When Summer Ends

by Isabelle Rae

  “Good evening, Miss Henderson. You look beautiful tonight. My brother sure is a lucky guy to be able to dance with you all night,” he complimented.

  I smiled at his sweet words. Obviously he knew to be careful too. “Thank you, Mr Morris. Did you see the flowers that Sam bought for me? They’re beautiful, I was really grateful,” I replied, discreetly thanking him for my tulips.

  He nodded in acknowledgement, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “I saw them. Glad you liked them,” he confirmed, playing along.

  A heavy arm slung around my shoulder and I quickly looked to see it belonged to Sam. “Well, let’s not stand here all night talking to the teachers, Foxy. Let’s get some punch. I’m not sure if it’s been spiked or not already so I brought some vodka just in case,” he bragged, patting his pocket.

  I chuckled as Will groaned, shaking his head in disapproval. “Seriously? I’m chaperoning, Sam. I can’t let you do that, give me the bottle,” Will ordered, holding out his hand for it.

  Sam gasped and frowned. “What? No way!” he complained.

  Will shook his hand impatiently. “There are a few juniors here too. Come on, no alcohol,” he said sternly.

  Sam groaned and pulled out a bottle of vodka, slapping it into Will’s outstretched hand with a growl of frustration. His other arm tightened on me as he turned and pulled me away. I giggled at his hurt and annoyed expression on his face. Flicking my eyes back to Will I cast him a little wave. I hope I get to speak to him some more later.

  “Aww man, he sucks ass!” Sam whined. “He was totally wasted on his prom night but yet he won’t allow other people to have a nice time?” He sighed dramatically. “Well, if we can’t spike the punch then let’s dance, Foxy, and then we can check out the buffet,” Sam suggested, leading us over to the packed dance floor.

  The night passed quickly. Despite not being able to speak to Will at all during the night, I still had a nice time. Sam, as usual, was on top form and was entertaining everyone. I danced, I ate, I laughed and just generally enjoyed myself. Throughout the night my eyes kept seeking out my boyfriend. He was doing his job perfectly; wandering around the gym, making sure everything was in order, talking to people. A few times he caught my eye and in those few seconds, when our gazes would meet, it was like we were alone, like we were the only two in the room because I just didn’t see anyone else.

  At about ten thirty I looked around the crowded gym, trying to see his brown hair, but I couldn’t see him anywhere. I hadn’t seen him for ages now, not since I’d heard him tell Principal Sherman he was going to check the hallways and make sure everything was all in order. Where’s he gotten to? I silently wished this night were over with already so I could talk to him on the phone or something. I hated being so close to him and yet so far away. Sam pulled me tighter against his chest as we continued to dance to the slow song. The night was winding up now; the band had just announced that there were only two dances left. I sighed sadly. I still hadn’t gotten to speak to Will in private and thank him properly for the limo and the flowers. He’d gone to so much effort tonight and I hadn’t even been able to tell him how handsome he looked in his tux.

  I ground my teeth in frustration. I can’t wait for graduation. Everything will be fine once that’s over with. Once I was graduated I would be able to walk up to him and talk to him whenever I wanted without people being suspicious. I would be able to link my fingers through his as we walked down the street. I would be able to take him home to my parents and introduce him to them as the love of my life. I just couldn’t wait for those things. Just a couple more weeks to go.

  “Sam, where did Will go? I haven’t seen him for ages,” I whispered, scanning the room discreetly for him.

  He shrugged in response. “No idea. Want to get another drink?” he offered, nodding off to the side table where the refreshments were.

  I sighed and nodded in agreement, allowing him to lead me over there. I spotted Nick dancing with Jasmine; he had an enormous smile on his face as they spoke and laughed at the same time as twirling around the dance floor. I felt the grin slip onto my face that he looked so happy. He hadn’t wanted to come to prom at all, but judging by the look on his face now though, he was probably glad that he did. He looked like he was having a nice time and they actually made a really cute couple.

