When Summer Ends by Katy Wormald (the speed reading book txt) 📕

walked inside the house, and it was well- nice. Two stories, hard wood floors and neutral colours throughout the house. It was warm and inviting, but it felt odd to know that the house didn't belong to a family as it felt it should. Aunt Marissa had been married before, but he left her last year. Mum said she hadn't coped so well after the divorce- but she seemed fine now.

we walked up the flight of stairs and down a long corridor. It was filled with pictures of our family- her and my mum as children, all of our family at my mums wedding, and a few of me when I was younger. We stopped at the third door and she opened me the door and walked inside with me. I dropped my bags on the floor and looked around. It was very nice. The walls were white and light blue patters, the bed was pale wood and blue. It only had a small dressing table and wardrobe but I was sure I would have enough room. Marissa showed me where the bathroom was and put me some fresh towels in there.

"Well- that's every things Jode, if you want to get unpacked and settled in and I'll shout you when dinners ready. I'm so glad to have you here love. " She said while hovering by the door, I smiled back at her and thanked her for having me.

I closed the door behind her and sat on the bed looking around. Well, I guess I'm stuck here for the summer.It could be worse though, right?
Chapter Two

Chapter Two


After having a shower, putting all of my bags away are and sorting out my pj's for later, I walked downstairs to see Marissa. I hardly ever called Marissa aunt , and although my mum would occasionally nag me for it, she never seemed phased by it.

I walked into the kitchen to see Marissa standing over a boiling pan of water hitting it frantically with a towel. I stood by the door frame for a minute or so confused, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. I watched her do a very strange side-to-side dance around the the over, still hitting it wit the towel. Every few seconds she would make a odd shouting noise at it, too. I wondered if she was practicing some kind of kitchen dance, I decided in the end though that she was trying to keep the pan from over boiling. I walked over the the cooker and turned the heat down on it. Immediately the foaming water calmed down to how it should be. Marissa stood looking at me stunned, how does a 35 year old woman not know how to even boil potato's?

"I think dinners kinda ruined..." I said looking at the pan of now potato lumps, which really did not look edible or appetising.

"How about we go out for dinner?" Marissa suggested looking to the floor and then to the pan. Her face was bright red with embarrassment.

"Yeah sure, when we going?" I asked her , hoping I would have enough time to get ready, as I looked like crap from the long drive over here, and my hair was still wet from the shower.

"About 6ish? I know a lovely little restaurant just near the beach, its not as high-class as the one your dad own, but its still pretty nice."

"Okay brilliant, well- I'm going to go have a walk, I haven't seen this place in years and its a lovely day out."

"Okay, well I'll give you your key now, can you just nip to the shop for me, I need a pack of headache tablets love?"

I told Marissa I would go to the shop for her and she gave me my new key and some money for the tablets. I ran upstairs and slipped my worn in converse shoes on. I grabbed my purse and put it in my handbag with my new key. I shouted bye to Marissa and headed off towards the shops.

The weather outside was beautiful, it was sunny and really warm. Marissa lived in a small cul de sac just a few minutes away from the beach. Her house looked like a large cottage, with red bricks and dark wood on the porch. She had obviously spent a lot of time working on the garden It had a small pink cherry tree out front with lots of small flower beds along the wooden fence. A few of the other houses on the cul de sac had similar gardens, but hers was the best by far.

I walked out of the street and down the road to where the shops are. Everywhere I looked people were with friends or family. There was a large group opposite of young women, all in pink tight, short clothes and bleach blonde hair. A few lads from further down the road were whistling and shouting things. There were small families sat outside restaurants and old women with their husbands on benches. Everywhere I looked I could not see one person by them self. I walked down the road alone, staring at the ground and wishing I had my friends here.

I entered the shop and turned on the vitamins isle, hoping that was where I could find the headache tablets. I picked up two packets and decided to have a look at hair products. Since the shop was only small, and obviously not made for hair products or make up. After looking at all of it (which was about 8 items) I decided just to get some hair spray because I'd forgotten mine and didn't want to ask Marissa to borrow hers. I grabbed a can of coke and paid for my items. I left the store and headed for home.

It had gotten a whole lot hotter since earlier so I took off the over tee I was wearing, leaving me in a small vest top. I walked down the same road as I had come up, with all the people on, but after 10 or 15 minutes of walking I realised I was lost. I walked back the way I had came, but still couldn't find where I was supposed to. So I tried remembering what street Marissa lived on, only to realise she had never told me. I pulled out my phone to ring her, but I had forgotten to charge it last night so it was already dead.

I sat on a nearby bench and sighed, first day here and I'm already lost! I tried to think of where to go but I was sure that I had taken a left on one of the lanes, but they all looked exactly the same but lead into completely different direction! Brilliant, freakin' brilliant!

I was going to ask someone if they had any idea where to go, but everyone was in groups, and being by myself, I didn't want to seem strange. Instead I sat on the bench happily and drank my can of coke. I sat there for about 20 minutes before I saw some one I could ask for where to go.

I waited until he got a bit closer for me to ask him, I didn't want to seem like I was waiting for someone to come by ( even though I was). As he got closer I couldn't help but notice how good looking he was! Tall, like about 6'4, dark blonde hair that hung over his eyes, and a really nice tan. Luckily I don't think he noticed me checking him out, or at least he acted like he didn't. I jumped up from the bench just as he came near.

"Hey, um...can you help me out, I'm kinda lost.." I asked the guy with a smile on my face.

"Yeah sure, where you looking for?"

"I'm not quite sure, I'm not from round here. I'm looking for my aunts house...I'm sure it was around here somewhere, I know it was on a cul de sac if that helps?" I said giggling at how stupid I must seem.

"Well your no where near the cul de sac's...you need to walk straight back up here, turn left, carry on, go right, down the street, second left and over the road." He said quickly. It made absolutely no sense at all and I couldn't even remember it two seconds later.

"I can show you if you want?" He asked me, noticing how confused I looked.

"Are you sure? I could just right it down or something?" I replied searching through my bag for a pen, even though I knew I didn't have one. Why was I even looking if I knew I didn't have one? Huh, I think I'm starting to loose it...

"No, of course I don't mind. besides, I was going that way anyway."

"Oh, brilliant thank you." I said following him as he walked up the street slowly.

We chatted about things, like the weather and school. I found out he was 17, lived on the same street as my aunt, and went to a school not far from where we were. I told him things about me like my age, that I was staying with Marissa, and about how crappy my summer was turning out so far. I told him it was because I was away from my friends, and tried to not sound desperate or sad, but I think I failed miserably.

We walked and talked for another 10 minutes, I was surprised about how quickly we hit it off, and for the first time since I had gotten to Marissa's I didn't feel completely alone.

"So, whats your name? We've been talking for ages and you still haven't told me." He asked me smiling.

"Oh, Jodie Harper...you?" I told him laughing at how I had only asked him for directions and now we were becoming friends.

"Declan James...so, how long you staying with your aunt?" He answered, I couldn't help but get butterflies in my stomach each time he smiled at me.

"When school starts again, so I'm here for a while." I said smiling back at him.

We had stopped now outside Marissa's house, and I could see her in the living room through the window. We both stood about awkward of how to say goodbye, and I couldn't help but laugh because of this mornings events were repeating.

"So, if your not going back for a while, and you haven't really got anyone else here apart from your aunt, do you maybe want to hang out sometime?" He asked looking down at the ground looking nervous.

I couldn't help but smile. My heart was racing, not only from the fact that