The Summer of Henry

by iloveromance

When 17 year old Melissa Sherwood is sent away to Camp Firewood in 1981, she unexpectedly falls in love with camp counselor Henry Newman. But even more unexpected is the revelation of a secret that Henry has been keeping. And it's a secret that could shatter Melissa's fragile heart. A completely AU version of the film in which David Hyde Pierce stars as Henry Newman.

1. Chapter 1

Leave it to my mother to completely ruin my much-anticipated seventeenth summer.

Just days before the last day of school, we were sitting at the dinner table; Mom, Dad, my totally annoying little brother Spence... and me.

I was talking incessantly about my plans for the summer, which included hanging out with my best friend Bianca and to spend every possible moment at the Augusta Public pool.

Oh, I wasn't a big swimmer. In fact, I can't really swim at all. But no way would I allow Brett to know that.

He's the guy I've been in love with since the 7th grade.

Brett Morris, that is...

He was a lifeguard at the pool and he was the most handsome boy I'd ever seen.

All it took was one glance at him during 7th grade orientation at Augusta Jr. High and I was head over heels in love.

Dark hair and brown eyes... In my mind no other boy even came close.

Bianca was forever trying to get me to talk to him, but I didn't dare. Yes, I'm so pathetic that I've never even spoken to him. I tried to keep my feelings for him to myself but it didn't last long.

Bianca caught me staring at Brett during a pep rally one Friday afternoon. When it was over, and we headed back to our classrooms, she yanked me out of line and corned me in the girl's bathroom, demanding to know every last detail.

Reluctantly I told her (she is my best friend, after all), but I've regretted it ever since. For the past nine months-the duration of our sophomore year, she's bugged me to no end, trying to get me to talk to him face to face.

But I just couldn't do it. Besides, what would he find remotely interesting in me; a girl with shoulder-length brown hair, glasses and freckles.

The one time I was bold enough to approach Brett, we were in the cafeteria. I walked up behind him and with trembling fingers, reached out and touched his pink polo shirt.

He whirled around but at that exact moment, Tom Franklin waved his arm dramatically, hitting me square in the face and knocking me to the ground.

Afraid to look at Brett, I pulled myself to my feet, painfully aware of the humiliating laughter that followed.

Instead of buying my lunch like I normally did, I ran down the hallway until I came to an empty practice room in the band hall. And it was there that I cried my eyes out.

From then on, I decided to love Brett Morris from afar.