Summer's Ember

Chappie One

🔥🔥🔥Chapter One🔥🔥🔥

"Hey, munchkin. What are you doing out here?" George asks when he comes out of his and Roberto's tent around noon.

"Nothing." I answer, my voice quiet but strong like it always is. Is it always this husky though?

"Oh. Do you want-," he breaks off when he sees the two steaming plates of eggs and bacon, "Thanks sweetie. Go wake up your dad, please."

I get up, brushing ash off my jeans. The flap to the tent is already open so I push it aside and lightly kick Roberto on his ribs.

"Rob, get up." I say, louder than I usually do.

"Em, don't call me that." He whines, rolling over.

"Are you wearing clothes?" It's disturbing how many times I've taken his covers off and he's been in his birthday suit.

He grumbles a yes and pulls his sleeping bag closer.

I leave him and go back to the table George is sitting at.

"George, can I have a hand?"

He follows me back to the tent and together we drag Roberto out of the tent.

"Mmm! It's cold!" He whines like a five year old, unlike the twenty-nine year old he is.

"Babe, get up. Ember made breakfast already." George says from the table, where he went back to.

"Bacon?" Roberto's black haired head pops out of his sleeping bag.

George chuckles and I smile.

"Da." I pull on his sleeping bag and he crawls out and sits at the table.

I carry his sleeping bag back to his tent and grab a shirt for him.

Sometimes, I could swear that I'm the parent.

"Thanks." Roberto mutters around a full mouth.

I sit next to him and tap his head, "Don't talk with your mouth full. It's nasty."

He opens his mouth full of chewed eggs and bacon.

Me and George scrunch up our noses and look away.

"Hey Ember!" Summer waves from his camp, motioning me to come over.

I stand and go to walk over him but Roberto stops me.

"Who is that?" George demands.

"Samuel March, A.K.A. Summer." I say.

Roberto turns and looks at Summer, assessing him.

"We trust you." He says simply and continues eating.

I kiss them both on the cheek, receiving grunts, and jog over to Summer.

"Are those your brothers?" He asks, looking over my shoulder. George is probably watching us.

"Those are my dads." I hug myself, half expecting him to walk away.

"Oh." He stops for a moment. "They're gay?"

I snort, "No, two straight men married each other and adopted a daughter."

Summer smiles sheepishly, "Sorry."

"It's whatever."

"Um, well, I was wondering..." He trails off, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah?" I rock back and forth on the balls of my feet.

"D-do you want to come swimming with me and my family? Your dads can come too. If you want. You don't have to." He rushes out, sounding adorably awkward.

"Of course we'll go," I grin, "Are you leaving now?"

"Yeah, the lake is half an hour away."

"Ok, well, just give us a couple minutes to get changed, 'kay?"

"Yeah." He was smiling and sounded breathless.

We stood awkwardly for a few minutes before I said, "I'll be going now."

I take a few steps backward and he does too.

"Um, ok. Bye for now." I say, half turning.

Summer hums, his hands in the pockets of his shorts.

"Bye." I turn and walk quickly away, glancing shyly over my shoulder. Summer is still watching me with a delighted expression.

"What'd he want?" George asks as soon as I reach the table, where they are finishing breakfast.

"Hurry up, we're going swimming." I bounce in place then jog to my tent to change.