The Summer I Said Yes

by Tess Harper

  Sophie’s mouth dropped. “He did not.”

  “Oh, he did. And I slapped him.”

  Sophie took my side immediately. “He fucking deserved it!”

  “It was awful. I was so mortified. I just stared at the students, then at Jack, and then I hit him—I—I, didn’t know what to do Soph, so I just turned and ran.”

  I sunk down in a red velvet booth. “I hate the way he makes me feel so defenseless and vulnerable. Ewhg, god! And the worst part…oh fuck I didn’t even tell you the worst part!”

  Sophie sat close to me. The bass thumped through my body like someone was beating my chest like a tribal drum of war.

  “FOUR GIRLS!” I cried pathetically.

  “What?”

  “Four. Four fucking girls. All at once! All right before me, this summer!”

  Sophie’s nose scrunched up. “Ew, is that even humanly possible?”

  “Ha! That’s what I wanted to know too, but apparently it is according to Brett.” I shuffled.

  Sophie just stared at me blankly.

  I hid my head in my hands. “God, it’s so awful. So embarrassing. Me, and him. Uggh! I can’t get it out of my head!”

  I looked up at Sophie, her expression had changed to determination.

  “That’s it.” Sophie slammed her hand into the table, slurring her words. “He’s a total pig.”

  “Yeah!” I said defiantly, like a third grader who had banded together with the other children who refused to do their homework. “A big, gross, nasty sex-fiend pig!”

  Sophie grabbed me by the shoulders “Em, you gotta toughen up!” she said like a coach telling their star player not to miss the game winning shot. “He is weak and pathetic! You don’t need to take his crap. You are the teacher and he is the student. You are the mature adult and he is just an obsessed boy with a crush.”

  “Yeah!” I yelled again.

  “And you are a strong independent woman!”

  “Hell yeah I am!” I cried with a slight slur in my voice.

  “Next time you see him, you put him in his place Em.” Sophie coached. “You don’t have to take any of his psycho-babble bullshit.”

  “I won’t!” I declared.

  “Next time you see him, you march right up to his preppy hockey-bro ass and you tell it like it is!”

  “I will!” I said, standing up. “I’ll do it right now!”

  “Hell yeah!” Sophie chimed in, standing up too. “You go girl!”

  I teetered slightly as I tried to take a step forward. “I’m going to march right up to his dorm and tell him that there is nothing between us anymore.” I took a deep breath and held onto the table, finally taking that step forward. “Are you okay getting home tonight?”

  “Yeah girl, I’m fine. This is way more important.” Sophie replied. “You tell him who’s boss Em!”

  I hugged her tightly. “Thanks Soph!”

  Sophie smiled. “And hey, who knows, maybe Todd’ll give me a ride home.”

  I giggled. “You are so naughty!”

  She winked as I grabbed my purse and waddled out of the bar.

  The cold night air didn’t even faze me this time. I grabbed the hem of my dress and yanked it down, making sure it covered my ass. My ankles wobbled as I stepped into the street.

  “Taxi!” I yelled, waving my arms around.

  One pulled up and I hopped right in. “Harvard Square please.” I told the cabbie. Watch out Jack, here I come!

  Chapter 20

  The cab stopped at the curb. I glared across the lawn. Jack was hiding somewhere up there in his frat, I just knew it. I rolled down the window. “Jack!” I screamed.

  “Woah there lady—”

  “JACK!” I bellowed from my seat.

  The driver turned around. “HEY LADY, take your personal stuff outta my cab, ok?”

  I blankly stared at the cabbie. “Jax a pissa shit.” I slurred.

  “Lemme tell yah a secret sweethart, all men are schmucks. It’ll be $8.50.”

  “Wun second,” I mumbled, fumbling through my purse. “Shit. Do you take chex?”

  The cabbie shook his head. “Whaddo I look like lady? Cash only.”

  “Uhhmm, O.K. It’ll be jussa sec.”

  I kicked open the door of the cab. My heel sank into the grass with a squish as I stepped onto the lawn. I looked up at the dorm.

  “Jaaaaack?” I called.

  No answer.

  “Jaaaaack? Arrr you up there?”

  Still nothing. I tried to get my heel out of the muddy grass but the other one just sunk in. “Jaaak? I don havvaany muneyy. I frrgot it….Jaaak?”

  One of the windows on the third floor flew open. “Dude, shut the fuck up!”

  “No, yuuu shut the fukkup!” I yelled back.

  “Seriously bitch, I’m gonna call security if you don’t shut the hell up!” The irritated boy shouted back.

  “Serioussssly if youu don’t shut up I’m gunna call Jack!” I said defiantly.

  “Look lady, I don’t got all night here,” the cabbie said.

  “O.k. Will evrrybuddy jus like chill outta sec? I’m trying to see Jack so I can tellim eees an ass.”

  Just then a window opened. It was Jack. His hair was matted and tousled from sleeping. He squinted out into the lawn. His eyes widened when they locked on me. “Emily?”

