Always Summer (20 page)

“How old
are you
Summer
?” she asked, pulling up an unused chair
from a nearby table.

“Um... 18.”
I answered.

Sally
looked excited... I was just confused.

“Have you
ever thought of a career in modeling?
 
You’re very pretty, and you have great bone structure and a fresh, clean
and crisp look that is very easy to market.” She explained, smiling.

“Ah... no.
 
I haven’t ever really thought about it.” I
replied.

“I would
really love to see how your look works for the camera.
 
Would you be interested in coming in to our
offices to have a couple of test shots?” she enthused.

“I...”

“Go on,
Summer.” Sally interrupted.
 
“It would be
fun!”

“I guess I
could.” I said.

“Would you
be available tomorrow?
 
I mean, I’m out
of the offices today, but I’m in on Tuesday, and we can get a portfolio
started, if your shots look good.” Peta smiled brightly.

“Is this
normal?” I asked.

“Do you
mean me finding girls on the street to harass?” Peta laughed.

I nodded.

“Yes and
no...
sometimes
... you’re not the first girl I’ve met
like this.” She explained.

I looked at
Sally who looked like she was becoming a smiling plastic mannequin.
 
Her cheeks must’ve hurt.

“Okay.” I
murmured.

Peta
arranged a time to meet up at her ‘offices’ before leaving our table and
returning to her ‘friend’ just as our lunch arrived.

Sally was
quite literally beside herself.

“Oh...
My...
God!”
Sally squealed at
me.
 
“You’re on fire girl!
 
Wait till I tell everyone.”

I could
already think of two people I wanted to tell... so, I texted them both.

Me:

Just
approached by modeling scout... Have appt 2moro for test shots.

Today,
12:13PM

Blake:

Well
ur
beautiful... totally expected!
Ring me x

Today,
12:14PM

Julie:

Holy
shit!!! Ring me!

Today,
12:15PM

Me:

Will ring 1
of u @ 1pm...
who
?

Today,
12:16PM

Blake:

Jewels...
will stand next 2 her.
 
Ring me 2nite x

Today,
12:17PM

Julie:

ME! Totally
me!

Today,
12:17PM

*

Sally
talked right through lunch... I think I got a nod in here and there, but she
was able to mumble right through every mouthful.

At 1
o’clock, I rang Julie.
 
We had just
arrived at Jersey Gardens, despite leaving behind the possibilities of some
killer shopping across the river in Manhattan; due to my impending appointment
that afternoon.

“Julie...”
I began.
 
Julie squealed... ugh!

“Tell me,
tell me,
tell
me!” she demanded.

“We were
eating in a little cafe called
Les
Patrie
Bistro
... and this woman comes up and introduces
herself as Peta... and then she asks me if I’ve ever considered modeling.”
 
I said, getting out of Sally’s car.

“Oh...
My...
God!
A scout!!!”
Julie
enthused.

“Is Blake
there?” I asked.

“Yeah, he’s
sitting on the couch next to me.” She confirmed.
 
Then she talked to him...
‘
she
was scouted at
lunch.’

‘Who by?’
I heard Blake

“Who by...
I mean what agency?” Julie asked.

“
IMG
?”
I quizzed... I didn’t know that
stuff.

“
IMG
!!!
Oh shit... shit, shit, shit, shit!”
she was screaming.

I’d pulled
the phone away from my ear, before she’d burst my eardrum.

Returning it when I couldn’t hear her screaming anymore, I continued,
“Is that good?”
I asked.

“Yes!!!”
Julie gushed.
 
‘Blake, bring them up on the screen... yes, that’s them... Yes!’

“Ahhh... more information?”
I asked

“They’re
big!” Sally supplied from behind me.
“As in mega big!
 
They have some mega big names on their
books.”

“
Heidi
Klum
and
Gisele
Bundchen
kinda good.”
Julie explained.

“Oh... I
highly doubt I would ever meet them or anything.” I dismissed.

“But, what
if you did?” Julie asked.

“I’d say
hi!” I reasoned.

Julie
giggled.

Another ten
minutes of that, and I was over it all already.
 
I’m sure Blake must’ve been too, because I couldn’t hear him in the
background.

Sally had
moved on too, she was riffling through some pretty summer frocks.

“Um,
Jewels, I’m gonna have to go in a minute... I have to get ready for a doctor’s
appointment this afternoon.” I explained.

“A doctor’s appointment?”
Julie asked.

“A gynecologist.”
I replied in a dismissive tone.

“Why?
 
Is everything alright?” She asked.

“Sally
thought I should go on the pill!”
 
I
said, at the same time it became apparent that the phone had switched hands.

“You’re
going on the pill?” Blake asked... I could hear Julie cursing him in the
background.

“Um...” I
felt stupidly speechless.

“Summer?”
Blake asked.

“Yeah...
?!
” I replied.
 
I
could hear his grin through the phone.

