Sequel: Winter Nights ›
Status: Once they start, updates will occur every Tuesday.
Summer Nights
Three
Emma arrived early. We spent the rest of the day playing Grand Theft Auto while trying to ignore my brother’s extremely loud band practice. I didn’t come into contact with Jake almost at all, and I was thankful for it.
It annoyed me that he was always able to get under my skin. I didn’t understand why the hell he had the effect he had on me.
“Wyn?” I heard Emma say suddenly. “Earth to Wynter! Are you there?”
“Huh?” I said as I turned to her.
“What are you thinking about? I’ve been screaming your name for half an hour!” she wondered. She stood up from her spot at the kitchen table and put her dish in the sink. When she sat back down, she placed her hand on my shoulder.
“Are you all right, Wynter? You’re acting awfully weird,” she said quietly.
I sighed. “I’m fine.”
Emma rolled her brown eyes. “Okay, Ms. Summers. If you say so.”
When I finished eating, it was around ten o’clock at night. “Do you want to call it a night?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
Yawning loudly, I stretched out my limbs and adjusted my camisole.
“I can’t wait for tomorrow!” Emma squeaked excitedly.
I responded loosely, “Ditto.”
We woke up late. My alarm clock hadn’t gone off, and I was usually the one to wake up Braxton on Sundays. I hopped out of bed and shook Emma, who was on the other side of the mattress.
“Huh? Wh-what’s up?” she mumbled.
“Come on, we’re late.” I rushed out of my room and down the hallway to Braxy’s. I knocked lightly on the door.
I entered and rushed over to the bed, avoiding the large heap in the middle of the floor – Jake. I didn’t even try to wake him up. He wasn’t coming with us; therefore, as far as I was concerned, there was no need to trouble him.
“You ass, wake up!” I whispered in Braxton’s ear when I reached him. He turned over and muttered something, his eyes squinted. He sat up, and when he opened his eyes wide, they were bloodshot.
"Five minutes, Mother."
I rolled my eyes and walked downstairs to feed the dog.
I made an omelet for all of us, and then proceeded to put dog food into Fuzz’s bowl. I walked out and then called her name. The small white dog appeared immediately, and I put the bowl on the ground.
Petting it while it ate, I muttered, in baby-talk, to the puny dog.
“Wow,” I heard a deep voice say. I turned and glared at Jake, but then stood.
“What do you want?”
“I smell omelets.”
“Oh thank god! Now we know that you’re only mentally impaired,” I said sarcastically.
Jake grinned and decided to let this one go. I shrugged, a bit annoyed because I hadn’t managed to provoke him.
It was then, as we sat down together at the table, that I realized I actually enjoyed our bickering.
No, no, that is impossible, I told myself.
We ate together, neither of us saying anything. I chanced a glance at his disgruntled appearance. His shaggy blond hair was a mess. He obviously hadn’t taken any time to groom himself, as his face was a stubble-fest.
When he noticed I was examining him, he spoke up. “Good omelet, Wynter.”
“Thanks,” I muttered shyly.
We were packed and ready in three hours. I'd finished closing and locking all the doors and windows and was putting Fuzz's traveling leash on when I noticed Jake dragging his own suitcase towards Braxton’s SUV.
I rushed up to him. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Jacob?”
He looked taken aback. “Uh, I’m putting my stuff in Braxton’s car…?”
“You’re not coming with us, are you?” I asked, practically hyperventilating. It honestly hadn’t occurred up until than that, indeed, there was a chance that he was coming with us. It was so unlikely, I’d dismissed it instantaneously.
“Yeah, of course I am. First, I don’t have anywhere to stay. Second, there’s not enough room in Braxton’s car, so we’re taking mine too, and thirdly, the band has a gig at the hotel. So Jack’s gonna be there and so is Vaughn.”
“Ugh!” I groaned to myself. Not the Quad from Hell! The only guy in I could stand out of the four of them was Vaughn. You see, my brother's band was composed of him and his three best friends, Jake, Vaughn, and Jack.
Jake rolled his eyes. “Gee, thanks for the warm welcome, Wynter.”
“Well, it’s not exactly like you deserve one,” I spat.
“Oh yeah? And why’s that? Enlighten me!”
“Jake? Wynter?” Braxton interrupted, approaching the garage. “For god’s sake, can you two stop bickering like little children for more than five minutes?” He sounded exasperated.
