Summertime is one of the greatest in my opinion. After Ulrich's parents had picked us up from Kadic, we go to his place in Germany. It's beautiful and just amazing. Mrs. Stern shows me to my room and I unpack my things, putting everything away. I'd brought all my things at Ulrich's insistence. I guess he wants me to move in and come back with him every holiday.
As the summer progresses, Ulrich and I get closer and get to know more about the other. We enjoy all of our time together and nothing could go wrong. We went to concerts, parties, and had fun around the park nearby. Ulrich pushes me on the swing when we go and we would end up having picnics. On one picnic, he has a cd player with music playing. We listen to the songs and just relax in the sunshine. "Rose, I've got something I want you to hear," he states with a soft smile and blush. "Alright, let me hear it," I reply sitting up looking at him.
"But I think you might know it, we listened to it earlier in the summer and at the school dance," he says quietly. Ulrich changes the song on the stereo and sits down across from me. I notice this song doesn't have words with it and smile as I recognize it. It's a song I would sing in my room, the last song we danced to at the school dance. Something that was very special to me. Ulrich takes my hands, blushes and looks at me as he starts to sing, "If I never knew you, if I never felt this love I would have no inkling of how precious life can be. And if I never held you I would never have a clue how at last I'd find in you the missing part of me…" He continues singing the first part of the duet and I pick up where he ends. "If I never knew you, I'd be safe but half as real. Never knowing I could feel a love so strong and true. And I'm so grateful to you. I'd have lived my whole life through… Lost forever if I never knew you." We sing together for the last bit of the duet and as the song ends, Ulrich smiles at me and blushes brightly. I know I have a blush on my face and look at him smiling too.
"W-Well?" He asks nervously.
"I'm not laughing. This will stay between us," I reply with a nod. "I promise. I love that song."
"What would you say, if this was our song?" he asks nervously, putting a hand behind his head. "I would tell you that I love that idea. I will always love it," I assure him. I lean over and place a kiss to his cheek and smile at him. "I love you, Ulrich."
"And I love you Rose," he replies pulling me close and holding me as we lounge in the sunshine.
One afternoon a few weeks later, Ulrich's dad takes him to go do something, leaving me and Mrs. Stern alone. After baking cookies and making dinner, I go up and lay on Ulrich's bed. The scent of orange and cinnamon makes its way into my mind from his pillow. It's the scent of Ulrich. I curl up, holding the pillow close to me and end up falling asleep.
"Rose," I hear behind me. Blushing as I wake up I see Ulrich standing there. "O-Oh… Hi there Ulrich," I state with a smile.
"You look comfortable," He says with a smile, getting into bed beside me. "And cute." He wraps an arm around me and pulls me close.
"Thank you?" I say slightly confused. "So… why did you decide to nap in my room?" He asks with a chuckle.
"Because… I wanted to," I reply simply. "Anything else?" He asks.
"I like your scent it's calming and well… I was feeling antsy with your mom around," I admit shyly. Ulrich laughs and pulls me closer, kissing the side of my neck. "It's alright. Now you know how I feel. I live with them and am related to them."
"At least you have parents Ulrich. Mine… well," I say quietly, letting the sentence drop off. Ulrich just holds me close and lets me curl into him. "We'll get your sister back. And your dad. Jeremy's probably working on something right now."
"I think he'll like my sister Wispur," I state with a smile. "She's… different. I think she'd do him some good."
"Probably," Ulrich replies. "Hey… when is your birthday?"
"June 28th," I reply with a smile. "Why?"
"Well… we'll have to celebrate it."
"No. I don't want anything for my birthday. Nothing!"
"Please Rosie?" He asks in a pleading tone.
"No Ulrich," I say. "I don't want to celebrate it. Because I've missed half already. I'm twice as old as everyone thinks I am. You know that. I just… I don't."
"So?" He asks. "I don't care. Why should you? No one else cares either. Your sister doesn't, the group doesn't, no one else around school knows. My parents surely don't know. This will all be perfect. Don't worry about anything. You have a second chance. Use it."
I smile at his words and roll over to face him. "I love you Ulrich Stern," I say quietly.
"And I you Rosabelle Schaefer," he replies before kissing me sweetly. Once we pull back from the kiss he smiles at me and says, "We are going to have fun this summer. I know it. It's going to be one of the best summer's I've ever had."
"I know it will be too," I reply before giggling and kissing him again. This is the best summer I've had.