Poppy's POV
I bought a cotton candy for Summer and we sat on the bench right in front of the ferris wheel. The dull ache in my heart never really left, constantly reminding me of time gone by too fast, lives lost too soon. But sitting there, right where I shared my fondest memories with Chase felt okay. Though the thought seems irrational, I liked to believe that he was up there, watching down on us, happy that somehow, life was moving on for us. I liked watching the people on the ferris wheel, making memories of their own. I smiled remembering the conversation I had with Chase right before we had our first kiss.
"You annoy the hell out of me, Poppy," he told me. Right after we had arrived at the fair, Katie and some of her friends had joined us and Chase was angry because it meant that they'd all be walking me home afterwards. Though why he was irritated because of that, I couldn't fathom at the time, being the emotionally impaired that I was.
"Get the heck away from me then."
"I'm stuck 30 feet up in the air with you, it's not exactly like I have a choice."
"Oh, but you do, Chase. You could always jump," I said sarcastically.
He didn't reply, and turned away from me. Full of silly arguments, those days were.
"Chase! Look over there! Someone's let go of so many balloons!" I said excitedly, forgetting we weren't talking to each other. Balloons of all colours flew right above us and I nudged Chase who was still pretending I wasn't there.
"Chase..." I whined, "I can't believe you're being so childish. I honestly don't understand what you're angry about. We would have had to walk home anyway?"
He ignored me, and I crossed my arms and turned away from him. "Leaving in a couple of days, won't see him again for a year and this is how you get treated. Good days don't last long, Poppy Jane, when will that get in your head?" I mused to myself.
Usually Chase found it hilarious when I talked to myself but this time his head snapped up and he looked at me fiercely right in the eyes.
"Exactly, Poppy Jane. You're leaving in a couple of days and I won't see you again until next year. I had everything planned out. I wanted to walk with you home, buy you ice cream, then drop you off on your porch after kissing you for the first time. I love you, Poppy, I've loved you from the moment you refused to let me help you out of the water the first time we met. We have many summers ahead of us for me to tell you why I love you, and you can blame my raging hormones, but right now all I can think about is kissing you." It seemed like he said it all in one breath and when he finished, his face was flushed, his eyes wild but hopeful, no trace of anger left in them.
"Kiss me." I said simply, grinning.
"What?"
"I said kiss me now, Chase O'Conell. I love you. I love you like I've never loved anyone before. I've loved you from the moment that you laughed at me the first time we met. It was the way the sun glinted off your hair, the crinkles by your eyes as you threw your head back laughing, the sound of your laugh, th-" I was shut up by warm lips crashing onto mine. He pulled back slightly, saying against my lips, "we have many summers ahead of us, Poppy Jane, to list out all the whys."
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I was snapped out of my reverie by my phone ringing. As promised, Jack called me as soon as he arrived.
"Hey there, ladies," he said as he joined Summer and I.
"Hiya 'cle Jack," Summer said, squealing as Jack scooped her up in his arms and plopped down on the bench beside me.
