Summer Reads 2023 Novels & Stories

Then my phone, on silent in my blazer pocket, started vibrating with the energy of someone who had been told no phones and had decided that did not apply to them. I shifted slightly and angled the screen just enough to read it under the desk. Tyler, in our group chat: *SUMMER WINTERS.* *SUMMER ELISE WINTERS.* *You have exactly thirty seconds to explain yourself before I combust.* Then Ruby: *I HEARD. I WAS IN MATHS AND I HEARD.* *SUMMER. MY GIRL. MY QUEEN. MY ENTIRE REASON FOR BEING AT THIS SCHOOL.* Then Tyler again: *I'm actually upset that I missed it I hate myself*

“Totally thrives on this. Loves every second.” I nod. “Yep. And Josh… well, he’s chaos incarnate.” We both laugh softly, glancing at the boys and then back at Gavin, noticing the subtle way he shifts his weight, always quietly aware, letting the antics play out around him. “And that,” Gemma whispers, grinning, “is why summer will never be boring with this crew.” I chuckle, letting the thought settle in. “Never boring… definitely not.” Eben stretches dramatically, still dripping, and grins. “By the way… bonfire tonight. Full-on chaos. Fire, drinks, music—the works. Don’t worry, it’s going to be wild.”

Summer I sat alone in the room, scrolling through Elena's phone to pass the time. The more I looked through it, the more I realized just how wild and carefree her life had been. Video after video filled the screen. Most of them were taken in crowded clubs with loud music blasting in the background. There were countless clips of Elena and Amelia dancing together, laughing without a care in the world. In one video, Elena was twerking while Amelia stood behind her, cheering her on and hyping her up. In another, they were both laughing so hard that neither of them could keep the camera steady. It was obvious they had been extremely close.

As his plan was exposed, James said helplessly, "Summie, you have grown smarter." "That's right! Wait, no ... I've always been smart. Anyway, did you hear me? You are not allowed to send anyone to follow me," Summer said resolutely. "I understand. I won't." Now that the matter was settled, Summer successfully retrieved her freedom. It was just in time to meet her high school best friend whom she hadn't seen in a year. She had missed her dearly, and now, she was ready to take a taxi to her date.

"Are you okay? Like for real, okay?" Aiden nodded, sucking in a breath of salty air and releasing it with a sigh. "I think so. Or at least, I will be. You've given me a lot to think about. Thanks for symbolically smacking me upside the head." Jessie gave her a half smirk at that, then looped her arm through Aiden's once more. "Anytime, Bestie." "Now that my dicey love life is out of the way, Mitch suggested I float this to you. What do you think about having the wedding here at my place this summer? Right on the beach…"

But seeing his dad on the brink and his brother in the same position he was in when their mother died brought back some clarity. They remained silent for a while until after the sun had set entirely. Sieghal stayed lying down, not noticing that the lights in Shira had come on, making the shoreline brighter than ever, with alleyways and even the darkest streets now illuminated, as if darkness had been banished from Shira. "The cruise leaves the day after tomorrow. My lawyer will come to your house tonight with the contract, job details, and payment terms. Thank you for accepting my offer. See you the day after tomorrow." Helbert said, marking the end of their meeting.

"O-Of course. We're friends." Satisfied with my response, Bethany finally let go of my arm and followed me inside. I opened the door, but the office was pitch-black. "Dad, these are the friends I mentioned, the ones coming to work here for the summer," I said cautiously. Before I could introduce them, they pushed past me and crowded into the room. "Hello, Mr. Parker. We're here for the summer jobs. May I know what the pay is like? Is ten thousand dollars a month okay? Oh, and I'm not really into factory work. Can I get an office job instead?"

You seriously think that's something normal people should be reading? Summer shrieked, "What do you know? This is prenatal education! And look at you, driving that junky old second-hand Santana! You think you even qualify to give me a ride?" With that, she slammed the door open and exaggeratedly fanned the air with one hand. She scrolled through her phone with the other, rolled her eyes, and strutted out. Not long after, her eyes suddenly widened as she shouted across the office, "Who's Sophia Taylor?!"

"The smart watch is going to break before the agreement period is even up." "Theo may think he got a new smart watch, but he just got himself a smart pager instead. Poor little thing." … Time passed after that, and soon, it was Theo's summer break. I was just discussing the company's development plans with Austin for the next five years when I suddenly caught sight of the comments once again becoming active. "Damn! I've been paying so much attention to the villains' daily life that I forget we're almost at a crucial point in the main plot!"

I looked up, and under the shade of the trees, he stood quietly—tall and composed—but his face was hidden in shadow. It was summer, and the cicadas buzzed noisily in the background. It suddenly brought me back to the end of the video I had seen in the theater. He had been sitting there, hands clenched tightly together, saying, “Sadie, I want you to be happy.” Even now, I couldn’t forget those words. So, I answered him, “Because someone wants me to be happy.”