Four Summers by Nyrae Dawn Read Free Book Online

eyes.
    “You know why I’m running and why I’m embarrassed.” Because I like you. I like you and I know you don’t like me the same way. Because even if you did, you’d be leaving at the end of the summer and it wouldn’t matter.
    I want Nathaniel to let go of me. To walk away or laugh or something like that, but instead he just looks at me the way I looked at him. Not that I think he likes me, too, but I think maybe he sees something there no one else does. Or at least that he’s searching for it.
    His right hand still has my arm, as his left moves toward me. I can’t help but think, this is it! I’m going to get my first kiss and it’s going to be perfect because it’s with this summer boy who gets lost in the night with me.
    But instead he touches my hair. Lets it fall through his finger tips and I know it’s not silky and pretty like Sadie’s but it looks beautiful when my brown strands wrap around his fingers. You can see the highlights from the sun.
    “I’ve never met anyone like you,” he finally says.
    I don’t know what that means, so I say, “I’m just Charlie.” It’s a stupid thing to say.
    “Charlotte. You told me to call you Charlotte.”
    It's the perfect thing he can say. I’m not Charlie Rae, the girl who plays football with the boys or the one who has no future but to stay here and take over The Village. With him I’m Charlotte and that feels entirely different.
    “You going to let me help you clean the boats?” he asks. A nod is all I can manage.
    Nathaniel lets go of me and we walk over to the hose and buckets. Right before he gets started his voice stops me.
    “Charlotte?”
    I turn to look at him. “Yeah?”
    “I’m glad we came this summer. I’m glad we’re friends.”
    I chew my bottom lip, not sure how to reply. His words pump my heart up, because I want that. To be his friend, but then it gets so big it shatters, too, because I know that’s his way of telling me that’s all we’ll ever be.

I get halfway to my room when I hear Mom. “Charlie Rae! You’re tracking water all over the house!”
    “Crap,” I groan as I grab the kitchen towel off the counter. “I’ll clean it up.”
    I’m sopping up the water—which is ridiculous, I might add, since I’m still wet and just making more of a mess—when she walks in.
    “What were you doing out there?” She leans against the counter in her pretty summer dress.
    “Washin’ the boats.”
    “Your sister’s going out with those Chase boys tonight. She and the older one, Brandon, seem to be getting along well.” Mom smiles. She would love Sadie to end up with a boy like Brandon who would take her away from here. I know she wishes she had a man more like their dad rather than mine. That makes me sad, because he loves her so much. Because no matter what, he’s the best man I know. I’m sure she loves him too, but maybe not in love with him. I think her hatred of being here changed her feelings for him.
    “They’re leaving at the end of the summer,” I remind her.
    Mom sighs. “I know. They always leave us behind, don’t they?” She looks sad. Part of me wants to tell her they don’t have to leave us behind. We could go. All of us. For once I want her to know I want to leave, too. It’s one of the only things we have in common, but I can’t do it. It would feel like stabbing Dad in the back.
    I don’t think she would get it anyway. Not my wanting to leave. It’s something she shares with Sadie because their reasons are different from mine.
    “I’m going with them tonight, too,” I say.
    Mom smiles and I can tell she’s not trying to be mean when she says, “That’s nice of them to let you tag along.”
    It doesn’t stop the words from hurting though.
    I don’t want to be the one who’s tagging along.

    There’s a spot way off to the far right side of the drive-in movies where we like to hang out. Not many other people come here because the view isn’t the best. But I guess when most of us