When I Met Him In The Summer

Two

"DANNY!" my best friend Valerie shrieks from across the hall as she walks through the front doors, and I turn around, terrified, to catch her waving her arms at me like a lunatic.

I make a show of covering my face with my hands in mock shame as she sort of waddles towards me, her long black curls bouncing on her head, and she smacks me before bending over and holding her knees to catch her breath.

Remember when I said there was only one thing that kept me motivated enough to get out of bed every morning and come to this hell hole? Yeah, well meet said thing.

"Hi Val," I say, albeit flatly, considering her display of affection just now, pinch the bridge of my nose and let out a loud sigh. This girl.

"Val, what the hell is that?"

Behind her, she is dragging the biggest bag of what I can only think are her books-yeah, she's kind of a cool nerd, cool only because I'm her best friend-on the floor, while at the same time staring at her iPhone like she is waiting for news that could change the world as we know it. Most times, even I'm like, pick a side, bitch. Books, or the gram?

"I was so miserable, thought for sure you'd skip today. Gosh I'm so excited about today! I mean finally...summer, right?! Anyways so, what are your plans for the summer?"she rambles excitedly, completely ignoring my question as we cross the hall and get to our lockers.

I pause with my fingers on the dial. I had not really put much thought into it, but that's why Val is my wingman. So her big brain can be functional for the both of us. Although, now that it is out there...what are my plans for the summer? I mean I am excited yes, but that will probably burn out after today. I shrug.

"Well nothing that involves Jake for sure...he cannot even, ugh earth to Val, why did you ask if you're not even going to listen to me?" I say as I snap my fingers infront of her, finally tearing her eyes away from her phone.

"Shit sorry," she winces.

"Just that there's this exclusive music camp I've applied to for the summer. I don't have credibility, but it says Sia and Lady Gaga went there for a while. There is no way I'm ever going to get in but what's the harm in trying?"she says, holding her phone infront of me and swiping from picture to picture of what looks like a five star hotel.

Oh, the things we do for a shiny college application.

"Awesome. Fingers crossed you get in, Val," I say as I pat her head, and roll my eyes. I cannot say it to her face, but she's right. There is no way in hell she can get in, because not only is she delusional... she's also not even at least decent at music.

"Anyways you were saying? About Jake?" she asks, and I narrate the events from this morning as we link arms and walk to our first class.

"But like, aren't you brothers? Have you guys not seen each other naked before? Why is it such a big deal?" she asks, too loudly and even though I'm wondering the exact same thing, I slap a hand over her mouth as Jake conveniently passes by. Great, now I was so screwed when we got home today.

The whole day is a blur, through which I cannot focus on anything else except the naked, wet body of my brother in the shower, and it is driving me nuts. When the hell did it become my problem?

Val's question sounds over and over in my head.

Have you not seen each other naked before? Why is it such a big deal?

"Daniel, would you please tell us the...,"

The bell rings just as Val pokes me in the ribs, snapping me back to reality, just in time to hear the beginning of Mr. Johnson's question.

Thankfully, somehow I've made it through my last period of the day, and the last bell goes off before he can finish.

"I'm so sorry, sir," I say as I stand up. "I did not quite catch that, but can we resume after summer break?"

The class snickers around me, and I know it is pushing my luck, being a smart arse just after I have been saved from total humiliation, but for the script, I do it anyway.

I quickly dump my books into my bag and run out, because I can literally feel him loading the 'the bell does not dismiss you, I do' so he can give us another five thousand word paper like he did for spring break as I steal multiple nervous glances at him.

The whole day has been like this, me zoning out in the middle of my classes, and I am kind of not too thrilled. This is becoming unnecessarily relevant but so help me I am going to forget all about it by dinner time tonight.

"Pretty sure you can get yourself home, I'm going out with my friends. Last day of school...we plan to get wasted," Jake says as he comes from behind me. I am sitting on the hood of hi-our car, scrolling through Instagram. I know he is lying, and I cannot blame him.

The air is still literally so thick with tension, maybe even more than the car ride this morning because now, even I'm thinking about it.

"It's fine... I-I'll get an Uber or something," I stutter, jump off the hood and walk away. Yes, distance is good. Out of sight is out of mind, or whatever. Being around him is definitely not going to help me get him out of my mind.

Of course, my phone dies before I can order a ride, and I don't have my wallet with me, so I end up just walking home. As soon as I get there, I plug my phone onto the chord, turn it on and find a text from Val.

V: You've been acting weird today, everything ok? Like in class you like totally blacked out, thrice!

D: yeah :) everything is great. You still coming over tomorrow?

V: hell yeah! Would not miss it. <3

I toss my phone on my bed and undress. I grab a towel and since I am home alone, run completely naked to the bathroom. I run a bath, because again, I'm home alone, and load my favorite playlist on Spotify as it fills. I cannot wait to just get in there, close my eyes and let the world fall away for a few minutes.

Once it fills up, I dip my toes into the bathtub to check the water temperature, before discarding the towel and climbing in. The bubbles hug me and the hot water massages my exhausted body as I close my eyes, and finally, for the first time today, relax.

Nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.

Chapter 2. Comment what you think of the story so far,dearies. <3
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