S U M M E R
"On Monday, I need each and everyone of you to bring a quote by a famous person. You also have to tell us their contributions. For instance, Abraham Lincoln quoted
'Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.'
I don't want any excuses for not doing you assignment. It holds 10%." Mr. Marcus, our English teacher tells.
"How many are we supposed to write?" One of the students ask him.
"Five would be enough." The bell rings and we all get out. I pack my stuff, head to my biology class. Total bore but thankful that our teacher just gave us notes.
:::
"Summi," Chlo speaks.
"Hey." I close my locker turning to face her.
"What's wrong?" The look on her face wasn't right, it wasn't the usual fun and cheerful Chloe.
"Chocolate or ice cream?" I question her.
You see we have this food tradition, where chocolate is for light arguments we get in with friends or family. And ice cream being for the big, nasty, major fights in which mostly for her case with Gab. I'm usually chocolate.
"I want both." Tears brew from those doe blue eyes, cheeks red, lips pouting, she looks like a sad puppy.
We walk out of the school. We are defiantly not skipping but heading out for a bit to Frosties Ice Cream shop.
We order a scoop of every flavor with additional scoops of chocolate and plain vanilla then sprinkle the chocolates we bought from a nearby store on top. Looks yummy as hell.
Chloe digs in taking a huge chunk of chocolate into her mouth, head hanging down, sniffing her nose, eyes looking deep in thought and gleaming with pain and hurt.
"What happened?" I softly and gently ask.
"It was a stupid fight about money. It even wasn't a big deal! He was gonna sell his car and save up the money but I opposed. I knew how much he loved that car. His parents have been nagging him to either go to school or get a job." She sniffs her nose again and spoke in one go.
"Can't he ask his parents for the money?" I mean, they are really rich for God's sake.
"He is pissed at them. I would have given him the money. I asked him why he would want to sell the car so badly and did you know what he did?! He lashed out on me saying that I should respect his decision and stop trying to say 'no' to him, as well as nag the hell out of him just like his parents. It was as if I shouldn't give a damn for his business." She is fully raged, she then starts to eat up big spoon of ice cream. She stays quite and that's not Chloe.
Chloe is never quite.
"Chlo,"
"As long as he is in my life it's is my job to be there for him and nag him all the way, because Summi, if he sells that car he is going to regret it so bad. He bought that car with his own sweat and I don't want to see him like that." Chloe's tears silently sip down her face. I go wipe them away as I put my arms around her.
"Did you talk after that?"
"No,"
"You know what confused me the most was the part where he told me to stop saying no to him. I mean... when have I ever said no to him?" I shake my head telling her that I had no clue as her.
"You know he was wrong right? You can to be in his business because you care. He didn't mean any of that stuff." I rub on her back.
"I know but does he?" She breaks away from me, looks me in my eyes pleading me to answer her in which I nodded. She wipes the tears with the back of her hands, her mascara messed and all.
My phone rings. I look at the ID which reads 'Matt'. I put it on silent and focus on Chloe.
"Take it, I'm gonna clean myself up in the bathroom." She takes her bag along with her.
I accept the call.
"Hey."
"Hey, where you at?" Matt asks.
"I'm at Frosties."
"Good 'cause Gab has been flipping out and blowing up my phone."
"He really needs to apologize and make it up to her."
"He does. He is on his way right now,"
"Wait, what? How?"
"Just texted him. I'm on my way too."
"Why?"
"They need to talk 'alone' and they would need time. You being you, would walk all the way to school." He answers.
"Okay then."
"See ya." He hang up.
Chlo returns, her face free from the messed up make up and looking naturally beautiful. She has let down her brunette hair from the ponytail, her blue orbs looking glossy.
"Everything okay?" She sits beside me.
"Gab is on his way." I tell her.
"I don't want to talk to him right now, Summi." She again gets up from her sit, swings her bag on her shoulder, puts cash on the table ready to leave.
"Chloe." I follow her out.
"I don't want to talk to him right now, Summer. I'm hurt, he hurt me. I want my best friend right now, not him." She unlocks her car getting inside.
"Chloe." Gab shouts behind me running out from the car, Matt sitting in the drivers sit. Chloe lets out a frustrated sign, Gab rushes to her side as she tries to adjust her sit belt. He starts to to knock on her window,
"Babe, please open the window. Just let me talk to you." He pleads, his eyes showing the utmost regret.
"I'm sorry!" He shouts out loud.
"Look you have every right to be mad at me. You can hit me, bruise me anything but please talk to me. Yell at me. Scream. Just say something to me, please. You know how much you mean to me Chloe! No one can compare to you and I'm a god damn dumb fucker who got in a stupid fight with you and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Chlo." He stands straight, rubbing his face out of pure sadness, guilt, fault, blame, frustration.
Chloe bangs her head on the stirring wheel softly, tears falling all over again freely. Gab lowers down to her level, knocks on her window. Chloe rolls down the window, resting her head on the headrest, eyes looking forward at the empty parking lot.
Gab opens her door through the window, crouching down to her, now she faces him with puffy red eyes brewed with tears. He places his hand on her thigh, rubbing and soothing them gently. Not sexually but with full of emotion.
"I'm sorry babe, I'm so sorry. It was stupid. You are everything Chlo, and I don't need to tell you that 'cause you already know that.
"You're the reason I wake up every single day. Just to look at those beautiful smart ocean blue eyes with the amazing personality of yours and that terrific laugh which gets me every time," He wipes out her tears. She closes her eyes in response to his touch.
"And I'm a dick for-"
I should give them some privacy, I make my way to Matt's car.
"He really loves her." Matt says as I sit and adjust my sit belt.
"Very much." I retort. He starts the engine and we drive back to school. Leaving the two love birds to talk.
:::
"Sweetheart." Drake jogs to me and Matt.
"I've been looking everywhere for you. I called and texted you dozen times." He engulfs me in a hug.
"Sorry my phone was in the bag the whole ride back." I wrap my arms around his waist. I pull away and dig into my bag bringing out my phone I find missed calls as well as messages from him. I shut off the screen but it lights up again with Chloe's picture on the screen.
"How did it go?" I ask instantly picking up and pace around.
"He... ummm... he... Summi," Chloe sounds as if she is choking up.
"What's wrong?"
"He was gonna sell his car for me, to rent an apartment for us. The money wasn't for the shop, Summi. It was for us for when I go to college we could have a place together. He explained that he lashed out because he was scared I wouldn't move in with him." Her voice was breaking as she is overwhelmed with the excitement.
I am so relived and so excited for the two. I wish I had a boyfriend who would move with me as I go to college. Maybe Drake would but I don't know to which college he has applied for.
"Oh my God, I'm so excited for you guys!" I express out loud, a smile stretches on my face. I look over to Matt who has a loop side smile.
"But I said no." And the blood from my face drains out just like that.
"What?!" I stop dead on my track.
"If we are gonna get an apartment together then it would be with both our money not only his." She explains. I let out a breath, my tense shoulder relaxes.
"I'm really happy for you two." My smile doesn't waver as I let the words out.
And that night Chloe spent the night at my place.