Summer Nights by Shawna Whalen (uplifting book club books .TXT) 📕

in my throat form and the tears spilled over. I tried to blink them away fast but they blurred my vision of the beautiful angel who was speaking to me.

The back of my hand rubbed the liquid away and found his face again.

He looked at me as I regained composer. We stared silently for what seemed to be forever. Tracy ruined the moment of our silence by jogging up the stairs laughing.

“Oh, sorry.” She said when she spotted us, close contacted. She smiled at me, but Aaron and I refused to lose eye contact. Then she departed back down to Truman with waters.

Even when Tracy had left, we still stared. I wasn’t sure what he was looking at but I was staring in awe.
Out of nowhere “Love Story” by Taylor Swift began playing in my head and I smiled. Aaron’s brow furrowed and I laughed.

“What are you thinking?” he asked after of moment lapse of my giggles. I shook my head but answered, “That this is crazy.”

He smiled but asked, “What do you mean?” I contemplated my meaning, hell I didn’t even know. He made me do things that I didn’t even know I knew how to do.

He’s changed me so much that I don’t even know if I could ever go back to that old Shawna. The new Shawna is much better.

“Us.” I said finally. Before he could ask again what I meant, I continued. “How and why we’re here, together. It’s all crazy and for some damn reason I like it.” I smiled.

Aaron laughed and nodded. “Yes, I can see why. I do too.” My heart was racing, I wondered when it would slow down, I needed to breathe for damns sake!

My head fell as I drank my water. “Shawna,” I looked up toward his voice. His face was inches from mine, not like our bodies weren’t already. There was something that just brought us together and we couldn’t back away.

It’s like a magnet.

“You’ve changed me, for the better I believe. And I’m so happy that I’ve finally met you and gotten to spend time with you. For only being with you 4 hours, I think I might love you.” I gasped and my mouth dropped to my knees.

My eyes dazed out as I replayed his monologue in my head. Did he just say he loved me?

My heart choked me and I couldn’t speak. Thump thump.

A tear fell silently from my eyes and I didn’t even realize it until I tasted the salty liquid on my lips. Suddenly Aaron’s mouth was on mine and I was kissing him with the most passion I’d ever felt.

This has to be a dream. I’m dreaming right? Because this cannot be real! Oh, please dream, let me keep dreaming.

Our lips moved in synchronized movements, as if they were supposed to be together. It was like magic, we fit together perfectly.

He was the other piece to my puzzle; the one that was always ragged and still forced to fit in, no what was me. He was the puzzle piece you picked to start from.

When we finally stopped kissing, I melted into his arms. “This,” he spoke gently, wrapping his arms around me. “Is where I belong.” I sighed in contentment and closed my eyes.

I wasn’t sure what happened after that. The morning sun woke me up from blinding me. I rubbed my tired eyes and glanced around. Shit! We’re still in the kitchen?

I found my phone in my pocket, the front of it said I had 4 new messages. I opened them, each from Tracy.

The first one read: 3:20 a.m.

Shawna, what’s going on? Tell me!

I clicked over to the next unread message: 4:46 a.m.

Shawna Leigh! If you do not tell me I’m coming up there!

I laughed.

The third one surprised me: 5:15 a.m.

OMG! I saw you and Aaron kissing, AWE! Still, what happened?!

I laughed even harder but tried to be quiet.

Then I clicked to the last one: 6:13 a.m.

Shawna make sure Aaron is gone before 7, that’s when Ashley’s grandparents get up.

I closed the messaged and looked at the time on my phone, it was 6:45 in the morning. Shit!

I cursed mentally. I glanced around the room quickly. We weren’t in the kitchen; we were in the white living room.

Aaron rustle next to me on the couch, I sighed. He was so cute when he slept. I stared in awe for a moment then realized it was almost 7 again.
I begrudgingly woke Aaron by pecking him on the lips. His eyes snapped open almost immediately, I could tell that he wanted more when his eyes stayed closed; but I resisted.

“Aaron, wake up,” I said when he closed his eyes again. I shook his arm gently. “Please, get up. Ashley’s grandparents are about to come down here.” I pleaded while I shook.

His eyes snapped again and he was up. I smiled and stood. “We’ve got to go.” I said.

We hurriedly went down stairs to grab his things and rushed back upstairs. I checked my phone as we stepped to the kitchen, 6:58 and then the coffee pot when off, scaring me. I jumped back into Aaron.

I composed myself and we went to the garage door to claim our shoes. I slipped on my flip flops while Aaron battled with his converse. I laughed and tried to open the door.

Shit! The combination!

I tried to recall Ashley punching the numbers in silently in my head. And then they popped up and I punched them in faster than hell. The door clicked and lit up green and opened it.

