Summer's Eve

Chapter One

The music of morning flooded in through my open window, high in the trees there were birds singing away and squirrels collecting their peanuts. Rolling over, I smile at the rays of sun that warmed my skin immediately. Without any cool air, I thrust off the duvet and touch my toes to the cooling Oak hardwood that was my bedroom floor. I walk across to my corner bathroom and before taking a shower open the window to let the heat out. Feeling good about today, I slip into my knee length jawbreaker bad decisions dress and tug on my Demonia delight bondage strap shoes. Brushing out my hair, I shift the shade of my eye color and add eyeliner. Finished with my quick morning, I head downstairs and into the kitchen. "There you are, we were wondering when you'd be up." "I'm always up, is there tea?" "Yes miss." Emily responds as she walks in behind me. I thank her for the thermos she prepared ahead of time and hug my brothers. "Catch you guys later." "Hang on, what about..." "Two steps ahead of everyone." And those are my last words as the door closes on my cue. 

I've walked into town continuously sipping my hot Lipton tea and just as I'm about to reach the corner cafe, Katherine is on the corner staring intently ahead of her. Following her eye line, I catch that she is watching my older brother. Derek had started working at Joe's garage and it gave Kat all day to gaze at him from a safe distance. "Why don't you just ask him out already?" Katherine jumps at the sound of my voice, and she turns to see me. "God, you startled me!" I smirk at her and she smiles. "I can't just walk up and say hey, I know you're my best friends brother, but can we have coffee?" "How many times do I have to tell you? Go for it, You've spent all year mooning over him." "What? No I haven't." "Denial. There's nothing wrong with you making the first move, and you won't know until you try." "Really?" "Yes. Besides, he talks about you incessantly." "No way." "I mean it, you're stuck in his sub-cranium. He likes you but doesn't know how you feel." "Wow, that's big insight. Can I tag along with you please?" "Sure. Play pool with the single guys for a bit." "Now that's easy."                                                                                                    I take a seat as Katherine saunters over to the Grill and picks up a pool stick. "Can anyone of you teach me how to play?" She says sweetly. I envy her sometimes, Kat is always so out there and friendly. Until it comes down to one guy that she can't figure out when she likes him. Perhaps she has self esteem issues since she grew up without a father to guide her. That is one thing I couldn't have ever gone without, and so she makes up for it by being who she is. At least she's still saving herself, hopefully for my brother. I see that she is head over heels for Derek. "Summer, honey?" I tear my eyes away from her and see that Julie is at my side. "I'm sorry Jules. I'll have the breakfast plate with some orange juice." "You got it kiddo."                                                      

The clock on the wall reads a quarter after eleven, and I've ordered a desert to follow my breakfast. The ice cream bowls here are homemade by the cook who has been working at the cafe for over fifteen years. Whenever I order it, which is rare, Sebastian comes out with it himself. "There you are." I look up and see that he finally decides to show up. I've only been waiting an hour. As he sits, he gets the waitress to come over to him. The new girl who started a week ago smiles big at him. "What can I get for you sir?" "Breakfast plate with water." "You got it." The poor girl fumbles to write down his order and then nearly stumbles to walk away. "Do you realize the effect you have on women?" My thoughts come out unfiltered and I can't take it back. "What do you mean?" "Come on, you're not blind." "Summer, not here, please." "He says please ladies and gentlemen, does he mean it this time?" "Summer." His tone is threatening and to keep him from escalating, I shut up. "Dinner will be held for us and our families on Friday." "Fine." I get up not wanting to sit here any longer and slip into the bathroom. Splashing some water on my face, I feel a bit better but not by much. There needs to be distance between us. I leave the bathroom without looking up and bump hard into something, promptly falling backwards and landing hard on my ass.