That Summer (Completed)

Chapter 13: Savannah's POV

Lauren's mom's POV. Something a little different. Enjoy!

"You were red.

You liked me because I was blue.

You touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky.

And you decided purple just wasn't for you."

******

The thing about love is that it's easy to dilute it with life. A love story is never just a love story. It may start off that way, but as time goes by, it becomes a foundation for many other stories. That's why you always hear about those people who become damaged when they go though a nasty breakup or a divorce. Once the foundation crumbles, everything is left in shambles.

My parents had an amazing marriage. They were together since my mother was eighteen. Just two years ago, my father passed away. It definitely hurt my mother but it didn't break her. He was still with her, just not physically. He stayed in her heart, in her memories.

I grew up believing that one day I'd fall in love and get married and grow old with my best friend. The thing is, a marriage like my parents' didn't exist for everyone. It was a rare gem. I didn't know this when I fell in love with Steven. He was everything I wanted, yet didn't check any of the things on my list. He was loud and social, while I was quiet and plain. He was like a theme park, I remember telling him. He radiated energy and happiness.

Everything about him enticed me. The way he moved, the way he laughed, the way his smile lit up his entire face. It was just him, it's hard to explain.

We met in college. I still remember sitting there in my biology lab on the first day.

Everyone took their seats, and I didn't know anyone that well, so I sat alone. The professor started talking and introducing the course. Ten minutes into the class, he rushed in. There were a few empty seats but he came right up to the desk beside me, not even looking, and just sat down. The TA asked him why he was late but I either didn't hear his answer or I wasn't paying attention because I was too busy staring at his profile.

He was beautiful. I don't think you're supposed to use that word to describe a boy but it was what came to my mind. He was tall and lean, I noticed as he leaned forward on the desk. He had golden brown hair and green eyes. His eyelashes were long, impossibly so. He seemed perfect.

Love at first sight. That was precisely what it was. He wasn't anything I was prepared for.

I remember during that class, we were asked to introduce ourselves and tell our partner two things: something memorable we've done and something we'd like to do. It was an icebreaker, our professor said.

Steven turned and gave me a dazzling smile. I smiled back tentatively, I wasn't used to the overwhelming emotions thrashing inside of me. We introduced ourselves, his eyes studying me. I felt self conscience when he looked into my eyes. It felt like he was seeing into my soul, the deepest part of me.

"You first," I told him. I wasn't sure what to tell him yet.

"Hmm," he said, thinking. "Well, this one time when I was nine, my mum wouldn't let me go to the local baseball game because our car had broken down. So, like the genius I was, I walked thirty minutes down the road where I had my horseback riding lessons, picked the lock, got my horse, and brought her back with me to the house. People were looking at me like I was insane; I was walking a horse on the streets. So I got home and my mother nearly had a heart attack. I told her she could take me to the game on the horse. That's how the pioneers did it right? And that was the day I found out that she was terrified of horses."

He smiled fondly. He had a distant look in his eyes, like he was remembering good times. I had an urge to grab his face and kiss him right there in the middle of class.

"Now you," he said, snapping me out of my daze.

"I tricked my friend, Allison, into thinking there was a shark in this little lake we were swimming in. It was pretty funny, she couldn't get out of there fast enough. She still hates me for it," I told him. It sounded lame, compared to his story but I felt warm and fuzzy inside when he laughed.

"What's something you want to do," I said, trying to veer the conversation back to him.

He was looking at me intently and I felt my face heat up. No guy had ever made me feel this way.

"I'd like to take you out," he said, looking directly at me. I was shocked, did I hear that right? He wanted to take me, sensible Savannah, on a date. I couldn't speak for a while, I felt my insides get all jumbled up. No one had ever asked me out so directly like that.

"What about you?" he asked. When did our faces get so close? I could see a little scar on his chin and I had an urge to reach out and touch it.

I didn't know anything about him except his name and that he had a mother who was scared of horses. So why did it feel like I knew him? He felt familiar and safe. It was insane of me to say yes but I couldn't say no. The words came tumbling out of my mouth before I could stop to even think about them.

"I'd like to go out with you," I had whispered to him.

That was it, the beginning. He brought me to life. He made me feel beautiful, not just me, but everything around me too. The world seemed brighter somehow, everything a little more vivid.

The next few weeks I found ways to see him everyday, on and off of campus. We would tell each other stories, kiss or just walk around lazily holding hands. It was always easy with him. We didn't have to be doing anything, he just had to be beside me.

When we kissed, it was like everything just faded away and he made me feel insane and breathless and dizzy. I couldn't get enough of him.

He took his time getting to know me. My fears, hopes, dreams...everything. My mother immediately noticed a change in me. I was happier, more excited about everything. He came over to meet my parents and it went great.

After he left, my mother came into my bedroom. She told me she was worried for me. She said she saw the way I looked at him, I was completely taken. I was in love. She said that we were too young for all of this and if he left me, it would break me. I told her not to worry. We were only dating after all.