The Trouble With Two Seasons

Chapter 33 : Knots

"Summer! Come down already!"  Mrs Wells called her daughter who was dressing up upstairs.

Summer had emerged in some denim shorts and a cropped tee. Her Mum had sent her back upstairs to change.

"It's a dinner date Summer,you must at least try to look the part.You're not eleven anymore." She had chastened her daughter.

Summer grudgingly slid in the last diamond stud,then dabbed her lips with cherry flavored lipgloss.

The simple black dress she wore hugged her bust and flared to her knees. It had a low cut at the back,the front exposing more of her chest.

Her hair bounced behind her in a ponytail as she clambered downstairs.

"I'm coming Mum!" Summer yelled back.

"It takes time to achieve the look you want me to wear." She added under her breath.

Mrs Wells watched her daughter descend the stairs,her eyes swelling with pride.

"You look beautiful." Her Mum smiled, tucking a loose strand of Summer's hair in place.

Summer flashed her a smile,her Dad urged them to get going.

"Don't let it get into your head. I know girls who would have pulled that dress off better." Taylor smirked from his position and leaned against the doorframe.

Summer stuck her tongue out at him.

"Suit yourself." He smirked at her.

Summer flipped him the bird, walking out past him.

Taylor laughed, lolling his head to the side. It was fun getting on his sister's nerves.

Twenty and a half minutes later, the Wells pulled over at the Miller residence.

Mrs. Miller welcomed them warmly, hugging Summer and marvelling at how pretty she was after every dinner date.

After pleasantries were exchanged, the food was served and conversation around the table was smooth.

The friction between Grayer and Summer was somewhat obvious, if you paid attention but the adults were too engrossed in conversation to pay heed to that.

They were flitting from politics to commerce,topics Summer wasn't exactly enthused about.

She spoke a little,and it was Mrs Millers occasionally roping her into their conversation that she flashed a smile. It was nice she was trying her best to make her not feel excluded.

Kennedy was engrossed in scrolling through tiktok and Grayer talked along with them.

Summer picked through her meal, usually she would have been kicking Grayer from under the table. Reminding him not to blurt out any mischievous things she had been up to. Or she would be stealing food from his plate and earning a rough glare.

There was no fun time this time.

Grayer was staring at her with this startling intensity,like his blue orbs were saying more than they let on.

The way Grayer looked at her,it was almost as if...

Summer rose up, excusing herself by carting some trays into the kitchen.

It was like everyone could hear her thoughts out loud,her mind wasn't exactly in the right place.

Mrs Miller  softly smiled at Grayer, urging him to go help Summer out.

For some reason, she understood her son more than anyone else. Grayer always knew what he wanted. He probably just needed time and space to get his message to Summer laid out.