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

a incredibly good looking guy wants to hang out with me, but because I was excited about making a new friend as well.

"Yeah, defiantly. So..um, my phones completely dead so I cant give you my number, but how about you just come round to mine whenever?" I asked him hopefully not sounding like a little child arranging to play out with their friend.

"How about tonight?"

"Arrgh, I can't tonight, I'm supposed to go out for dinner with my aunt" I told him, regretting making plans with Marissa.

"Probably for the best, I'd of had to call in sick for work any way." He said and we both laughed, breaking the awkward tension that was hanging between us. "How about tomorrow?"

"Yeah, tomorow's good."

"Great, I'll be at yours about three?"

"Three's brilliant, just come round then." I answered smiling back at him. With that we said goodbye and I walked into Marissa's garden.

"Nice to meet you Jodie!" Declan shouted from what I assume was his house opposite Marissa's. I waved back at him and went inside. I closed the door and rested against the door smiling to myself. Hopefully this summer wont be too bad. I defiantly can't wait until tomorrow!

I walked into the living room to give Marissa her change and the tablets she asked for. I told her all about getting lost and having to ask for directions. She laughed and made light fun of me.

"So...Declan, how did you too meet?" She asked me looking smug about seeing us.

"How do you know Declan?" I asked totally shocked that she would know his name, I guess its really not that surprising seeing as though they live over the road from each other.

"Oh, I know his parents. There quite nice...Are you seeing him again?" Marissa nudged my arm with hers and started wiggling her eye brows. I couldn't help but laugh at her.

"Yes, were hanging out tomorrow. Now if you don't mind im off to pick out an outfit for later." I said going upstairs, still laughing at her.


Chapter Three

Chapter Three


I stood in my bedroom with clothes piled around me. I had only unpacked my bags this morning and here I was already pulling them out of the wardrobe to find something to wear. Me and Marissa were going out to eat, and although she said I wouldn't need to dress up I still felt I should make a little effort. I had tried on about three outfits but all seemed either too casual or too formal.

In the end I decided to go with a cream above the knee length dress with brown squares on it. I paired it up with a pair of small black flats and a black clutch. I blow dried my hair and straightened it. I bumped it up at the back and parted my fringe. I then moved onto my make-up, deciding to keep it to a minimum, so I applied a thin layer of eye liner and mascara, finishing up with some light pinklip gloss.

I stood up and looked in the mirror. I must say I looked quite good, My black and blonde shoulder length hair looked beautiful and showed off my natural tan. I packed some make-up into my clutch along with a mirror and some money. I checked my watch to see the time and realised that me and Marissa should be setting off any minute.

I ran down the stairs humming one of my made up tunes and started looking for Marissa. Ieventually found her in the back garden having a glass of white wine on the veranda. I walked out and sat next to her. She was already to go out, wearing a nice dark red dress with black heels, and she had curled her long brown hair perfectly. Marissa defiantly looked well under 35. She had a very petite figure, just like my mother they both stood around 5'4 and were very slim. I however had a more curvy body- like a size 10, and was just over 5'7. I certainly don't know why Marissa's ex-husband, Sam, left her she was gorgeous! I decided best not to ask her though, bringing up things like that usually ruin a persons night.

"Hey, want a glass of wine before we set off?" Marissa asked me, and even though it was ment as a question she had already started pouring it without me asking.

"Erm...you do know I'm not old enough, right?" I said as she passed me the small glass of white wine. My mum never used to let me drink- although she knew I had done at friends parties, she would always tell me to keep safe instead of yelling at me like most parents would.

"Well, you're going to be with me all night so i'm sure one drink will be fine." She waved her hand as though it was nothing.

"Well, im not complaining." I said sipping my wine. "When we setting off then?" I asked Marissa who had just set her empty wine glass down.

"Now, come on!" She sang getting up and making her way towards the front door. I drank my wine in one go and headed in her direction.

