Page 12 of A Girl Named Summer
If the arrangement hadnât already been made with Gregg, Summer decided, she would have just gone to Reginaâs party alone. So what if Ann gloated. Ann was Ann, and the sooner Summer recognized that fact, the better. But Gregg had already broken his date with Amy to go with her, so Summer would have to go through this one last deception. Tonight would be the last time she would trap herself. No more lies!
When she finished with her bath, she felt just as clean on the inside as she did on the outside, for she had resolved to be herself. All those silly deceptionsâthey were just walls she had built so that people couldnât get a glimpse of the real her. If she acted like someone else or told stories about herself that werenât true, then the rejections could always be excused. âGuess I am growing wise in my old age,â she told Michael. He was sitting on her bed, scratching, while Summer blew her hair dry.
âYou look pretty,â Michael praised.
âThank you, Michael,â she replied. She twirled in front of the mirror and smiled.
Chapter 17
She was combing her hair again when her grandfatherâs voice called. âSummer? Your escort is here.â
Gregg looked a little embarrassed. He wasnât even dressed up. Just wearing a pair of clean jeans and an Ohio University sweatshirt, but his hair was combed. That ought to count for something, she concluded.
âI hate to ask,â Gregg said immediately, âbut do you have the ten dollars?â
âBetter,â Summer replied. âIâve got the entire amount.â
âThatâs great,â Gregg said. âAnd that entitles you to the full treatment.â
âWhat does that mean?â
âI wonât leave your side. I promise. Look Summer, Iâm kind ofâ¦Well, Iâm a little embarrassed to take your money.â
âIn that caseâ¦â She reached to take back the money, but Gregg quickly snatched his hand away.
âNot that embarrassed,â he qualified. âBut donât worry. Youâll get your moneyâs worth, kid.â
The one bright spot in an otherwise horrible evening was Regina. It was, without a doubt, her finest hour! She was absolutely gorgeous. The boys were divided into two camps. Ann had her following, and Regina was surrounded by the others. Best of all, several of the faithful-to-Ann boys deserted her in favor of Reginaâs ready smile.
Summer was proud of herself. She wasnât jealous at all. Her friendship overruled such a reactionâRegina deserved to be the belle of the ball, as her grandfather would say. And she really did look beautiful. The most amazing thing was that her tall friend was standing straight. Her slouching seemed to be a thing of the past.
Summer stayed as far away from David and Ann as she could. It would be difficult to keep the pain of Davidâs abandonment from showing in her eyes. At one point, Ann was on her way toward Summer when Regina âaccidentallyâ nudged Carl Benson into the pool. The timing was superb, and Ann forgot all about Summer.
Regina had her little streak of revenge. Summer had no doubt that the little push was her way of getting even for Carlâs past deception.
âShame on you, Regina,â Summer said with a sparkle in her eyes. âThat wasnât very nice.â
âBut it was an accident,â she replied. âA splendid accident.â Both girls giggled hysterically.
âRemember who youâre talking to, Regina. And I have a new rule, one you should adopt. No more lies. No matter how insignificant.â
âYouâre kidding?â Regina seemed astonished.
âNo, I mean it. From now on I tell the truth.â
âWonât that be boring?â
âBoring? Telling the truth will be refreshing. Lies get too confusing.â
âBet you canât do it,â Regina challenged.
âBet you canât,â Summer responded.
âOh, yeah? I can do anything you can do.â
âStarting when?â
âRight now. By the way,â Regina said, âDavid was looking for you a few minutes ago. He doesnât seem all that interested in Ann.â
âI donât know how you can say that. Sheâs always hanging on him.â
âExactly my point. Have you ever seen David hanging on her?â
âYouâre just being technical, Regina. He must like it, or he wouldnât keep going out with her.â
âMaybe sheâs always asking him. Ever think of that angle?â
âNo way. Youâre just grasping at straws,â Summer said pessimistically.
âHere comes Luke. Doesnât he look fantastic?â Regina sighed.
âYes, he does,â Summer replied. âIâll fade into the crowd so you can be alone with him for a few minutes.â
âDavid really did ask me about you,â Regina called softly. âGo and see what he wants.â
Telling David that Regina had said he wanted to see her would be a good excuse to talk to him, Summer decided. She thought she saw Ann go into the house, alone, so she hurried to find David. She would talk to him about the race, and then her grandfatherâs latest project and what he was going to do with his bingo money. She felt very confident.
When she spotted David, the confidence, like a balloon, burst. He wasnât alone. Ann was with him, her arms wrapped around his neckâand they were kissing!
Summer turned and started back toward the crowd. But she couldnât help taking one more peek, and her gaze clashed with Davidâs. Did time stop? They glanced at each other for the barest of seconds, yet it seemed an eternity. Did he see the hurt in her eyes? Summer hoped not.
Marching back toward the group, she muttered to herself, âA lost cause.â
Waterlogged Carl Benson heard her. âYou lost something?â he asked.