  “I told youu ta stop calling me that!” I spat.

  “What are you doing here?” Jack asked.

  “Will you two shut up?!” Came the irritated boys’ voice again.

  “Hey angry pants!” I yelled back, “if you don shuddup yurr crap righnow my boyfriend is gunna cum up there and pummel yur asss.”

  “Boyfriend?” Jack smiled.

  “Shuddup Jack!” I slurred. “Yur an ass!”

  “You came all the way out here,” he paused, “dressed like that, to come tell me I’m an ass?”

  “Ya! Yur a bigg jurk fase ass!” I pouted.

  “Lady!—” The cab driver started.

  “Shhhhhhhhh!” I twisted around and shushed the cab driver.

  His car door opened and the very large cab driver came out.

  “Woah man,” Jack called. “I’m sorry, how much does she owe?”

  “$12.50,” the cabbie snarled.

  “Nuh-uh!” I yelled like an eight year old refusing to let a boy enter her Barbie dream house.

  The cabbie made an angry noise in the back of his throat and glared.

  “$12.50?” Jack asked. “No problem, I’ll be right down.”

  The cabbie huffed.

  Less than a minute later, Jack threw open the double swing doors of the dorm.

  “Hey thanks.” He handed the cabbie a twenty. “Keep the change.”

  The angry driver huffed again and turned back to his cab.

  “Whyd you givvem a twenny? The ride wuz only $8.50?”

  The cabbie started his car and quickly sped off.

  “Cheeter cheeter pumpkin eater!” I screamed after him.

  “Shhhhh, shhhh.” Jack cooed as he offered me his shoulder so I could get my heels un-stuck out of the grass.

  “Don’t ‘shhhhhhush’ me!”

  “So, what brings you round these parts so late?” Jack smiled and my knees went weak.

  Ass Emily, he’s an ass. Oh yeah…

  “Ass!” I scolded him. “Yur an ass Jak.”

  Jack’s smile grew.

  “Stop smiling!” I whined. “Yur supposed to be not smiling when I’m teaching you a lesson.”

  “Teaching me a lesson?” Jack raised an eyebrow. “Yes Miss Vaughn, please teach me a lesson.”

  “Stoppit!” I cried pathetically. “Don’t make me get crosss with you missster.” I wagged a finger at him.

  I started to weave and Jack caught me. “Getchur hands offa me.” I slurred, trying to regain my balance.

  “I’d never let you fall,” Jack whispered. His eyes bore into mine and my knees grew weak again.

  Dammit, why duz he have this knee wiggly power o
n me?

  His grip was strong on my arms and I think he was holding most of my weight. I closed my eyes. His hands were warm on my bare skin. He is so beautiful, I thought to myself.

  “Emily?” Jack asked.

  “Hmmmm..”

  “Emily?”

  “Himm?” I murmered.

  “I think we should go inside.”

  “Innsside? Why?”

  “You’re humming.”

  “No Imm not.”

  Jack laughed as he gently ushered me toward the dorm’s entrance.

  “But itsso nise and warm and sstrong.”

  He hoisted me into his arms. “Come on.”

  My arms were around his neck and his chest was warm next to mine. “Mmmm, Jack Chrissmas.” I giggled. “Jack The Pumpkin King. Where rr youu takingg me?”

  Jack set me down as he opened the door to his building. “I think you need to lie down.”

  “It smellz like beeerr.”

  Jack laughed. “Yeah the guys threw a party last night, kinda destroyed the place and maintenance refuses to clean it up.”

  He guided me through the entrance. Both our footsteps were loud like we were walking on double stick tape.

  “Eww,” I mumbled. “Stickky ickky.”

  Jack practically carried me up the stairs.

  “I’m tierdd.”

  “We’re almost there,” Jack soothed.

  “Almost where?”

  “To my room.”

  “Yur room?!” I cried.

  “Shhh, you’re going to wake someone up.”

  “Pshh! I don care!” I scoffed. “Iss there falt for bingg sleep!”

  I began to lean back and Jack tightened his grip on my waist. His hands were rough but warm against my skin. “Yur ripples are nisee.” I whispered.

  “My what?”

  “YUR RIPPLES.” I repeated more loudly, running my hand up and down his ripply chest. “THEY ARE NIIIISE.”

  Jack laughed.

  “Whyyrr you laffing?”

  “You’re rediculous and absolutely adorable Emily.”

  “Itz Missss Vaughn to youu buddyy.”

  I started to fall backward again.

  Jack caught me. “Woah, watch where you’re leaning.” He hoisted me up again. “Almost there.”

  “You know what? Howbout you watch where yur leaninnng.” My head rolled back and my knees buckled. “Whooopsies,” I said, startled. I gripped Jack’s arm, catching myself.

  Jack set me against the wall next to a door. “Here, lean against this for a sec,” he said, reaching for the doorknob, “my door always sticks.”

