That Summer A Novel Novels & Stories

The house was quiet around them—Max and Nora had gone to bed hours ago, and Fatima had finally stopped texting, and the only sounds were the click of Isis's keyboard and the soft hum of the refrigerator and the distant chirp of crickets outside the window. She wrote about the summer camp first, because that was where it had started even though she had not known it at the time. She wrote about the way Samuel had looked at her across the pool deck, the way he had said her name like it meant something, the way they had stayed up too late talking about nothing and everything and the particular terror of being nineteen and feeling something you could not name.

Her moan was soft, almost involuntary, and it sent a jolt through me that I barely suppressed. “What happened, Summer?” I asked, my voice calmer than I felt, trying to pull her back to reality. “No... nothing...” she murmured, her voice trembling. I could feel her confusion, her body reacting to me in ways I knew she didn’t understand. Hell, I barely understood it myself. She wasn’t like anyone I’d ever been with—not like the others who’d come and gone without leaving a mark. Summer was different, and it was driving me insane.

A heat is no joke this year. Well, it's always like this, but then I'd say the same thing next year. Not knowing what to do in the middle of the night, I grab this adventurous novel, The journey to the Centre of the Earth, and try to make my brain tired so as to finally force my body to do the same. At last, I don't remember when I closed my eyes, until I wake up in the morning wishing it were Sunday. Well, one can only wish sometimes. It's already seven-thirty as I move hurriedly around my room.

“Are you interested in some props for the Last Day of Summer Fest? We offer free juice and photos on the side.” “When is the day?" “Pardon?” Valentina looked over at her like she was staring at a grade two child. “When is the fest?” Colleen had no idea so she looked to Tobias for help and thankfully, he answered. “21st of this month. A few superstars like Johnny Crane, and Naomi Statham will be in attendance. I would recommend you get a summer hat for the occasion but unfortunately, we’re sold out. So, how about a tee shirt?”

**** Next morning, she started afresh, She was a part-time writer and full-time regular office staff. "Now let's go to work." She smiled at her reflection in the mirror. As soon as she stepped outside, a warm morning greeted her. "Argh!" She frowned, "Where did all the snow go? Why is it so hot when it's supposed to be winter?" Just a day before it had been snowing, and today there wasn't a speck of snow, instead, it was like mid-summer. She went back inside and got changed into her summer outfit.

Fate had granted him only a little daughter, now three years old, named Lotus. On one of those seemingly endless summer days he was poring over his books in the library. Overcome with the heat, his head had sunk down and his forehead lay against the edge of the table. As he dropped off to sleep he seemed to be wandering through an unknown dream-land. Kazuma sat nearby. II

Summer’s POV The morning sunlight poured through the curtains, warm and golden, the kind of light that should’ve promised peace. But inside the De Rossi estate, peace was an illusion. The guards had doubled their posts overnight. Every window was locked, every shadow seemed to move. And yet, somehow, the silence was still louder than fear itself. It had been hours since the letter, the photograph, the message, and I still couldn’t get the image out of my head. “I didn’t die, Summer. You just didn’t finish the job.”

Then, came the clink of glasses. “I heard you haven’t touched Summer in seven years. Why are you holding out on a beauty like that?” “Are you crazy? Everyone in our circle knows that John only sleeps with virgins. No matter how pretty Summer is, she’s been tainted by someone else. How could she compare to you? At least you are innocent.” Anna let out a shy, coquettish protest. A chill ran through my entire body. Even my hands began to tremble. It felt as though I had been dragged back to the darkest moment of my life, the memory I tried hardest never to think about.

Her breath slowed and the blood drained from her face very fast before she dropped on the floor. “Someone call an ambulance!” And that didn't scare me as much as the blood that began to pool from her. ~End of Flashback~ I guess that's when the hatred for me started. I thought they'd forgotten about it by now and moved since my pack and hers were separated. But we were all coming together to solve the rogue problem again. Summer moved out on the day of the funeral because she couldn't stand the sight of a 'murderer'. She'd changed so much. I mean I hadn't seen her for over six years. Where was I?

She swallowed hard, trying not to think about what might have been. “And then the house fire… where he swore he heard someone calling for help. Eddie says that those were his last words, an insistence that someone had been in there.” She shuffled back through the yellowed pages, re-reading that part. “The house was supposed to be rented for the full summer, through an agency. But the person who rented it never showed up, and never asked for a refund. It was a cash transaction, so not traceable.” Also not unheard of in those days, before everything was done through apps and online.