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

lose some of his over-excited-about-everything-ness. Maybe he’d become really lazy? Doubtful.

“Run Romeo, quick!” I shouted as I ran past him. He loved to play like this; he would run along at my side with a goofy grin on his face. We ran until my legs started to ache (which wasn’t as far as I would have liked) and my breathing became heavy. Romeo laid o the floor panting, and with a quick look around, I sprawled out onto the cold grass with him.

The clouds were gray and overcast, making every where look gloomy and depressing. I stroked Romeo absent minded and thought back to all the days with Declan, just lounging about in the sun. Damn, I wish I could go back there just for one day. Winter break was still a few more months away and, unlike the summer had; the days were dragging by slowly. Each time I spoke to Declan he would tell me how much he missed me- but he was still going out and having parties. Whereas I on the other hand spent all my time in my house or at school.

I jumped up from the grass, noticing that the clouds were getting darker and darker- it was going to rain soon. We needed to hurry up and get inside before it did, but it was a thirty minute walk to my house and I wasn’t sure if we would make it or not. I pulled Romeo to walk; he just kind of shuffled himself across the grass without really standing, so I bent down and picked him up.

We were just a few minutes from my house when the heavens opened up, and man did they. The rain pounded down onto us, soaking me instantly. It was as though someone had just thrown a bucket of water over me. Well, it’s no use in trying to get home any quicker now, so I just moped along the side walk. Romeo buried his face into my arm and closed his eyes, what time to decide to have a nap eh?

“Jodie!” I heard my name being called, so I spun around in the direction it had came from. I saw two boys- Ashley and Aiden stood on their porch watching me with matching smirks on their faces. I waved and turned my head, trying to hide my blush. I only met them today and already they had seen me soaked, looking like I’d just almost drowned. Aiden motioned me over with his hand, I sighed as I walked over. Now I couldn’t say it wasn’t me that they had seen- it would be nice to get out of the rain though I thought as I looked at the covering they were stood under.

“Come in, I’ll get you a towel.” Ashley said as he wrapped his arm around me and opened the door. I nodded as I walked in. My teeth were chattering so hard I actually thought I would have to make a dentist appointment in the morning. True to his word, Ashley came back to my side a few seconds later with a huge fluffy towel. I thanked him and dried Romeo quickly, and then my face, hands and what I could dry of my hair.

The twins had flustered around Romeo by the time I had finished drying off. I passed the pup to Ashley, who tossed him up into the air and caught him again, as though he was a baby. “Thanks, I feel so much better now.” I told them both, only to be ignored as they were playing with Romeo, who by the was loving the attention.

“Where you heading?” Asked a dark husky voice. I looked to my left to see Cole leaning casually against the door frame...in only a towel. I quickly snapped my eyes back to the twins, and prayed to God that I wasn’t blushing.

“Erm, my house, it’s only a few minutes’ walk...” I told him feeling the blush creep up onto my face. I had to focus on Romeo (who was still being tossed around and looked like he might puke any second) to keep my eyes from betraying me and slipping back to Cole’s chest... Cole’s chest....Damn, once again they had found their way back to him, and his eyes had found their way back to mine. The second our eyes met it was like he couldn’t stand to be in the room any more, he tried to take a few steps backwards- onto to band into the door. He wouldn’t look at any of us, even though it was only me who had noticed his shift in behaviour. He left the room, leaving me feeling, well, upset.

I don’t know what I had done, I’d been talking to him all day- and now he was just acting like this out of nowhere. I pushed Cole to the back of my mind, well sort of; I let the image of his bare chest hang around the middle ground of my brain.

“He does!”

“No, doesn’t!”

“Yes does!”

The twins were shouting back at each other looking as though they might start fighting any second. Romeo ran over to my feet and moaned until I picked him up. “What are you arguing about?” I asked them both.

“I told Ash that Romeo doesn’t like him.” Aiden told me, scowling at Ashley.

“But he does like me, I’m his uncle.” Ashley finished off, looking at Romeo as if he was actually his proud uncle.

“He likes both of you.” I told them setting Romeo back onto the ground. He immediately ran over to Aiden and bent down defensively in front of Ashley, growling at him. I tapped him on the head and hugged Ashley. He honestly looked as though he could cry, it made me want to cry a little too by just seeing his sad face.