  “Ssooo,” I drawled, “how many?”

  He opened the door. “How many what?”

  “Yoou know what Im talkinabout.” I gave him my most convincing evil eye, which at the moment was probably more like a weird squinty drunk eye.

  “To your surprise, Miss Vaughn,” he answered slowly, “I do not know the answer to your question…or even what your question is.”

  He opened the door and grabbed my hands. “Here we go.” He hoisted me off the wall, but I leaned back against his grip and fell back to the wall.

  “No way Jose.”

  Jack chuckled. “You’re a very stubborn girl Miss Vaughn.”

  “Stop callingmee that, itz weird.”

  “C’mon.” He tried to hoist me back off the wall.

  “Uhh-uh!” I protested loudly like a kindergartener who didn’t want to eat their vegitables. “I donnwanna bee jus another notch on yur belt. Eye bet yuv brought hundredzz of gurls in there ann Imnot wunna them bud.”

  “Hundreds?” Jack smiled.

  I wobbled back and forth as I glared into his eyes. “Youu know whut? Itzz prolly been thowsands beecuz yur a big slutfase,” I pouted.

  Jack kept on smiling.

  “Donn do that!” I whined. “Yur supposed to bee not smilingg when Im teachinng you a lessonn.”

  “Oh yes, how could I forget. Please Miss Vaughn, keep teaching me lessons,” he drawled seductively.

  He moved forward until his face was inches from mine. His lips were barely parted, and I think mine were too. I could feel the warmth of his skin radiating onto mine, and the soft smell of pine lingered on his shirt.

  “Hmmmm,” I murmered instinctively.

  He grabbed me around my waist with one hand and pulled me close to him, so close that every part of my body was against his. My head rested against his worn in flannel button-down. I nuzzled my cheek into his shirt. “Yur nise an fuzzzy,” I murmured, burrowing my face into his chest.

  Somehow Jack got me into his room. I don’t remember how, he must have dragged me because my feet were still on the ground.

  I heard the door close. We stood in the center of his room. A lamp on his bedside table illuminated his face.

  “Yur so beauutifull.” I whispered, looking up at him.

  He smiled softly. His arms were around my waist holding me up. My hands went from his shoulders to his biceps.

  “Ann yur rippples,” I whispered excitedly, my hands gripping his biceps harder.

  “Ahh,” Jack realized, “my ripples.”

  My eyes widened. “Therr juss soo big.”

  Jack pulled me in closer to him, his eyes never leaving mine.

  I smiled softly leaning in closer to him. “What’r you thinnking about?”

  “Nothing,” Jack grinned.

  “LIAR! Yuu muss be thinking about sumthingg.” I pushed him away. As he regained his balance, I began moving my hips and arms in what I thought was a sexy and seductive dance.

  “Yurr thinking about mee, arnn you?” I slurred in my sexiest voice.

  I twirled and put my hands on his chest.

  “Youu totally wann me rite now, donn you?” I said smiling.

  My hands ran down his chest, over his defined abs, to his belt buckle. I looked up at him and flipped my hair from side to side in an awkward swing-like motion.

  “Yaa baby,” I cooed, “MMmmm, youu wann it.”

  I started shaking my hips again in my drunk swaggy dance. I started to kinda sing: “O yaa, mmmm, mmmm, Jak wanns it. Mmm, MMmmm, youu reeelly wann me.”

  I was fully dancing with myself at this point, although it was much more like a sway than a dance. My hips rocked awkwardly side to side and my hands wiggled up and down like I was a 60s tween doing the ‘Swim.’ I kept singing to myself: “OOOhh yaa, uhh-huh, mmmm,” while giving Jack my sexiest stare.

  “Mmm, yaa,” I lulled back to him. “Whatcha thinkinn now baybay?” I asked seductively.

  “Nothing.” Jack repeated smiling.

  “Yur suchha liar. What’r you reelly thinknnbout Jackkk.” I said slowing my dance and coming close to him once more. My hands were on his shoulders. I pressed my hips against his and looked up at him. He was still smiling.

  “Tell me,” I cooed in my sexy voice, grabbing his ass, thrusting him closer to me.

  “Yurr so sexxxy,” I breathed, giving his tight ass a squeeze.

  I pressed my boobs into his chest and rubbed them back and forth. “Howw’r you resisting me?” I demanded softly and desperately.

  Jack quietly laughed.

  I looked up, confused.

  “Oh, Miss Vaughn, if you only knew,” he said sweetly, pulling me into him again.

  I smiled toothily up at him. “Call me Emilyy,” I cooed.

  Jack laughed again. “Anything you want Emily.” His eyes were bright like moonlight and his skin was like warm honey, reflecting the orange streetlamp light from outside the window.

  “I want you.” I said, grabbing him and pushing myself onto him.

  Jack smiled and silently walked me over to the bed. He layed me down on his dark green comforter. I felt my heart beat faster.