  When we got to the drinks table, I noticed that Sam kept glancing at his watch, and looking over his shoulder a lot. “What’s up, Sam-bo? You spiked it or something? Why so jumpy?” I asked, taking the cup he was offering to me.

  He sighed and shook his head. “I’m just waiting for something,” he answered, still glancing around.

  I laughed. He is so freaking weird sometimes! What you waiting for?” I inquired, taking a bite of a cheese sandwich and chewing distastefully because they’d gone slightly stale where they’d been left open all night.

  His cell phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket with a smile. He looked at the caller ID but didn’t answer it, just rejected the call and put it back in his pocket, still grinning. “I need the bathroom. Come on, you can show me where it is,” he stated, taking my cup back off of me and putting it on the table before I even got to take a sip.

  “Sam, what on earth? You know where the bathrooms are, you’ve already been!” I protested, laughing as he dragged me to the door and into the hallway.

  He nodded. “Yeah but those ones are always full. Show me the way to some other ones,” he suggested, nodding down the hallway.

  “Sam, what?” I moaned as he took my hand and started walking off, tugging gently.

  “Come on, Foxy, I’m desperate,” he whined, pouting at me. I rolled my eyes and followed him up the hallway, leading him to the next set of bathrooms on this side of the building. He smiled and cocked his head to the side. “Isn’t that Will’s classroom up there?” he asked, motioning up the hallway with his chin.

  I nodded in confirmation. “Yep.”

  He smiled. “Go wait in there for me while I just take a leak.”

  I frowned. “I’ll just wait here. You’re not gonna be long, are you?” I asked sarcastically.

  He made a disgusted face. “I can’t go if I know you’re waiting outside for me, it’ll put me off.”

  “You didn’t seem to have a problem with it when you peed when I was in the actual room with you earlier!” I scolded, shaking my head at the memory.

  He chuckled wickedly. “Hmm, you’re right, maybe you should come in with me again. I quite liked that in a kinky, peeing in front of your brother’s girlfriend kind of way,” he admitted, raising one eyebrow conspiratorially.

  I laughed and rolled my eyes. What a weird boy. “Never, ever again. I’m still mentally scarred from it. I’ll just wait in the gym for you. I’ll go find Amy and Ryan,” I suggested, turning to head back to the party.

  He gripped my hand and shook his head. “I don’t want to walk back in on my own, I might not be able to find you, and then we’ll miss the last dance. Can’t have a girl missing the last dance of her prom, can we?” he teased.

  “Fine then, I’ll wait here.”

  He sighed and shook his head adamantly. “Just go sit in Will’s classroom for me. If you stay here then you’ll get distracted with your ditsy little goldfish brain and end up wandering off somewhere.”

  “Goldfish brain?” I gasped, slapping his arm but laughing at the same time.

  He grinned cheekily. “Go!” he insisted, giving me an encouraging little push towards Will’s classroom. “I’ll be right out and then we can dance.”

  I sighed dramatically and stormed over there, not really having the energy to argue with him about it. All I wanted to do was go home now; I’d had enough of tonight. This should have been the most special night of my life, dancing with the man of my dreams; instead I get to spend the night with his brother and look for him all night. Not how I would have expected my prom night to turn out before this whole Will situation happened.

  I gripped the handle and pushed the
door open, only to see someone sitting on the desk in front of me. I let out a little scream before I realised it was Will. I felt the goofy smile stretch onto my face as he pushed himself up off of the desk and headed over to me, taking my hand and pulling me into the room. He closed the door and pushed me against it, kissing me fiercely. I moaned into his mouth at his taste, his smell was all around me making my insides tingle with happiness. He pulled out of the kiss and put his forehead to mine, a beautiful smile stretched across his face.

  “Hi,” he whispered.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck, tilting my head and kissing him again for a second. “Hi.” I closed my eyes and pulled him closer to me, loving the weight of his body as it pressed against mine and trapped me against the door. “What are you hiding in here for?” I murmured with my eyes still closed, just breathing him in and savouring the moment.