“Thanks for letting us in guys but I really need to get home.” I told them deciding that I would need to dry off Romeo and still needed to ring Declan.

“Wait-I’ll give you a lift.” Aiden told me, grabbing his car keys from off of the coffee table.

“You can’t go; you’re supposed to be helping Jamie paint his room.” Ashley said as we reached the door, realisation crossed Aiden’s face and he apologised for not being able to take me home. I gave both of the boys a hug and again, was almost at the door when someone else started talking to me.

“Come on, I’ll take you.”Cole told me smiling, what the heck? Had ten minutes ago when he rushed out of the room to get away from me not happened? I looked at his face, and he winked at me when my eyes met his. He was dressed now, although I guess that’s a good thing. I wouldn’t say I was lusting for Cole back then, just a little, well, interested?

“Thanks see you guys.” I shouted to the twins and make Romeo wave by moving his paw up and down. We walked to Cole’s car, and climbed in quickly. It had slowed down raining, but
still horrible weather.

I told him my address and gave him directions; he promptly drove out of his street and turned onto one just a few streets from mine.

“So um, you’re still coming over tomorrow? Movie-night, remember?” He told me as we parked outside my house. My dad’s car was still gone; I kind of hoped they would be back from visiting Marissa by now, no such luck though eh?

“Yeah of course, especially if my parents still aren’t back. I can’t cook too good ....” I told him laughing and thinking back to all the times I’d ruined meals by over/under cooking.

“Brill, so I’ll see you tomorrow at school.” Cole said, then unexpectedly leaned over and gave me a quick hug. There was nothing in it, no love, no romance, just a friendly hug that I reciprocated. We smiled at each other as we parted and said goodbye. He even knuckle-bumped Romeo-which was odd to say the least.

Later That Night...

“What the hell is your problem?!” I screamed down the phone for the hundredth time. This was getting really lame and pretty petty to be honest. Me and Declan were currently arguing because I told him about my plans for tomorrow night.

“My problem is Jodie that you’re going over to a house- a house full of boys and you really expect me to believe you’re just going to watch movies?” He repeated, this had been going on about ten minutes. At first I was kind of pissed, now I just want to get off of the phone from him and punch something.

“Yes I do, because I’m your girlfriend and you should trust me!” I shouted, again. I’d been shouting so much that I actually had to pause to take a drink a few times. I’ll be damned if he gives me a sore throat. He huffed, that its, I’m done with this stupid argument.

“Just call me when you grow up Declan.” I told him and hung the phone up. What a dick! I laid down on the bed and buried my face into the pillow. I willed myself not to cry, over and over. Of course though, it didn’t work and the tears spilled down my face.

How could he even think that I was going to cheat on him? I’m his girlfriend, I love him! And even if I was going I wouldn’t tell him that I was going to an all-boys house for it! I gave myself to him, and he treats me like this! Its understandable that someone could think this, but I never thought Declan would be the paranoid type. He has friends who are friends; he hangs out with Jaz and Ali alone, but I don’t get like this. I wanted to be angry...all I could do though was cry.

And that what I did, cry and sleep the rest of the day. In fact, I was still awake by the time my alarm beeped to tell me it was time to get up for school. I was exhausted, physically and mentally. For the last few hours I couldn’t cry. I just sat there sobbing and cuddling Romeo close to me. Who had actually been quite supportive for a dog, he snuggled into me and licked my hands softly. I think perhaps he was could sense that I was upset.

I walked over to my dresser and looked in the mirror, my face was blotchy and pale, hair wet with tears. I got a scolding hot shower, but even that didn’t take any of my stress away. I had to plaster myself in foundation to cover up my tear-stained skin.

I picked up my phone from the floor, where I had thrown it last night. I turned it on and waited until it was fully loaded to check for miss calls or texts. No calls. One text.

From: Declan <3
Go then Jodie, but I’ll be doing the same.

Brilliant, I thought. I turned it back off and put it into my school bag. Half an hour later I was sitting in my first lesson, talking to Cole. I hadn’t told him anything about mine and Dec’s arguments, I didn’t want the two of them to fall out over it, and I was sure it would all blow over today anyway.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Cole asked for the hundredth time, I told him about Marissa’s ‘accident’.