Summer Love by Myra Hope (phonics readers txt) 📕

That night was the huge fire pit meat roasting night I have never been old enough to stay up late for it. So we went over to the place where everyone parked their trailors and watched the fire flicker. Boy was it hot, I didn’t want to get too close, I was scarred I would fall in. Most of the people in the trailors drank beer and liquor so the area smelt like that fruity alcohol smell. Most people get super drunk that night besides the people that put the beef in the fire. It's really cool how they do it. I never knew how until now. They take the raw beef wrapped in aluminum foil then wrap that in a canvas-like cow hide type clothe, put out the fire to where just the coals in the bottom of the pit are still glowing hot, drop the wrapped meat in, put a board over the pit and put dirt on top. After they put it in, Austin noticed some friends that he met last year and I followed him over to say hi.

“Is it ok if I follow you around? Cuz I don’t really know anyone else.” I asked him.
“Yeah sure why not? I want to hang out with you this weekend as much as we can” he said as we headed over to his friends. He introduced me to them.
“Opal this is Katie and Liz, I met them last year and we had some good times” he said with a smirk on his face.

When I looked at them I could tell that Katie wasn’t exactly looking at Austin as a hot guy but more as a fellow bro if you know what I mean? She sat a little to close to Liz and by the look on her face she wasn’t to comfortable with it. But they both seemed pretty cool. Liz was a short little Hispanic girl, she looked like she was like 8 or 9 but she was 14. And Katie looked over her age of 16. Austin just had his 18th birthday at the end of July and mine was in a couple weeks so we were the oldest ones there. We hung out until about 1 or 2 in the morning, walking around town and out in the field of tumble weeds. Oh, did I mention this was a really old western town with most of its original buildings and roads? It was pretty creepy at night. But man, was that open sky beautiful. I looked up and I don’t think I have ever seen so many stars so big and bright. Living in the city you have all the clouds, lights and pollution in the air you can't really see the stars. My parents made me go to bed before most of the stars came out. We were all getting tired so the girls went to Liz’s house across town (like 3 blocks) and Austin walked me to my tent. We said good night and I got into my tent very quietly as to not wake my parents. That night was so sweet.

I woke to the smell of bacon and eggs my mom was cooking out side the tent. But for some reason I wasn’t very hungry, I went into the house to go wash my hair but when I went in the door I saw Austin in a towel coming out of the bathroom. I don’t think he saw me so I hid around the corner until he went out to his trailer. I ran into the bathroom and washed my hair in the sink since they didn’t have a bathtub and I didn’t want to take a full shower. By the time I was done everyone was getting ready for the day's events and I couldn’t find Austin anywhere. At first I thought he was hiding or something but I went and asked his grandma if she knew where he was and she said that he went to the next town to pick up his friend. So I looked around for Liz and Katie but I couldn’t find them either. I just wondered around and looked at the different venders that were all up and down the main street of the town.

It was kinda nice to be all alone enjoying the different smells of fresh air, kettle corn, and ice cream from the ice cream parlor that had a line reaching out the door and across the building. Their ice cream is by far the best I have ever tasted, and trust me I've tasted a lot. haha. I went into a store that sold little toys and gadgets from way back when. My dad was friends with the owner but Cammie informed us that he passed away about 2 years ago. He was the sweetest old black man I’ve ever met. About 5’6 bright white short hair and a mustache. R.I.P Booker.

A couple hours had passed when I saw Austin drive into town. I tried to make it not look obvious that I was heading back to the house to meet him so I went in my tent and changed my pants. I don’t know why but I’m so insecure about my body. I can't wear shorts cuz I think my thighs giggle too much when I walk and I can't wear just a t-shirt and jeans because my tummy fat is very clearly visible as it bulges over the top of my pants. But it was really hot out and jeans rolled up and a sweatshirt was too much so I changed into basketball shorts and a t-shirt. These shorts were loose and went below my knee a little and I could pull them up more the my jeans so my tummy wasn’t bulging, plus they were looser. Anyways…. When I came out of the tent Austin and his friend were sitting on the swing set right out side my tent.
“What were you doing? Why were you in there so long?” Austin asked with a smirk on his face.
“Ummm.. I was changing my pants because I spilled ice cream on them….” I lied but I didn’t want to tell him I changed because I was to hot because I don’t want to show that my being over weight was making me sweat.
“Oh, ok that’s a good reason” he said sarcastically.

He introduced me to his friend, Johnny. He was really tall, really skinny, had dirty blonde hair cut to where it looked like it was a military cut about 6 months ago. He had some major buck tooth-age going for him that made his smile look funny but cute. We all went to the ice cream parlor and the line was still super long. We stood there awkwardly for about 2 or 3 minutes and Johnny decided to go get a soda at the gas station just down the road. So Austin and I were finally alone, so to break the ice once again I said “So, what’s going on tonight, do you know?”
Austin paused a minute and said “Well, we are having a band come in, that’s what the big stage is for and the granny cloggers are coming again this year…” I interrupted,
“Oh really! They are so awesome!”
“Yeah, they are pretty sweet huh? But yeah, I think that’s all for tonight but me and my friends have made a little tradition for the past 3 years where we go out at night during the concert and walk out to the cliff and see who can get down it the farthest while we are drunk off our butts” he said laughing.
“You get drunk?” I asked surprised.
“Yeah? Remember I told you I drink now?”
“Oh, right. Ok….. So do I have to?”
“No, of course not, but its just more fun and hilarious”
“Well, I’ve never drank so I don’t think tonight would be a good time to start, especially since I don’t know how I will react to it.”
“True, I guess that would be a good reason not to”
Johnny started heading back over, at first he was walking so I thought I could ask Austin one more question but then Johnny began running and boy can that kid run fast. Oh well, I'll ask him later I guess. After we got our ice cream and ate it, it had been about 45 minutes by the way, that line was too long, we walked over to where they were going to serve the meat they roasted last night in the pit. Cammie came over and asked if we had anything to do.
“Nope, just hanging out grandma” Austin said but he soon realized that was the wrong answer because Cammie asked us if we could help serve people the food. Oh well, I like helping out, its fun. I served the baked beans, Austin's little brother Paul, served the cold slaw, Austin served the potato salad and Johnny served the rolls. There were some big men serving the meat on a different table about 10 feet away. We ran out of cold slaw and baked beans pretty fast so I was the first one that could leave and Paul was just about to walk away when Austin handed him the potato salad spoon.
"Awe man… this sucks” he complained.

Paul was a short 11 year old, light brown hair and little bucked teeth; he looked more like Johnny then Austin. He sure was a little cutie though. So Austin and I left Johnny and Paul to the serving. Johnny didn’t really mind that Austin just left him there, I was kind of confused about that but maybe… nah I won't think it, well, maybe he told Johhny that he really does like me still? Just as Austin was about to talk, Liz ran over and jumped on his back and Katie pushed her way in-between us. Well that’s great, the second chance we get alone together and they come along….