âNo.â For a fleeting second she considered pushing Carl back into the pool, but quickly squelched that uncharitable thought. âWant to dance?â she asked, feeling sorry for the dripping mass in front of her.
âSure, if you donât mind getting a little wet,â Carl replied.
They danced to a slow song, one of Summerâs favorites, but the melody was ruined by the persistent squish of Carlâs soggy shoes.
âMay I cut in?â The formal request came from behind, and Summer turned.
David didnât wait for an answer from Carl. He just took hold of Summerâs hand and pulled her into his arms.
The music took on a whole new feeling. She tried to remain stiff and formal in Davidâs arms, but she wanted to just melt against him and put her head on his shoulder. The picture of David and Ann kissing kept her from making a fool of herself.
âWhereâs Ann? Repairing her lipstick?â Summer asked.
âIt was just a little kiss.â¦â
âCould have fooled me. I thought she had fainted and you were giving her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.â
âIt wasnât like that,â he said. âShe was kissing me, and I was just beingâ¦passive.â
âIf that was passive, you must be a crazed maniac when you actively kiss someone.â
âWell, I kissed you. Was I a maniac?â
âNo,â she muttered. âBut you shouldnât bring that up. Itâs old business.â
âNo, it isnât, unless youâre really serious about Gregg.â
The music ended before Summer could answer him.
Carl joined them. âAre you guys all set for next Saturday?â
âNext Saturday?â she asked, puzzled.
âThe race, Summer,â David explained.
âOh, yes, the race,â she mumbled. âI donât know if Iâm all set or not.â
âYouâre set,â Luke said, coming to stand beside her. âDavid, have you ever run with Summer?â
âNo.â
âWell, sheâs really something. I think she has a real chance to win.â
âI donât know. David, Iâve never run in a race before, and I donât know what to expect. Iâm a little nervous,â she said with complete, utterly refreshing honesty.
âWhy are you so nervous about the race?â David whispered when Luke was talking to Carl.
âI just don
ât know how fast everyone else is going to be. I might be left at the starting line. That would be embarrassing.â
âRun with me! I think Iâm a pretty good judge, and Iâve been in several races.â
âIâd like that,â she replied.
âHow about tomorrow?â David asked. âI could pick you up or meet you at the park.â He sounded shy. Was he unsure of her answer? Impossible, she told herself.
âWhy donât you pick me up around eight. Okay?â
âGreat,â David said.
Summer hoped that the âgreatâ was because he wanted to be with her, but that idea was stopped with his next sentence.
âHow about asking your grandfather to come along. Iâve got a stopwatch, and if he wouldnât mind, he could pace us.â
âPace us?â
âYou know, sit on a bench at the starting point and time us, help us with our pace.â
âI still donât understand,â she said. âHow can he help us with our pace?â
âBy figuring out when we need to push, when to put the spurt on,â he explained patiently.
âI donât think I have a spurt. I just run.â
âYou keep the pace the entire time?â He was genuinely surprised. âEveryone knows how to pace themselves, when to put the push on.â
âI donât,â she said, grinning. âDavid, Iâve made a pact with myself. Iâm never telling another lie, no matter what.â
âWhy did you lie to me about running?â he asked.
She took a deep breath and then plunged in. âI was jealous of Ann. She was hanging all over you and I wanted to impress you.â
David seemed shocked but also happy with her admission. He opened his mouth to say something and then closed it. This telling the truth business wasnât all that bad.
âThe funny thing is that I hated running at first, and now I canât seem to get through a day unless I put in six to eight miles,â she told him.
âIt gets in your blood.â He understood, but then, he was a runner, too.
âThere you are, David.â Ann ran and stood next to him.
Summer sighed.
âDid you need something, Ann?â David asked.
âYou promised me this dance,â Ann said with a forced pout.
She must practice before a mirror, Summer thought. Ann glared at Summer, and she wondered if Ann could read her mind. Mount Olympus just might be trembling, and if it was, Ann would soon be toppled from her position. Regina had started the tremors in her competitive bid to match Ann, and Summer was going to do the same.
âA promise is a promise,â Summer said to David. âThank you for the dance,â she added before slowly walking away.
Gregg found Summer and told her they were supposed to dance. âOrders from the boss.â
âRegina?â Summer asked.
âWho else. She told me I should kiss you when Davidâs looking, but that will cost you an extra ten.â
âThanks anyway,â she said. âDonât drool over me anymore. Just one dance and you can split.â
âHow will you get home?â Gregg looked like a man who had just received a stay of execution.
âMaybe Luke or Carl will give me a ride.â
âNo, I better drive you home. Otherwise you might want some of your money back.â
âAlways the gentleman,â she replied. âI donât want to dance. Come on,â she said linking her arm through his in a sisterly fashion, âletâs go inside. Iâll watch you eat for a while.â
Summer witnessed Gregg devour three huge slices of pizza before the party ended. She helped Regina clean up while she listened to her friend tell her all about Luke. When Regina finally wound down, Summer told her about her talk with David.
âSo you have a date tomorrow, then?â Regina asked.