  He laughed quietly. “I couldn’t let the night go past without dancing with my girl. I was wondering if I could get your last dance,” he cooed, his nose tracing up the side of mine.

  My last dance? How would that work? “Huh?” was my brilliant response as I opened my eyes to look at him quizzically.

  He laughed and pulled back, taking my hand and stepping away from me. As he did that I realised that the light wasn’t turned on in the room. Instead, there were little candles littering the desks and spotted at various points around the room, casting little shadows all around. On the desk nearest me there was a single tulip and two cups of punch. I looked back at Will in awe. He is so freaking romantic sometimes. I really don’t deserve this guy to be so thoughtful all the time. He’d planned this so we could have the last dance? Is that why Sam was so jumpy and insisted that we head to these bathrooms instead? They had this planned from the start? My heart melted into a puddle, and I looked back at Will who was watching me intently.

  “You are just too sweet sometimes,” I breathed, stepping closer to him.

  He smiled. “And you are just so beautiful in this dress that I’m not even sure how I’m managing to speak coherently,” he mumbled, running his hands down my sides, his fingers tracing the lines of my dress. “I’ve never seen anything more angelic in my life, you’re incredible.” His breath blew across my face and neck making my skin prickle with sensations.

  “Damn it, Will, stop making me fall more in love with you!” I whined playfully.

  He grinned and did a little bow, holding out his hand. “Would the lady care to spend her last dance with me?” he asked, putting on a fake British accent.

  I grinned and curtsied in my dress. “I would be honoured,” I accepted, taking his hand. He grinned and pulled me to his chest, wrapping his arms around me tightly. The music from the gym was drifting down the hallway to his classroom; it wasn’t loud, but just loud enough for it to be perfect. I wrapped my arms tight around his neck, clamping my body to his as we swayed to the beat of the song. The candles flickered, casting romantic shadows across the walls and ceiling. In the candle light he looked so handsome, the way the hue caught his features made him look incredibly beautiful. And impossibly, I actually did find myself falling even more in love with him.

  When the song finished, he pulled back and kissed me. His lips claimed mine in a kiss that was so tender and soft that it was almost hypnotic. He pressed his forehead to mine again, his eyes locked onto mine making me feel weightless and like we were dancing on a cloud. “I love you so much, Cutie,” he mumbled, his lips brushing mine as he spoke. I just sighed dreamily in response, which made him laugh quietly. “Thank you for the dance,” he whispered.

  “No. Thank you,” I replied, looking at him in awe.

  He smiled and pulled back even more, letting his arms drop from my side as he shoved one hand into his pants pocket. “So, I couldn’t let a special occasion go by without marking it with something,” he mused, pulling his hand out and holding out a little velvet pouch, the same type of one that held the little ring charm that he gave me on my birthday. I gulped and made an excited little aww sound when I realised he’d bought me another charm from my bracelet.

  “You didn’t need to,” I whispered, taking the little bag from his hand and pulling on the string.

  “I know, but I wanted to. I want to get you a charm for everything significant in our lives, then maybe when we die you can pass it down to our kids, or if we’re really, really old then we’ll have great-great-grandchildren by then, and you can pass it to one of them, it’ll be an heirloom by then,” he teased.

  I laughed. “You plan on living a long time,” I joked, feeling my eyes fill with tears at the sweetness that was dripping out of his mouth like honey. He smiled and watched as I tipped a little gold tulip charm out of the bag onto the palm of my hand. It was beautiful and had little red petals. “Will,” I breathed, not quite knowing what to say. How does he manage to make me feel so special all the time? He just seems to know the perfect thing to buy, something so thoughtful that it makes my heart ache.

  “Here, I’ll put it on for you and then you’d better go and find Sam. The prom’s finished now and I need to help with the clearing up,” he suggested, stepping closer and taking it out of my hand. I smiled and held out my wrist to him. He clipped it onto my bracelet that I had yet to take off in the last two months, and then kissed the inside of my wrist on my pulse point. I sucked in a breath through my teeth when he did that, I loved that one little move, and I was pretty sure he knew that too because he always seemed to keep doing it to put me in the mood. The damn boy knows that drives me crazy.

