Valerie Hudson
The day you meet Summer Skyes, tension flares in the Persian Gulf war and the Amazon forest ignites in flames. Closer to home, your mother has just finished her doctorate degree at Yale and moved you and your older brother, James, to the middle of nowhere for a lucrative job offer. You don't know where home is, but watching as a redhead jumps off the jetty and into the sea, her crimson hair flailing in the wind, you wonder why her laugh almost feels like home. She is one of James' older friends and you watch from the jetty as your brother leaps in after her.
"Holy shit, that was such a bad idea," James says, "The water's freezing!"
"No such thing as a bad idea," she says before splashing him with water.
"Stop it!" he says laughing. "I'll die of pneumonia."
"Don't be such a Negative Nancy."
"Suit yourself, I'm going to get a towel," he says, swimming to shore.
"Fine, I'll ask your sister. She seems like the fun sibling," she yells after him.
He flips her the bird and she laughs still wading in the water, before looking at you. "Hey, jump in!"
Your breath hitches in your throat when her eyes catch yours. "You're talking to me?"
"Yeah, I don't see anyone else. You're Valerie, right?"
"Yeah, I'm James' sister."
"Nice to meet you. Now get in the water, Valerie," she says.
"No, I'm good."
"Come on, it'll be fun!" She waves at you. "You're already wearing a swimsuit. Might as well get in the water."
"Shit," you mutter under your breath. You can feel her watching you as you put your hair up in a ponytail. "I can't believe I'm doing this." Feeling your heart pump in your rib cage against the pleasant breeze dancing on your bare skin, you start running towards the end of the jetty before jumping into the water. The wooden panels are hot against your skin, but the water, not so much. You squeal. "Holy shit, James was right. The water's fucking freezing!"
She laughs, throwing her head back. "I knew you were the fun one under that gloomy facade."
"Thanks." You try not to grin as you roll your eyes at her, and you realise how the light bounces from the water against her hazel irises.
"Nice to meet you, Valerie. And I mean really meet you. I'm Summer." She holds out her hand for you to shake.
"Nice to meet you too." You smile, shaking her hand.
YOU ARE READING
Summer Skyes
عاطفية"What flowers should I get you?" "White lilies," she says, "Because you, my darling, will be the death of me." -- Valerie Hudson navigates senior year with both eyes closed. After moving cross-country with her mother and brother, she finds herself j...
