Carly's Summer

It was the summer of 2007 and Carly's summer seemed as if it could not get any better. The breeze whipped her long blonde hair and the sun was gently reflected in her golden-bronze skin as she drove with Michael in the car. As the breeze brushed against her face, the smell of the salt water filled her head and made its way through her body, sending tingles down her spine. The way the sea made her feel was incredible; it was like nothing else existed, like anything was possible that you put your mind to.

Carly stuck her hand out of the side of the car and let it wave through the air. She smiled at her hand and turned to look at Michael who glanced over, smiling back at her as he did. Carly closed her eyes and placed her head back on the head rest, continuing to let her hand surf the fresh salty air that passed the car as they sped along the road.

"It's perfect here, isn't it, Carls?" she heard Michael say as he pulled up on top of a cliff overlooking the sea. The water crashed upon the dry, sandy beach, which called to be cooled down from the hot Australian summer sun.
Carly, opening her eyes, glanced at Michael with a smile, "Yeah, it is."
She leant forward and placed her hands on the glove box, taking a look at the view, the water sucking back out into the great unknown.
Michael took a look at Carly, her face full of thrill and excitement as she looked over the edge.
"Hey, Carls?" Michael said, his eyes analysing every inch of her face as she turned to look at him. Her brow creased just slightly as she went to question what he was asking in her head. Her lips slightly lost their joy but regained it again when she saw his soft, smiling face looking at her with as much joy as she felt inside.
"Yeah?" Carly said, leaning back in her chair, her shoulder taking most of the weight of her tiny frame as she leant against the padded seat.
Michael hesitated, trying to fit words into a sentence so it didn't come out wrong. "Carls, I like you; I like you a lot. And you know you mean the world to me, right?"
Carly nodded, trying to make sense of what he was getting at. "Yeah, you've told me that. You told me this morning when you joined me in my sleeping bag!"
Looking down and slightly blushing, although he didn't like to admit it, Michael smiled. "Yeah, I did hey." He looked up, "Well," he started. "I want you to be it, Carls." Michael paused for a moment. "I want you to be my first."

That's when Carly choked unexpectedly, his words taking the wind right out of her like when one person tackled another too hard.
"You what?" she asked, a surprised look upon her face.
Michael laughed at himself, felling a little awkward that she had just rejected his vulnerable words.
Carly, noticing his embarrassment, jumped straight back in, "Oh, Mikey, I'm so sorry." She rubbed his arm with compassion, her sympathy running from her eyes. Gathering words within her mind as she rubbed his arm, she spoke softly and delicately, as if trying to be careful not to break him. "I want you to be my first as well, Mike."
Michael, acting as if he had not heard right, flung his head up and looked at her, his facial expression giving off mixed signals. "What?"
Carly smiled, "I want to sleep with you, too."
Michael smiled in relief, glad she hadn't rejected him; as she had in the scenarios he'd played over and over in his head for weeks. "I was so worried you were going to reject me."
Letting a laugh slip from her mouth, Carly took a hold of Michael's hand. "I couldn't and wouldn't reject you, Mikey. Not when I feel like I do."
Taking a squeeze of her hand before starting his car again, Michael looked at Carly, "You won't regret this; I promise."

Michael's hand slid gently up Carly's thigh, her skirt ruffling slightly. Michael was eager – eager to learn more about Carly and her body. She, to him at that point in time, was the most incredible person he had ever encountered. Carly had a way of dragging Michael in, of making him feel like there was something worth living for; for Michael had always been down on himself, believing that no one would ever want him. This moment just made it all the more worthwhile.

Carly was on vacation. Carly was happy. Carly was daydreaming. That vacation was one year ago; yet the memories still lingered in her mind like an old record on repeat. Michael's image was like a pleasant reminder of the times she was about to share with him again.

Michael had been a family friend for many years that joined Carly's family on their annual camping trip over the summer for two weeks every year. Within the two weeks of 2007, Carly and Michael's relationship reached the next level where the pair both realised that they meant more to each other than Tom meant to Jerry.

Carly slowly packed her bag in the soft afternoon's sunlight. Her jeans were placed neatly at the bottom of the bag to help keep everything in place. Then, packed on top of her jeans were her pants, shirts, singlets then on the very top of everything were her underwear and socks – in hope that she would be the only one opening her suitcase when the families first arrived at the campsite. At least once in her camping years, Carly's bag had been accidentally opened in front of everyone to reveal her nice pink frilly underwear with butterflies spread across the underwear like they were advertising Christmas or something. Carly could still remember her face going bright red from embarrassment.

But Carly was excited. The year had been long and her time with Michael had been limited. With Michael's family living more than three hours away, it was more difficult for the pair to see each other, and share what they found in each other, on a regular basis.

"I love you," he told her one-day as they sat on large rock next to the lake in Michael's new backyard.
It was a day Carly had waited for and it was as though Michael had prepared it just perfectly with the mood and the scenery being just perfect.
Resting her head upon Michael's shoulder, his shirt absorbing the water from her wet hair that had been made damp from the lakes water, Carly spoke. "I love you, too," she said honestly.
Michael had kissed her head and the pair sat there.

Carly smiled, knowing that this vacation would give them more opportunities for times like that. Bringing the top of her suitcase up and over her clothing, Carly grabbed the zipper lead and began to zip the bag up, a smile still indiscreetly across her face. Carly didn't really care, though, as to who saw the smile upon her face. The fact that she got to see Michael was the main thing upon her mind; and, of course, to some point, the fact that she was now carrying their child at exactly seven weeks along.

"Carly!" yelled a female voice from the carport. "Come put your bag in the car!"
"Coming mum," Carly yelled back, lifting her bag up and off her bed and out to the carport.
Carly's mother, Sarah, smiled at her and took Carly's bag from her. "You know you shouldn't be carrying anything too heavy," Sarah stated.
Carly rolled her eyes, a playful look on her face. "I'm not even that far along."
"But still, sweetheart," her father, Max, chimed in. "You need to take care of yourself."
Carly smiled at her father, "alright. Can we just go? I want to tell Michael preferably soon if that's alright with you?"
"We'll get there when we get there," Max said with a smile, hopping in behind the drivers seat.

"Carly, wake up," said a voice in the mild dark with a shove to her arm.

Carly woke from her sleep to see flashing lights outside her car window and the car completely stopped. Taking one look at her mother, she instantly knew something was wrong. Carly opened her door and stepped out, still partially asleep. "Emily?" she said softly. "Emily," she now yelled, "where's Michael?"

Emily was Michael's mother and was crying hysterically while talking to a police officer. Looking towards a tree that was the centre of the scene, Carly's eyes found a lifeless body being pulled from the car wreck. She screamed as though the life had been sucked from her, "Michael!"