Take Me as I Am

Patrick was texting Summer as he rode in the passenger’s seat with Jonathan driving.

We’re on our way. Is everything good on your end? Patrick texted.

Thirty seconds later, he heard his phone beep and he opened it to reveal a text from Summer. Yep. Olivia went to the store to get something, so she’ll be in for a shock when she finds out that you two are here.

“Do you know what you’re going to say to her?” Jonathan asked, causing Patrick to look up from his phone.

“What?” he asked.

“Summer. What are you going to say to her?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Patrick told him. “I’ll just wing it.”

“Probably not the best idea for you,” Jonathan laughed. “She’s not your biggest fan. You might want to think about what you’re going to say.”

“I’ll be fine,” Patrick assured him.

Five minutes later, they arrived at the apartment complex. They both jumped out of the car and walked up the stairs. Patrick rang the doorbell, and Summer came to answer the door. “What are you doing here?” she asked, trying to keep Jonathan from knowing what their plan was.

Patrick didn’t say anything, so Jonathan answered for him. “Pat’s here to tell you how he feels,” he said with a smile.

“Quoi?” Summer asked.

“She asked what,” Jonathan told Patrick, who simply glared at him in return.

“Um, Summer,” Patrick began, hoping that Olivia would walk through the front door at any second. “I really like you.” He looked over at Jonathan, who nodded his head to let Patrick know he should continue. “I feel like we had a connection down in Florida.”

“Quoi? Es-tu sérieux?" Summer asked.

Patrick looked over at Jonathan, who simply said, “What? Are you serious?”

Patrick looked back at Summer, his eyes going wide. “Yes, I’m serious. I’ve never felt this way about anyone else.” He looked over at the door, wishing it would open up to reveal Olivia, but his prayers weren’t answered.

“Pat, where is this coming from?” Summer asked, confused.

“I just needed to tell you how I felt,” he said.

“Pat,” Summer began, but she was interrupted when the front door swung open and Olivia walked in carrying bags of food.

“Thank God!” Patrick said under his breath as Summer gave him a quizzical look.

“Sum, what’s going on?” Olivia asked nervously as she sat the bags on the table.

Summer looked over at her and then at Jonathan. “You two are going to talk,” she said grabbing Jonathan by the shirt and pulling him over to where Olivia stood.

“Sum,” Olivia began.

“No,” Summer interrupted. “I’m not arguing with either of you. I’m sick of seeing the two of you be miserable and refusing to do anything about it, so you two are going to sort everything out,” she ordered as she moved in front of the door, in order to make sure that neither of them tried to leave.

“Summer, no offense, but there is no way that you are going to be able to make me stay here. I’m pretty sure if you try to block your door, I can simply pick you up and move you.”

“And that’s why Pat’s here,” Summer smirked.

Jonathan turned around to look at him. “That’s why you brought me here?” he questioned. “It had nothing to do with your liking Summer! It was because of Olivia.”

“Yes,” Patrick admitted. “Come on, Jon. You’ve been miserable since you two broke up. It’s affected your game,” he began, and then he looked over at Summer who was glaring at him, and he decided to continue. “That’s not all, though. You’re miserable all the time. Why can’t you two just admit that you want to be together?”

“Weren’t you the one who said that I deserved better than a girl that lied to me?” Jonathan questioned.

“Yeah, I did,” Patrick admitted. “But, I was wrong. Come on, we both know that you’re not going to get anyone better than Olivia.”

Jonathan looked over at Olivia who was smiling slightly. “Thanks, Pat,” she said quietly.

“Merde!” Summer cursed. “Dites que vous aimer les uns les autres! “

Olivia looked over at her. “What?” she asked.

Jonathan smiled at her, knowing that she hadn’t understood a single word that Summer had said. “She said that we need to say we love each other.”

Olivia glanced over at Summer, who mouthed, “Just tell him.”

“Jon,” Olivia said looking up into his eyes. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you that Sokolov was my father. But, I never meant to hurt you. I love you,” she whispered as she looked down at the floor.

“Je t’aime, aussi,” he told her. Olivia looked up at him, hoping she had understood him correctly. He looked into her eyes and repeated what he had said in English. “I love you, too.”

Olivia threw her arms around him and kissed him passionately while Patrick and Summer looked on.

“I told you it’d work,” Summer told him.

“Yeah, you did. Thank you,” he said.

“Yeah, now you guys can start winning your games again,” she told him.

“No, now he can be happy again,” Patrick said looking back at Olivia and Jonathan.