I apologized quickly and sat down besides Emma on the porch chairs. “I don’t think I’m going to make it.”
“At least you’ll be in different cars, Wyn. But you know, I don’t want to be mean but…aren’t you being a bit harsh?”
“I don’t think so,” I said, suddenly unsure. Then I made up my mind. “No, of course not.”
She shrugged. “Whatever you say. But it never fails to surprise me that you can hold a grudge for so long.”
I shot her a glare. She was my friend. Wasn't she supposed to side with me? Especially since she'd been one of the few people I'd bared to share the whole story with.
“So, who’s riding with me?” I heard Jake ask from behind his washed out old Plymouth Duster.
“Not me,” I muttered under my breath.
To my surprise, I heard Emma say, “If no one else volunteers...” She looked at me and said, “You don’t mind do you?” I could see the little glint in her eyes.
"Oh my god, here we go again. Don't tell me-" I lowered my voice, "-you're in love, already?"
She pretended to lock her lips shut and then throw away the keys.
I giggled. If she wanted her life to be hell with Jacob, whatever. I would miss her company, but honestly, this was probably the only solution anyways. Since there was no way I was riding with him, and Braxton had to drive his car. “Sure, sure, go ahead,” I said, waving a hand.
“Okay!” she gave me a kiss on the cheek and then rushed towards Jacob. I turned and got into the passenger’s seat of the Toyota Camry.
I was picking at a cuticle when I looked up and saw Braxton shouting, but Emma and Jake were out of sight. He came stomping towards my door, and opened it brusquely.
“You have to go with Jake,” he snapped.
“What? Why?” I asked, annoyed. Couldn't my brother be calm for five seconds.
“Because I don’t want any baby-making on this field trip, okay?” He stepped clear so that I could see…
…Jake giving Emma a piggyback ride around his car. I shot out of my seat.
“Emma, what the hell?” I asked, half laughing, half angry as hell. “Get down!”
“Sorry,” she said like a little kid, and Jake released her legs.
“Okay, change of plans,” said Braxton. “Emma, you’re coming with me. Wynter is going with you, Jake.”
“No, come on! She’ll behave!” I shouted.
Braxton grabbed my forearm and dragged me behind the house.
“Stop being such a bitch, Wynter! He’s not contagious. This has been going on for too long. He’s been considerably nice to you and you're always messing with him. He's my best friend and it pisses me off that you act like this around him.”
“Look, I don’t want to ride with him!”
His voice softened, “Look, he did cheat, okay?”
“What?”
“He… he did cheat on his girlfriend. And I’m afraid that he’ll take advantage of Emerald.” He sighed deeply.
I took a second to absorb this. “Well.”
“All she needs is a little persuasion, and Jake’s very charming like that. I don’t know why, but women come to him like flies. He doesn’t always reject them.” He paused. “Can you do it? For me? It’s just a day. Not that bad. For Emma's protection? Do you really want a pregnant best friend?”
“’Just a day,’” I said, imitating him. “What if he uses his oh-so-magical skills on me?”
“You hate him. It won’t work.”
“This is stupid,” I whined. Then, “Fine. This is an argument I'm not going to win.”
I turned around and began walking towards Jake’s car. I felt Braxton hug me from behind. All the time, Jake and Emma were watching me intently.
“Sorry, Wyn,” Emma said with puppy-dog eyes, but, surprisingly, the glint was still there, and she didn't exactly look that disappointed.
“It’s fine.”
She shrugged and I made to open the car door.
I screamed as a mad beast moved inside the car and began barking at me. It stood up and squirted its slobber all over the window as it was barking. I flinched and stepped back, right into Jake. He’d snuck up on me. He caught me below the elbows, before I could trip and fall. He set me right, and I mumbled a very reluctant thanks. Jake was one of the few men that were considerably taller than I was; he was six feet five, and the star basketball player at West Virginia University.
“No problem,” he said with a sexy smirk.
Oh, shit. Did I just call his smirk sexy?
Jake opened the door and put his arms out so that the mad dog couldn’t come get me.
“Shh, good boy, Giovanni. Shh, this is Wynter,” he said, trying to calm the beast.
Finally, it was quiet, and Jake moved out of the way of the passenger’s seat, so that I could get in. He closed my door for me, leaving me alone briefly with the dog.
He got in and started the car.
Before we could drive out, Braxton came over and tapped on my window.
