Page 62 of Five Summers

“Why do you always depict me as the bad guy or someone who is so insufferable to live with.”

“Well, sometimes you are,” I reply, causing her to cross her arms over her chest.

“Poppy, you’re young and clueless, and you have no clue about the realities of living in this world. The responsibilities of being a grown-up. How essential money is to function in today’ssociety. Nothing comes for free. You need a regular nine-to-five job.”

“But I plan to have a nine-to-five job in music therapy. Once I establish my own business, I’ll have the freedom to work whenever I choose.”

“You just don’t get it, do you?” she says, frustration evident in the sharpness of her voice with the creases forming on her forehead.

“Get what?” I inquire, trying to read her eyes for any sign of understanding.

“Your dream is just a fantasy,” she asserts.

It’s so annoying when she brushes my dreams off like that. As if they are nothing.

“And I’ve already told you, your opinion doesn’t matter to me,” I declare, standing up from the table, picking up the empty burger box, and tossing it into the bin. “Why can’t you just accept what I want?”

“Because I will always be the one bailing you out when the bills come in, Poppy,” she responds. “And I’m not willing to do that for the rest of your life. You're almost an adult, so start acting like one.”

“Oh, don’t you worry about that? I will be an adult, and I will have the freedom to choose what I want for my life.” I grab my bag from the floor and head towards my room.

“This is not the end of it, Poppy,” my mother yells as I walk away.

“Oh, yes, it is,” I mutter quietly as I stride into my room, forcefully slamming the door behind me. Frustration lingers in the air as I toss my bag onto the bed and head over to my keyboard. I feel like getting lost in music and also pissing off my mom, so I turn on the keyboard.

Regaining my composure, I channel all my anger into my music, repeatedly going through the song my dad and I were writing.

Glancing at the clock, I realize it’s already seven-thirty. Picking up my phone from the bed, next to my bag where I left it earlier, I notice two missed messages from Xander.

Xander: Are you almost here?

Xander: What the fuck are you doing?

I text him straight away.

Poppy: Sorry, be there in a minute. Got held up.

In a hurry, I sprint out of my bedroom, making a beeline for the front door.

Chapter twenty

Xander

Since I fucked Poppy last week, I had hoped that having her would finally suppress the constant desire that I feel for her whenever she’s around. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the outcome. She remains deeply ingrained in my thoughts, unchanged. I’m so pissed at myself for ditching her the way I did that day. She deserves someone much better than me. But that’s my pattern. Whenever things become too difficult I just walk away.

I honestly thought that distancing myself would help me avoid the uncomfortable feelings that have been arising. However, the absence of not being near, not talking to her is making it incredibly difficult to stay away.

Every evening, as I pass by her house on my way to the 7-Eleven, an intense urge would spring up inside me, compelling me to knock on her door and apologize for leaving. It’s not in my nature to apologize easily, so this uncharted territory left me feeling unsure of how to navigate it. Consequently, I would simply continue walking, not wanting to become the kind of person who seeks attention from girls or easily succumbs to their influence. However, these unexpected emotions have completely consumed me, and it’s unusual for me to give much thought to such matters.

Like earlier today, my focus was protecting Poppy from the heartless insults that Jade was throwing at her. I don’t get into petty shit like that. But I did because it was Poppy. That’s why I threatened to release that video Ace has on his phone. Of course, it’s just an empty threat. Despite being the asshole I am, I would never embarrass a chick like that. I only said it because of what she said to Poppy.

Sitting on this massive rock, I gaze towards the distant ridge, eagerly anticipating a glimpse of Poppy coming down the path. Since seven o’clock tonight, I’ve repeatedly glanced in that direction, more times than I’d like to admit. Taking a deep breath, I turn my head, scouring the surroundings once again for any signs of activity.

Seeing her approach, I quickly shift my attention back to the guitar she had gifted me, pretending that I hadn’t noticed her. I do this more for my own reasons, as I prefer to avoid her becoming one of those clingy girls. However, I must admit, Poppy Reeves doesn’t strike me as the clingy type either. She’s nothing like Jade or those other girls. Whenever I hooked up with Jade, she always believed there was something more between us. But with Poppy, she just doesn’t give off that kind of vibe. Since my mistake of walking away from her the other day, she hasn’t attempted to call me at all. So there’s that. Totallydifferent. She doesn’t smother me like other chicks do once we’ve hooked up.

Strumming my guitar, I continue working on the melody that has been constantly looping through my head. However, when I notice her standing there, I pause and glance up.

“That sounds good,” she says, climbing up the rock to sit beside me.

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