Semua Bab Where The Summer Wind Blows (book One): Bab 1 - Bab 10

Sitting in the back of my dad’s silver Acura, the sun filters through the trees, casting dappled shadows across the seats, as they sing along to ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ by Sinéad O'Connor. I shake my head, suppressing a grin as my parents belt out the lyrics, clearly lost in the moment. “You guys are so embarrassing,” I mutter under my breath, rolling my eyes.“Hey, at least it’s not karaoke again from when Mom had that ‘Dinner party.’” My brother, Josh, nudges me, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.“Oh yeah, remember how Dad tried to sing I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston? It was like a vocal crime,” I chuckle.“Hey! I was not that bad,” Dad interjects from the front seat, feigning indignation as we pull onto the winding road leading to our summer getaway.“No, Jack, that was pretty bad,” Mom agrees, cringing as she pretends to cover her ears.“Ouch, my own family betraying me,” Dad exclaims dramatically, clutching his heart as if wounded.“Hey, are you ready to see

We look at each other for a moment before we smile and, without another word, Gemma and I jump into the water where the boys are waiting. The cold hits instantly, making us gasp and sputter, while Gavin surfaces beside us, water running down his shoulders, eyes narrowed but not unkind.“Finally!” Eben shouts, paddling toward us with exaggerated strokes. “The girls join the party! Took you long enough!”Gemma splashes him back immediately, laughing. “Took you long enough to stop showing off, Eben!”I push off the water, splashing Josh lightly. “And you! Stop plotting chaos!”Josh grins, pretending to look offended. “Me? Chaos? Never. I’m just… strategic.”Gavin groans, brushing water from his hair, and I notice the faint twitch at the corner of his mouth—like he’s fighting the urge to smile at all of us. “You guys are ridiculous,” he mutters.“Ridiculous?” I call, splashing him just a little, “We’re fun!”He shakes his head, water spraying around him. “Barely,” he mutters, voice low an

Mara’s patience snapped. She shoved against Gavin’s shoulder, her voice sharp and loud enough for anyone nearby to hear. “Seriously, Gavin! Stop staring at them! I’m right here! Do I mean nothing to you tonight?!”Gavin stiffened, caught between the outburst and his subtle, protective attention toward Ari and Gemma. He ran a hand through his damp hair, hesitated, and then leaned into her kiss—not fully, but enough to appease her. His arm stayed around her, but his eyes kept darting toward the fire where Ari and Gemma laughed, swayed, and sipped their drinks.Mara pulled back slightly, glaring at him, but her voice softened with a mix of frustration and relief. “Finally! I can’t believe how distracted you’ve been.”Gavin let out a quiet, controlled laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “I… just wanted to make sure they’re okay,” he murmured, still sneaking glances at us. His tone was careful, almost defensive, but his body language made it clear he hadn’t fully let go of his watch over

Chapter Seven.I giggled nervously, emboldened by the alcohol and my lack of filter tonight. “C’mon… you can’t just ignore that. I saw you. The way you kept glancing at me… while kissing her.”He let out a quiet exhale, his shoulders relaxing just slightly. “I wasn’t… thinking clearly,” he admitted, voice low, steady, but firm. “And I wasn’t… trying to.”I raised an eyebrow, stepping a little closer. “Not trying to what? Look at me? Or… notice me?” My words tumbled out, braver and bolder than I meant, and I felt my cheeks burn even as the tipsy haze made it hard to care.Gavin’s gaze held mine, serious but careful. “Both,” he said finally, the word carrying more weight than anything he’d said all night. “But it doesn’t mean what you think.”I smirked despite myself, teetering slightly on my unsteady feet. “Then maybe you should explain. Because I’m not exactly making this easy to ignore, either.”He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his damp hair, and for a moment, the quiet nigh

The air in the room feels heavier now, like the silence itself is pressing against me. Gavin’s words echo in my head — What about me? — and I swear my throat dries up instantly.I blink at him, searching for something, anything to say, but nothing comes out. My heart’s pounding so loudly I’m sure he can hear it.“I—” I start, but my voice cracks, and I quickly shut my mouth again.Gavin doesn’t move. He’s leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching me with that unreadable look he always seems to wear. Not angry. Not soft either. Just… waiting.Heat crawls up my neck. I want to sink into the couch cushions and disappear. “I didn’t mean—”“You said it,” he cuts in, his voice low. “Out loud.”I bite my lip, stomach twisting. I was thinking it, not trying to let it slip. Of course he’d catch it. Of course he would.“I was talking about—” I start fumbling for an excuse, but his eyes narrow just enough to make my chest cave in. Lying would be pointless. He knows.Josh’s laugh echo