“Here, take Fuzz,” he said. I put the little doggy in my lap, afraid that the other big, brown dog would kill it. “Wyn, you locked everything, right? Got your money, everything?”
I nodded.
“Okay, follow me!”
It annoyed me that he was always able to get under my skin. I didn’t understand why the hell he had the effect he had on me.
“Wyn?” I heard Emma say suddenly. “Earth to Wynter! Are you there?”
“Huh?” I said as I turned to her.
“What are you thinking about? I’ve been screaming your name for half an hour!” she wondered. She stood up from her spot at the kitchen table and put her dish in the sink. When she sat back down, she placed her hand on my shoulder.
“Are you all right, Wynter? You’re acting awfully weird,” she said quietly.
I sighed. “I’m fine.”
Emma rolled her brown eyes. “Okay, Ms. Summers. If you say so.”
When I finished eating, it was around ten o’clock at night. “Do you want to call it a night?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
Yawning loudly, I stretched out my limbs and adjusted my camisole.
“I can’t wait for tomorrow!” Emma squeaked excitedly.
I responded loosely, “Ditto.”
We woke up late. My alarm clock hadn’t gone off, and I was usually the one to wake up Braxton on Sundays. I hopped out of bed and shook Emma, who was on the other side of the mattress.
“Huh? Wh-what’s up?” she mumbled.
“Come on, we’re late.” I rushed out of my room and down the hallway to Braxy’s. I knocked lightly on the door.
I entered and rushed over to the bed, avoiding the large heap in the middle of the floor – Jake. I didn’t even try to wake him up. He wasn’t coming with us; therefore, as far as I was concerned, there was no need to trouble him.
“You ass, wake up!” I whispered in Braxton’s ear when I reached him. He turned over and muttered something, his eyes squinted. He sat up, and when he opened his eyes wide, they were bloodshot.
"Five minutes, Mother."
I rolled my eyes and walked downstairs to feed the dog.
I made an omelet for all of us, and then proceeded to put dog food into Fuzz’s bowl. I walked out and then called her name. The small white dog appeared immediately, and I put the bowl on the ground.
Petting it while it ate, I muttered, in baby-talk, to the puny dog.
“Wow,” I heard a deep voice say. I turned and glared at Jake, but then stood.
“What do you want?”
“I smell omelets.”
“Oh thank god! Now we know that you’re only mentally impaired,” I said sarcastically.
Jake grinned and decided to let this one go. I shrugged, a bit annoyed because I hadn’t managed to provoke him.
It was then, as we sat down together at the table, that I realized I actually enjoyed our bickering.
No, no, that is impossible, I told myself.
We ate together, neither of us saying anything. I chanced a glance at his disgruntled appearance. His shaggy blond hair was a mess. He obviously hadn’t taken any time to groom himself, as his face was a stubble-fest.
When he noticed I was examining him, he spoke up. “Good omelet, Wynter.”
“Thanks,” I muttered shyly.
We were packed and ready in three hours. I'd finished closing and locking all the doors and windows and was putting Fuzz's traveling leash on when I noticed Jake dragging his own suitcase towards Braxton’s SUV.
I rushed up to him. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Jacob?”
He looked taken aback. “Uh, I’m putting my stuff in Braxton’s car…?”
“You’re not coming with us, are you?” I asked, practically hyperventilating. It honestly hadn’t occurred up until than that, indeed, there was a chance that he was coming with us. It was so unlikely, I’d dismissed it instantaneously.
“Yeah, of course I am. First, I don’t have anywhere to stay. Second, there’s not enough room in Braxton’s car, so we’re taking mine too, and thirdly, the band has a gig at the hotel. So Jack’s gonna be there and so is Vaughn.”
“Ugh!” I groaned to myself. Not the Quad from Hell! The only guy in I could stand out of the four of them was Vaughn. You see, my brother's band was composed of him and his three best friends, Jake, Vaughn, and Jack.
Jake rolled his eyes. “Gee, thanks for the warm welcome, Wynter.”
“Well, it’s not exactly like you deserve one,” I spat.
“Oh yeah? And why’s that? Enlighten me!”
“Jake? Wynter?” Braxton interrupted, approaching the garage. “For god’s sake, can you two stop bickering like little children for more than five minutes?” He sounded exasperated.
I apologized quickly and sat down besides Emma on the porch chairs. “I don’t think I’m going to make it.”
“At least you’ll be in different cars, Wyn. But you know, I don’t want to be mean but…aren’t you being a bit harsh?”