“I’ll talk
to you tonight...” he managed before the phone was obviously wrestled off him.

‘You’re such an asshole Blake.
 
She’s talking to me at the moment.’
Julie said away from the
phone.
 
I heard Blake chuckle.

“You’re
going on the pill?” she said into the phone.

“Sally
thought if... um... if I was...” I struggled.

“He’s
gone.” Julie said.
 
“You two really do
need to sort out something, because for all intents and purposes, you’re
already going out with each other.”

“Yeah,
well... um... we’ve been friends for so long, that it seems a bit weird.” I
said, while eyeing off some skate shoes in a window display.

“That’s
crap!
You two?
When we dropped you off at your
sister’s you two couldn’t keep your eyes or hands off each other.” Julie
laughed.

I giggled
stupidly for a moment.

“You
know... he was completely silent for the entire return trip.
 
He just sat there looking out the window,
seated in the backseat.” She explained.

“Blake is
silent a lot.” I reasoned.

“His brain
obviously wasn’t... I could hear the wheels of industry moving in there.” Julie
laughed.

“Yeah,
well... we’ve certainly got a lot to talk about.
 
We’re moving in together next month.” I said.

“Well, I
don’t see any problem.
 
You two are so
good for each other.
 
Even
if he is my brother... and a jerk.”
She replied.

*

Dr Penny
Drake was really nice.
 
She was a middle
aged woman with kind eyes and a warm smile.
 
She instantly put me at ease.

She
insisted I had a pap smear, which was uncomfortable... and quite a bit
yucky!
 
Her nurse drew some blood for a
full screening as well.
 
Then we talked
about all the methods of birth control, including injections, condoms and the
pill.
 
She agreed with Sally that if I
was entering a relationship with a guy I’d been best friends with since
Elementary School, and moving in with him, then the pill was a good option.

After our
chat, she gave me a script for a combination pill, with repeats.

Since my
period was due this week, she suggested I wait for the first day of my period
and start that section of the month in correlation to the day, and that I
should be perfectly covered from then on.

She
provided me with written information and stressed the importance of taking it
the same time everyday... preferably in the morning when I woke, since that
would establish greater regularity.

I felt
pretty happy with it all really... although I’d never had unprotected sex...
some of those novels I’d been reading talked about
sex au natural
being so much sexier and better... I was interested
in giving it a go!

*

Blake
didn’t wait for me to call him.
 
He texted me at 8:00pm to ascertain whether I was available to
talk, before calling me.

“I didn’t
want to wait for you to call
me,
I couldn’t wait to
talk to you.” He said.

I smiled,
“That’s nice... I’m glad you want to talk to me.”

“Busy day!”
he understated.

“Indeed!” I
chuckled.

“So what happened
at the doctors?” he asked.

“Ummm...
I...” I stalled.

“
Summer
?” he asked, but I was silent... trying to think of
what to tell him.
 

Blake
sighed... “Summer... what’s happening between us?”

I knew what
I wanted to happen between us... what I planned to happen between us.
 

I didn’t
feel like that monster anymore... and all that reading was getting me pretty
horny.
 
I just found it hard to talk
about it with him.

“I feel
weird about talking about us like that.” I said softly.

“Why?”
Blake asked.
 
“We talk about all sorts of
things all the time.” He reasoned.

“I know.” I
sighed.

“Do you
love me?” Blake asked bluntly.

“You know I
do.” I confirmed.
 
I did... more than
ever!

“I love you
too!” Blake informed me.
 
“But I need to
know where you want to take this... take us!”

I sighed
again... I could do this.

“I-want-more-than-friends.”
I said super fast as if it was all one word.

Blake
chuckled slightly.

“Did I just
hear you say that you want more than friends?
 
Because I’m not sure if that’s what you said, since you said it
amazingly fast.” Blake questioned.

“Blake!” I
scolded... I didn’t want to say it again.

“Summer...
I want you to be more than friends too.
 
Will you be my girlfriend?”
 
Blake
asked.

I
laughed... it was just so corny... I couldn’t help it.

“Shot
down!” he said, hurt permeating down the phone.

“No... I
mean yes!
 
I want to be your girlfriend.”
I gathered myself.
 
“I just couldn’t help
myself; it’s such a corny question... of course I do.” I explained.

“You know
how to wound a guy.” Blake said with fake hurt, when actually I could hear a
smile through it all.
 
“Ummm... I
probably won’t tell anyone here except Jewels though.
 
I like my teeth where they are.”
 
He reasoned.

“Jordan and
I broke up months ago.” I said.

“Tell him
that.” Blake grumbled.

“Hmmm...” I
groaned.

“So... the
doctor
Summer
... now that we’re a couple, you can tell
me!” Blake said cheerfully.

I
chuckled... “I’m on the pill.” I said... embarrassed.

“Okay... so
does that mean no condoms?” he asked.

He just
narrowed in on that... just like that!
 
No hesitation!