Since the restaurant was only five minutes away we decided to walk, although it took about double the time it should because Marissa had polished off almost a full bottle of wine, so she was morestumbling rather than walking.

We headed down the same street that I had gotten lost on, it seemed stupid that I could get lost in a fairly simple place. I made a mental map of where to go in case I got lost again, although I doubt i would. Me and Marissa chatted lightly about things like school and home, but for most of the walk we were silent. Although it was getting darker the hot air was still hanging around us, which made the walk to the restaurant pleasant.

We stopped at the top of a small hill and headed to the opposite side of the road to where therestaurant was. It was really nice, All glass walls,( which obviously made me want to throw stones at it because I'm just that cool ), black flooring & walls with had large silver flowers on that shines when the passing car lights reflected onto them. Large, clear glass tables with silver & black chairs. It was very modern and immediately I was glad I had made an effort.

We walked inside and Marissa said they had a reservation for two. The hostess took us over to a small table in the back of the restaurant, over looking the sea. I looked out in awe, it lookedabsolutely beautiful, the moon was high in the sky and was throwing beautiful flows of colour over the sea. Marissa told me that she was brought here on a date a few months ago. I didn't really know what to reply, she had only got divorced lat year and was dating already! In a strange way though I admired her for not letting a man ruin her life after he had already left her, I told her I though the place was beautiful- which it really was, and I couldn't wait to try the food- which I couldn't!

I excused myself to go to the bathroom, I went in and washed my hands as we were about to eat, and checked out my hair and make-up. I looked good, my make-up hadn't smudged and my hair was still perfectley in place. I walked back into the room and the waiter was stood over our table. Marissa seemed to be having a conversation with him, and I prayed to god that she wasn't hitting on him! I slid back into my seat and quickley looked over my menu silently.

"Ah, here she is" Marissa said in a voiced filled with laughter, I looked up from my menu at her to see she had a huge smile on her face. I decided to put it down to that they were waiting for me to order so I rushed through the menu, not wanting to keep the waiter hanging about long than I had already kept him.

"Hey, Jodie..." I snapped my head up from the menu to see who was talking to me, I was utterly shocked to see that Declan was our waiter. I probably should have noticed but I was too busy deciding what to have to eat. He was blushing slightly and had a nervous smile playing on his lips. I hoped to God that Marissa hadn't said anything embarrassing to him.

"Oh, hey. I didn't even notice you...and I did not know you worked here..." I said throwing a frown in Marissa's direction. She must have know he worked here, she knows his parents and obviously knows he workes here. As soon as he left the table with our orders I was going to give her a very mean glare!

"Yeah i kinda guessed you didn't...so, um, are you two ready to order or..."He said obviously stillnervous and embarrassed. He fiddled with his small note pad to open it and get a pencil out, but seemed to be having a bit of difficulty.

Me and Marissa ordered our food, me making sure to order something that I couldn't drop down myself (as I tend to when I'm distracted!) so I went for salad, I also thought it would make me look healthy in from of Declan. Why I wanted to appear healthy, I'm not sure, but I regretted it the second I said it. We talked for a few more seconds before Declan finally left our table with a relived look on his face. I was sure that he was as awkward as I was, so i didn't take any offence to it. Instead I put it all down as my crazy aunts fault.

"What the hell? How could you not tell me he worked here?" I asked her after quite a bit of glaring, with didn't really seem to effect her as I though it would.

"Oh well, must have slipped my mind!" She said laughing, I couldn't help but join in. It was pretty funny and I was just so glad that it was over with. I'm pretty damn sure that I looked like an idiot in front of Declan- albeit a healthy one!

"You like him!" Marissa said after she caught me peeking a looks in his direction. The excitementwas clear in her eyes, and it reminded me of how a girl my age would act at finding out her best friend had a crush.

"I don't even know the guy...he is pretty good looking though, isn't he?" I said while staring at himstood behind a counter. After a couple of minutes Marissa coughed to get my attention, she must have realised I