“I don’t think so,” I said, suddenly unsure. Then I made up my mind. “No, of course not.”
She shrugged. “Whatever you say. But it never fails to surprise me that you can hold a grudge for so long.”
I shot her a glare. She was my friend. Wasn't she supposed to side with me? Especially since she'd been one of the few people I'd bared to share the whole story with.
“So, who’s riding with me?” I heard Jake ask from behind his washed out old Plymouth Duster.
“Not me,” I muttered under my breath.
To my surprise, I heard Emma say, “If no one else volunteers...” She looked at me and said, “You don’t mind do you?” I could see the little glint in her eyes.
"Oh my god, here we go again. Don't tell me-" I lowered my voice, "-you're in love, already?"
She pretended to lock her lips shut and then throw away the keys.
I giggled. If she wanted her life to be hell with Jacob, whatever. I would miss her company, but honestly, this was probably the only solution anyways. Since there was no way I was riding with him, and Braxton had to drive his car. “Sure, sure, go ahead,” I said, waving a hand.
“Okay!” she gave me a kiss on the cheek and then rushed towards Jacob. I turned and got into the passenger’s seat of the Toyota Camry.
I was picking at a cuticle when I looked up and saw Braxton shouting, but Emma and Jake were out of sight. He came stomping towards my door, and opened it brusquely.
“You have to go with Jake,” he snapped.
“What? Why?” I asked, annoyed. Couldn't my brother be calm for five seconds.
“Because I don’t want any baby-making on this field trip, okay?” He stepped clear so that I could see…
…Jake giving Emma a piggyback ride around his car. I shot out of my seat.
“Emma, what the hell?” I asked, half laughing, half angry as hell. “Get down!”
“Sorry,” she said like a little kid, and Jake released her legs.
“Okay, change of plans,” said Braxton. “Emma, you’re coming with me. Wynter is going with you, Jake.”
“No, come on! She’ll behave!” I shouted.
Braxton grabbed my forearm and dragged me behind the house.
“Stop being such a bitch, Wynter! He’s not contagious. This has been going on for too long. He’s been considerably nice to you and you're always messing with him. He's my best friend and it pisses me off that you act like this around him.”
“Look, I don’t want to ride with him!”
His voice softened, “Look, he did cheat, okay?”
“What?”
“He… he did cheat on his girlfriend. And I’m afraid that he’ll take advantage of Emerald.” He sighed deeply.
I took a second to absorb this. “Well.”
“All she needs is a little persuasion, and Jake’s very charming like that. I don’t know why, but women come to him like flies. He doesn’t always reject them.” He paused. “Can you do it? For me? It’s just a day. Not that bad. For Emma's protection? Do you really want a pregnant best friend?”
“’Just a day,’” I said, imitating him. “What if he uses his oh-so-magical skills on me?”
“You hate him. It won’t work.”
“This is stupid,” I whined. Then, “Fine. This is an argument I'm not going to win.”
I turned around and began walking towards Jake’s car. I felt Braxton hug me from behind. All the time, Jake and Emma were watching me intently.
“Sorry, Wyn,” Emma said with puppy-dog eyes, but, surprisingly, the glint was still there, and she didn't exactly look that disappointed.
“It’s fine.”
She shrugged and I made to open the car door.
I screamed as a mad beast moved inside the car and began barking at me. It stood up and squirted its slobber all over the window as it was barking. I flinched and stepped back, right into Jake. He’d snuck up on me. He caught me below the elbows, before I could trip and fall. He set me right, and I mumbled a very reluctant thanks. Jake was one of the few men that were considerably taller than I was; he was six feet five, and the star basketball player at West Virginia University.
“No problem,” he said with a sexy smirk.
Oh, shit. Did I just call his smirk sexy?
Jake opened the door and put his arms out so that the mad dog couldn’t come get me.
“Shh, good boy, Giovanni. Shh, this is Wynter,” he said, trying to calm the beast.
Finally, it was quiet, and Jake moved out of the way of the passenger’s seat, so that I could get in. He closed my door for me, leaving me alone briefly with the dog.
He got in and started the car.
Before we could drive out, Braxton came over and tapped on my window.
“Here, take Fuzz,” he said. I put the little doggy in my lap, afraid that the other big, brown dog would kill it. “Wyn, you locked everything, right? Got your money, everything?”
I nodded.
“Okay, follow me!”