at that moment in time.
Pulling back, Savannah raised herself to her feet and ran wildly, her feet, bare on the blades of grass and wild flowers, to the great oak tree where they had been previously. Tyler just watched her, smiling at her actions before standing himself up and following her to finish their picnic.
"That was so good, I think I'm too full now" Savannah stated as she fell back into the grass as though it would ease the uncomfortable full feeling. "Thanks Tyler"
"...What for?" He questioned as he packed the remaining food away and pulled out his father's portable radio from the basket.
"For the picnic...for everything I guess" She sighed deeply never wanting the summer to end.
"You have nothing to thank me for, it's you I should be thanking" Tyler argued softly as he switched the radio onto her favourite station.
Hearing the soft sounds of music Savannah was startled slightly and leant up on her elbows to find the source of the sounds and smiled at Tyler for the millionth time that summer. He really did think of everything she thought as she studied him quietly.
Sensing her stare Tyler turned to her "Oh, I just thought it would be nice you know?" He explained, motioning to the radio that was blasting out country songs.
They shared a sweet smile as he made his way over to her and lay on his stomach next to her, looking lovingly into her eyes as he listened to the song in the background.
Listening to the lyrics he thought how it reminded him of how he felt around her "I can see a new expression on my face, I can feel a strange sensation taking place, I can hear the guitars playing lovely tunes every time that you walk in the room" He sang softly to her as he drew lazy circles on the toned stomach beneath her dress.
Savannah smiled and blushed at his gesture while shivering under the touch of his large hands making patterns on her stomach. The sensation it was creating made her sigh with bliss as she pulled his head close to hers and kissed him gently, slowly and deeply. Breaking away only briefly they resumed their kissing, the need for one another apparent as there kisses became slowly more urgent and love filled.
Savannah pulled away slightly and looked him in the eyes as she breathed in deeply "Make love to me" She whispered softly as her hands played with the hairs on the nape of his neck.
Tyler searched her eyes looking for a sign, a sign that she was unsure but as he stared into her chocolate brown eyes, he saw nothing but love and desire. His hands shook slightly as he moved a stray curl out of her face and breathed in deeply, taking in every feature of her beautiful face before leaning down and connecting their lips once more in a fiery love filled kiss that sent uncontainable feelings flying around their young bodies.
They spent the rest of the afternoon making love under the shade of the old oak tree before sitting wrapped in each other's arms watching the sunset, ending another day of southern summer.
The last two weeks of their summer were spent in a similar way, each wanting to simply be together and spend as much time as possible with one another while they could. They were young and they were in love and they acted just that as they laughed, smiled, talked and made sweet love together before watching the beauty of the setting sun and returning home in the silver moonlight.
The two weeks passed quicker than either would have wished and as they stood on the porch of Savannah's grandparent's house the night before she would leave there was a tense atmosphere which appeared to be reflected in the dark stormy weather outside.
Tyler sighed as he ran his hand through his brown hair, dishevelling it slightly. "Savannah..." He tried before he was cut off.
"Don't Tyler, please. Let's not say anything, we both knew it was a summer romance and I don't want to ruin the memories of that tonight" Her voice was strained as she fought to keep control of her emotions, cursing fate in the process.
"I love you Savannah and I've never had a better summer, so thanks for making it extra special" Tyler said as he avoided looking into her usually sparkling eyes.
"No thank you Tyler. I'll always remember this, always. You're a great guy and I know any girl is going to be lucky to end up with you"
Savannah looked down at her feet to stop him seeing the tears threatening to fall from her eyes and making it harder. This was to no success as Tyler had seen the water in her eyes as he'd finally looked up at her and it cut him like a knife. He reached for her chin and pulling her face up to meet his, he kissed her softly and lovingly before stepping away.
"You're special Savannah, take good care of yourself" Tyler said as the tears in his own eyes were threatening to fall.
Savannah let out a long breath trying to compose herself "Goodbye Tyler" She got out before the tears slipped down her golden-brown skin and met her soft lips.
"Goodbye Savannah" Tyler said as he turned away and walked down the street in the rain that was now falling and covering the tears that were freely falling.
Summer romance was over for the pair as they parted and returned to normal. Summer never seemed so good until you met your first love and spent the entire summer together; enjoying many firsts with one another and living in the moment like you were two small children all over again and creating a thousand new memories every day.
Savannah felt hot tears run down her already tear stained cheeks like a river as she packed up her last belongings ready for her trip home tomorrow and thought about Tyler and the past weeks of the Alabama summer. Tyler too could feel hot tears on his cheeks as he lied on his bed staring at the picture of him and Savannah smiling at each other at the beach. The pair cursed fate or destiny or whatever it was for making life so difficult and giving them a taste of something they could never keep even if the summer had been the greatest time of their life.
As the radio crooned out a soft tune in the background of their homes to its listeners, the memories that both Tyler and Savannah had made that summer flooded back to them and they both knew that for as long as they lived, they would never forget the summer they had shared together and they would never forget the experience of true love and the special person that had helped to create and share those memories. They didn't know what had brought them together but whether it was either of them or the long southern summer nights they didn't care, all that mattered was that it had felt right.
Maybe it was Memphis
Maybe it was southern summer nights
Maybe it was you maybe it was me
But it sure felt right