Chapter 3

I always liked that weird transition period between fall and winter. It's cold enough for jackets and hot drinks, but it's not face-freezing-off cold. The chilly weather also provided ample opportunities to get close to Summer.

"W-We should probably get to searching, huh?" she said, trying her best to look like she wasn't freezing her butt off.

"Summer... are you cold?"

"What? N-No.. of course not!"

"Summerrr...."

"Don't give me that face!"

She looked away, pouting. It was so adorable. I stepped closer and tentatively started rubbing her bare arms.

"Gosh, your arms are so cold! Here, take my jacket..." I said, and immediately started taking my jacket off.

"No, Tabby. You need it! I'll be fine."

I ignored her pleas and draped my jacket over her shoulders.

"If you feel that bad, then we can take turns. Alright?" I looked up at her and smiled. The close proximity lit a fire inside of me. Who needs a jacket when you're in love?

Summer sighed and then gave me an exasperated smile. I could've stayed in that moment forever and I'd be happy. Unfortunately the longer I stood there the more the cold would seep into me. So I reluctantly pulled away.

Except I couldn't get away. Suddenly I felt Summer's arms wrap around me, pulling me into a warm hug. I think I let out a stupid sounding yelp of surprise, which just made her chuckle. She probably only held me for a few seconds. It felt like a lifetime. I don't think there's a greater feeling in this entire world than the feel of Summer's body against mine.

She eventually let go and my cheeks had to be red as hell. I giggled nervously and ran a hand through my hair.

"What was that for?" I asked, my voice sounding weird and quiet.

"I dunno. Does there have to be a reason?"

"Um... I-I guess not..." I smiled shyly up at her.

"Hey wait a minute. Tabby, where's your trumpet?"

"My... trumpet?" Why was she asking about that at a time like this?

"Yeah! Didn't you have it today?"

"Oh. Oh!" I smacked my forehead. "Shoot! I must've left it in the band room! Crap!"

"Maybe your journal is in your case?"

"My journal...?" I thought for a moment. I do often store my journal in my trumpet case when I don't have my bag. How could I forget something so simple? I hung my head in defeat. "Oh jeez... is that where it is? We came out here for nothing!"

"Well, guess you can just get it tomorrow then."

I shook my head vehemently. "No! I need it!" I couldn't leave it at school now! Not after that lovely hug we shared. I had to document this day!

"You can't go one day without it? What's in there anyways? You never let me see it."

"N-nothing! Don't worry about it." I began pushing her. "You just go home. I'll run back and get it. It's fine."

"Woah! Slow down, Tabby!" She suddenly whipped around and grabbed my wrists. I froze completely still, eyes going wide. Summer... was... holding my hands! Well, almost... Focus, Tabitha. Summer is talking to you. "If I go home now, then you'd have to walk home without a jacket you dummy. I'll just go with you. I gotta get my jacket from my locker anyways."

"Y-Yeah... I guess that makes sense..." I fumbled over my words. She had a point. I could already feel that I was starting to freeze. I'd probably be the one getting sick at this rate.

"Come on. If we hurry we can still make it back before Jerry's closes!" Summer said with a grin. She let go of me and started running.

"Wh-what? Why would that matter? Hey! Wait for me, stupid!" I exclaimed, reluctantly running after her.

"So we can get ice cream, obviously!"

She was seriously thinking about ice cream at a time like this? It was freezing outside! Honestly, this girl...

"Summer! Slow down!"

To my surprise, she actually listened and slowed her pace so I could catch up. As soon as I was in arms length she reached out and grabbed my hand. She. Grabbed. My. Hand. Holy shit...

Unfortunately, this was Summer we were talking about. She started running again and was practically dragging me along. It actually hurt. It felt like this idiot was going to yank my arm off.

But she was holding my hand.

I felt simultaneously giddy and annoyed. Only Summer could manage to turn something so wondrous into a feat of endurance. I would endure it anyways. She could yank my arm clean off for all I cared. I'd never let go of her hand. That being said, she was going to get an earful from me when we finally got to the school.

This reminded me of something that happened when we were about thirteen.

~It was Page 145~

"Summer I don't know about this..."

There was an old abandoned movie theater in our town. The kids at school always spread rumors that the place was haunted. Supposedly if you went there at midnight you could see a pale figure at the far end of one of the rooms. It sounded ridiculous. I highly doubted any of them ever even set foot near the place after dark.

One night, Summer had the brilliant idea to sneak in and see if the rumors were true. She roped me into going with her. Since it was Summer asking I had no choice but to go. I'd take any excuse to spend time alone with her.

So that's how I found myself staring at my beloved Summer from the other side of a dirty window. She had just crawled through it and was waiting for me to do the same. In the dead of night. Armed with just flashlights and dreams.

"Don't be such a baby, Tabby."

"I-I'm not a baby!"

"Well then get down here!"

I sighed and began crawling through the window. "You better not look up my skirt!"

"I wasn't going to... but now that you mention it..."

"Summer!"

I dropped down to find a giggling little deviant. I immediately swatted her arm. My cheeks were burning, but I had to admit I sort of hoped she actually did look. Did she think I was pretty?

"Ow! I didn't look!" she pouted and rubbed her arm. "Alright. Let's find us a ghost!"

She turned on her flashlight. Right in our faces, blinding both of us. I shrieked and pushed it away.

"Summer! Don't point that in our eyes, you idiot! Now I can't see!"

"Ack! Sorry!"

We both just stood there in the darkness as we waited for our vision to clear. Eventually I could see again and slowly turned my own flashlight on. Pointed away from our faces, because I'm not stupid.

It looked as though we were in some kind of storage room. There wasn't much in here. Just a few empty shelves. I don't know why I expected there to be a bunch of stuff in here. Obviously the owners would've taken everything out before it was abandoned.

"Summer... it's really dark..."

"Are you scared?"

"N-No..." I replied with a shaky voice that made it clear I was lying. She sighed and held out her hand. I stared at it in confusion. "Huh...?"

"You can hold my hand if you're scared." she said with a soft smile.

"I... I can?" My eyes went wide as I looked up at her. "O-Okay... yeah I'm scared!" I said a little too enthusiastically, reaching out to take her hand. I may have grabbed it a little too tightly.

"Ah! Not so hard! Here. Like this..." she adjusted our hands so our fingers interlocked. I suddenly felt like I was floating in a sea of clouds. Summer was actually holding my hand! I no longer cared about the dark... creepy... potentially haunted movie theater...

Oh who am I kidding? I was still terrified.