âNot a date, Regina,â she corrected. âAnd Grandpa is coming along. Besides, Ann told Carl that she and David were going together.â
âI donât believe it.â Regina snorted. âThatâs all in her mind. Sheâs feeling threatenedâ¦just like weâve felt in the past because of her.â
âI donât think she was making it up. I saw David kissing her earlier. Regina, I just have to accept the fact that David doesnât care for me other than as a friend. Thatâs why heâs going to run with me tomorrow. Heâs just a nice person.â
âI think youâre wrong. Oh, David is nice enough. But I think he really cares about you.â
âYouâre just saying that because you have to. It goes with being my friend.â
âIf you feel itâs all a lost cause, then why are you running in the race?â
âTwo reasons,â Summer explained. âOne, because I want to win. I love running. I know you canât understand that, but I do love the challenge.â
âAnd the second reason?â
âBecause of Ann. She still thinks Iâll back out before the race. Guess I want to show her.â
âDid Luke tell you what she said?â
âNo, what?â
âHe said that Ann told Carl and some other kids that you havenât done any running at all and that she just knew you would find an excuse on the day of the race not to show up.â
âDid Luke tell her heâs seen me running almost every day?â
âNo, he was too surprised by what she was saying. And then, he said, he decided to let her find out for herself how good you are. Those were his exact words.â Regina glowed, her infatuation with Luke obvious.
âNothing will keep me from showing up.â
âThatâs the spirit.â
âExceptâ¦â
âDonât say it. Donât even think itâ¦â
âWhat?â Gregg asked from the doorway.
âChicken pox,â both girls replied at the same time.
Chapter 18
Excitement, rather than the alarm clock, woke Summer the next morning. Soon she would be seeing David, and even if it was only because of friendship on his part, she was thrilled just the same.
Michael threw another tantrum when he was informed that he couldnât go to the park, but his mother held fast.
Summer wore a pair of white shorts and a new navy-blue tank top. She didnât have a matching cap, so she settled on a bright red one. âI look like the flag,â she told her mother.
David looked great, too. He had on a pair of gray running shorts and a black top. The colors looked good against his tanned skin, and if Summer had been a bold person, she would have complimented him on his good-looking legs.
Grandpa fiddled with the stopwatch David insisted he use, until he felt confident with the dials.
Summer climbed into the backseat of Davidâs car so Grandpa could sit in the front, and listened while David explained pacing to him.
When Grandpa was settled on the bench next to the entrance of the park and David and Summer were ready to start, she turned to David and squared her shoulders.
âIâm not into lies anymore,â she said, âso get this good and clear. Iâm going to do my best to beat you. Iâm not going to hold back because Iâm a girl and youâre a boy. If you have a problem with that, tell me now.â Her hands were settled on her hips during her lecture, and she waited impatiently for his answer.
David started laughing. âI was going to tell you how Iâve been running a lot longer than you have and not to be too upset when I beat you. Think youâre that good, huh?â
âYes,â Summer answered.
âYeah?â
âYeah! Winner throws the loser in the pool?â
âYou got it,â David said, grinning. âAnd the loser can take her running shoes off before she gets all wet, okay?â
âWeâll see,â she said, turning back to Grandpa. âGuess weâre ready when you are, Grandpa.â
Grandpa yelled, âGo,â and both David and Summer took off in a flash of speed. She stayed right beside him until they had gone four miles. Davidâs pace began to slacken then, and she flashed him a smile as she sailed in front of him. She could hear him behind her until that last mile
began, and then suddenly she saw him gain on her out of the corner of her eye. She increased her speed accordingly, matching him stride for stride, until Grandpaâs form came into sight. Then David really put a spurt on, and she understood in that instant what pacing was all about. She pulled from her hidden reserve all the extra energy she could muster, winning by several yards.
âDid you hold back, or did I win fair and square?â she asked David when she could get her breath.
âNo, you really did keep me pushing,â he answered. âI tried to save a little something for that last mile, but I guess you saved a little more. Race you to the pool?â
âYouâre on,â she answered, charging ahead of him.
When he caught up with her at the edge of the pool, he was panting for breath. His hands were on his hips, and his body was covered with a film of perspiration, proving that he had run as fast and as hard as he could.
She watched as he kicked off his shoes. He walked to the deep end of the pool and positioned himself on the edge facing her. His arms were folded across his chest and he had a silly expression on his face.
Summer slipped off her own shoes, intent on getting just her feet wet in the shallow end of the pool. Then she nonchalantly strolled up to stand directly in front of David. âAh, poor David,â she teased. âThe agony of defeat,â she said, placing her index finger on his chest. She was savoring her victory and gloating, all at the same time. Still, she did notice a wicked gleam in his eyes, but before she could figure out just what he was thinking, he grabbed hold of her shoulders and pulled her toward him.
She squealed when he lost his balance, and she just had time to close her mouth and take a deep breath before they both hit the water. She came up sputtering. Talk about sore losers! She would certainly tell him a thing or twoâwhen he quit laughing, that is.