I pushed Aaron through first and closed it behind me.

We dashed for his car immediately, but stopped half way down the drive. I was laughing the whole way and I couldn’t breathe. I think Aaron was hyperventilating.

“Are you okay?” I asked between breaths and giggles. He nodded. “Alright, let’s go.” We walked the rest to his car.

He set his stuff on the passenger seat and turned to me. I immediately hugged him tight. He held me back just as tight.

Just like last night, I don’t think we could’ve gotten any closer, but we damn in hell tried.

I inhaled his scent one more time before I looked up to him. He smelt wonderful and I would not forget it.
I looked up at him through my eyelashes and batted them sweetly and then laughed at how cheesy I was.

He laughed with me and pecked me on the nose. “I agree,” I said, breaking the silence casually.

“Agree with what?” he asked smiling.

“With what you said last night, ‘this is where I belong.’” I quoted him and smiled.

He held me tighter and kissed me passionately on my lips. I couldn’t help but think that this was it.

I had to leave him now. Would I even see him again after this? I prayed to see him.

After our sweet goodbye, I stepped away and watched him leave in his tiny blue car. I giggled, wavered and blew a kiss as he drove away.

I walked back into the kitchen, smiling, and ignored Ashley’s grandma sitting there. I wasn’t even sure if she heard me.

I went down to the basement silently. My cheeks flushed when I saw Tracy bouncing up and down on the couch with glee.

“Shawana, Shawana!” she chanted. I laughed, “What?”

She gave me the devilish smile she always has, “You know what.” It was funny to think of this, but she reminded me of Alice. She was my Alice and I was her Bella. I smiled at it and she yelled at me to tell her what happened with Aaron.

“Nothing really. We talked, the end.” I shrugged and sat where Aaron and I had before. Tracy got up and tried to pull me toward the couch, but she gave up quickly and sat beside me.

“Please tell me Shawna. I need to know.” She gave me the same puppy dog eyes I gave her yesterday. Yesterday, that could not have been just yesterday.

“Okay, okay.” I held up my hands in defeat.

Before I spilled to-Alice, oops I mean

-Tracy, I glanced around the room. Cassandra was still asleep. I silently noted that they had gotten rid of the boys, but I wondered if Mark was still in Ashley’s room…

“He…he told me…” I left her hanging, but not for long. Tracy’s eyes lit up when I said, “He told me he loves me.”

Tracy almost lost it and screamed but I quickly covered her mouth to muffle it. “Oh, my god!” she whispered. “Did you say it back, Shawna?”

I shook my head, “No. I mean-I-” I tried to explain, she waited patiently. “I didn’t say it, no, but he didn’t actually say it. He said, ‘I think I love you’” I said, adding air quotes.

“Awe!” Tracy cooed and I blushed. She laughed at my red face and after a moment she continued. “Do you think you love him too?”

I bit my lip slightly, thinking. “You know,” I paused for dramatic effect. “I think I do.” My eyes were on my hands as I spoke, they met Tracy’s now and she looked in awe.

“I’m happy for you, Shawana!” she cooed again, using my nickname.

After Tracy and I talked more about Aaron and what went on throughout the night, it was almost noon and my mom texted me to come home with the car.

I grabbed my stuff and went upstairs. Tracy followed, everyone else stayed asleep. I was happy that Tracy came; she was my true best friend now.

She walked me to my car and hugged me before I got in. “Shawna, I’m here for you. I promise.” I laughed as she attempted the girl scouts honor.

“I know, thanks, for a lot, Tracy. I mean it.” I almost felt the tears welling up, but I pushed them back.

She hugged me again and I got in my car.

As I drove off I thought to myself silently, I do not know what I did to deserve a friend like her.

When I got home, I put on a façade for my parents.

When I got home, I put on a façade for my parents. I walked in the door and saw my parents weren’t in the living room. I shrugged it off and trudged to my sanctuary that I call my room.

As I finished unpacking, my mom knocked on my door.

“Come in.” I said. I didn’t turn to face her, the smiled from the party wouldn’t leave my face, and the façade was broken immediately by the thought of Aaron.

“So, how was Ashley’s?” she asked casually. Sometimes I didn’t know if she really cared or if she was snooping. I shrugged that off too.

“Good. We swam for a bit and ate S’mores,” well that and I had the most

amazing

night with Aaron, the boy who loves me.

I kept my thoughts to myself.

Some part of me knew that my Mother knew there was more but that she decided not to ask.

“Well that’s good, I’m glad you had fun.” My mom said after a moment of silence of my unpacking continued.

I didn’t say anymore, but she did. “Alright, well
come do your dishes.” And with that she closed