Now That Summer Is Over (Mark Anastasio)

Chapter three: Forgive and Forget

The trip to the countryside where the Bowen's Summer Academy for Soccer was located, took the better part of a whole day. When I told my mother my decision, she smiled smugly, but was surprised when I told her I wanted to leave right away.

By the time Lela rushed out of the backyard, her eyes glistening, her parents and little brother had left. Their house was only a few blocks away, but despite our protests, my mother insisted that I walk Lela home.

We walked in uncomfortable silence for a while, until I just couldn't take it any longer. As we were turning the corner to her street, I made my decision.

"Lela, I know you don't want to hear from me-"

"You're right, I don't."

"Look, I'm sorry." I sighed, rubbing the back of my head. "I'm sorry that you had to go through this, but like I told you, I'm not the right person for you."

She glared at me, if looks could kill.

"But why? Why Jacob? You're smart, kind, understanding, hell you're hot too. Why the fuck are you not the right person for me?!"

In that moment I felt truly sorry for her. She had gone through a bad break up, and had come out even stronger. But I knew as she did, that she still wanted someone she could lean on, someone who would love her.

"Lela, you're a wonderful person. No, please... let me finish." She had started to object. "You are so much more that you think you are, and you need someone who will love you. I know that with me, you would find only disappointment and regret."

We had reached her house, a nice two story home with a tree shaded yard and a veranda surrounded by flowers. I stopped at the edge of her driveway,

and turned to face her. Lela's expression was unreadable. "I cannot be the person for you, but I hope you will find him soon. You do not have to forgive me." She as she walked past me and up her driveway, I heard her whisper.

"I do forgive you, and I will not forget you, Jacob."

In the morning I woke to my alarm around 05:00 and begrudgingly rolled out of bed to pack. I suppose I was lucky, going to a soccer camp meant that all I had to bring was clothes and shoes, so by around 05:45 I was packed and ready to go.

Grabbing some toast from the kitchen, I loaded my bags into the car, and my mother came out the door with a coffee in her hand, and her purse in the other.

Because of the distance, she insisted we take her car and that I not drive. Oh, and on the plus side, we had to bring Ethan. That's not really a plus side. Most of the day we sat on our phones, occasionally looking out the windows as mom pointed out various landmarks and animals. For a while Ethan and I engaged in a verbal war over what pet to get, provided our parents consented. I wanted a cat, but Ethan insisted a dog would be better. Mom's only input was that she wouldn't mind a few fish, to which we both threw up our hands.

When we finally arrived at BSAS, Ethan had been asleep for the last half hour. The Bowen's Summer Academy for Soccer consisted of an old school complex on the outskirts of a small town. There were five soccer fields, four grass and one turf, and a two story building that used to be part of an old boarding school. There were also six rectangular buildings that I supposed contained bedrooms where we would sleep. The one access road in was lined with beach trees, leading to a roundabout in the middle of the complex. Through the window I could see a couple dozen teen boys standing or sitting with their luggage, outside the main doors to the old school.

"Well honey, we're here." Mom said, glancing over at me. "I can help you unload your bags but we need to head back home."

"It's fine mom, I can manage." I opened the car door and went around to the trunk to start unloading my stuff. I had shown great restraint in packing and ended up with only a duffel bag and a backpack. I picked them up and dumped them on the curb before going back to the front seat to grab my phone and sunglasses.

"Goodbye, sweetheart." Mom hugged me and I gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Be safe and have fun."

"Goodbye, mom." I closed the door, and then opened the back door where Ethan was sleeping peacefully. I ruffled his hair. "Goodbye, Ethan." Then I closed the door and stepped back. Mom drove off, with a small wave.

Great. Now I'm stuck here for the rest of the summer.

Here, seemed a strange place to be. I glanced over at the gaggle of boys and their luggage, amassed in front of the main doors. Not an adult to be seen. With a sigh I hefted my bags and started over to the group. I picked a boy with short brown hair that seemed to be about my age, and set my bags down beside his. "Hey man, you know what's going on here?"

He turned to face me and shook his head. "Nah, I've been here for about thirty minutes now and no one's been in or out."

"Marvellous," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I'm Jacob, by the way." The boy gave a small smile and told me his name was Dillon.

"I can't figure out why there isn't anyone out here to meet us." He remarked, glancing over to the doors. "Like, there should at least be a sign or something."

"Yeah, this does seem kinda strange. Have you been here before?"

"Nope. I just heard about BSAS from-" His phone began to ring. "Hang on one sec." Dillon fished his phone from his pocket and wandered off.

I was just beginning to wonder if something might be wrong, when another car pulled up. The passenger side door opened and out stepped yet another boy. His golden blond hair seemed to glow in the dying light of the sun, casting a halo around his head. He wore jeans and a white t-shirt, the going of gold around his neck.

Umm, wow okay. He knows how to make an entrance.

I watched as he unloaded a few bags and carried them over towards me, before settling them down next to mine. When he looked up at me, his brown eyes were like pools of liquid hazelnuts.

"Hey," he said in a voice that could have woken me from the dead. "I'm Mark."