  I closed my eyes and gripped the lapels of his jacket, pulling him closer to me, crushing my chest against his. “You know that makes me hot, that wasn’t fair when I’m not going to be seeing you all night,” I whispered, shaking my head in mock disapproval.

  He laughed and wrapped his arms around my waist. “Well maybe you’ll have to call me, and we can do something about it over the phone if you’re that hot,” he teased, flicking my nose.

  I giggled and blushed knowing what he meant. “Maybe I will,” I replied, raising one eyebrow at him suggestively.

  He gulped loudly. The smile fell off of his face; he obviously thought I would react differently to that little suggestion. “Really?” he asked, his voice shocked.

  I nodded and shrugged easily. I was up for anything he wanted to try, a little dirty talk should be all right, he wouldn’t be able to see my burning face from the other end of the phone anyway, and who knows, we might just enjoy it. “Sure,” I breathed, watching as his eyes widened. I smirked, knowing that I’d won; he was unquestionably more shocked than I was. “I’d better go. Thank you so much for making my night so special. I love you,” I promised, gripping my hand in the back of his hair and pulling his mouth down to mine again. He kissed me for a few minutes. The kiss was scorching hot, and my breathing was practically in pants with excitement. If we weren’t in school right now then I so would have been tearing his clothes off of him!

  A loud and insistent banging on the door had him jumping away from me like I had the plague. We both looked at the door with wide eyes wondering who it would be. “I don’t care if you’re in the middle of something nasty; if you don’t let Chloe get dressed and send her out here in ten seconds, then I’m coming to join in!” Sam shouted, laughing from the other side of the door.

  I burst into a fit of giggles as Will blew out a big breath and closed his eyes, running a hand through his hair. I kissed him lightly on the lips again. “Want me to help you put out the candles? We could wait for you and you could come get a pizza with us,” I offered, looking around at the twenty or so candles he’d set around the room.

  He shook his head. “Nah, I got it. You should go, I’ve got to reset all the fire alarms in here anyway and then I’m tidying up the gym. Call me tomorrow?” he asked, stroking the side of my face.

  I slapped his ass and stepped to the door. “I’m calling you tonight, remember?” I winked at him and laughed as I pulled the door open and headed out to the hall to
see Sam leaning against the wall waiting for me.

  “Your dress is on inside out, Foxy,” he teased, smirking at me.

  “Ha-ha. Come on let’s go get some food before you take me home. I’m buying considering you helped set all this up for me,” I insisted, linking my arm through his and heading off through the hallways to the waiting limos. I looked down at the little charm on my bracelet and sighed dreamily. I really was one lucky girl.

  Chapter Forty-One

  I stood there with an uneasy excitement in the pit of my stomach. This was it; this was the day we had been waiting for. This was the day that my whole school life had been building up to. Graduation.

  Today I would leaving this school, graduating with honours, and finally all of the hiding, the being careful, the worrying, would all be over. Will and I could be together without looking over our shoulders all of the time. Once this ceremony was over, it was no longer illegal for me to be in love with my teacher. Sure, it would probably still be frowned upon a little, but people would get over it eventually, and I didn’t care anyway.

  I smiled as I scanned over the crowd of people. I saw my parents sitting there; my mom was crying happy tears, with a big smile on her face. Sitting a couple of rows away from them was Sam, Angela, and William. They had insisted that they wanted to come today too and watch me graduate, though they would be staying clear of my parents for now. The time would come for them to meet, but that day wasn’t quite yet.

  I spotted the teachers sitting off to one side. Will was watching me with a proud smile on his face; I felt the goofy smile stretch onto my face so I quickly looked away before I made anything obvious. I frowned a little. I hadn’t seen him much recently; I’d been studying and working hard so that I could graduate so we hadn’t spent much time together lately.