Summer Solstice Read Online Free PDF

like that."
     
    "I'll be by around four."
     
    With that, he stood up and walked back towards his car in the parking lot. I couldn't fight it any longer. The stupid grin I'd been holding in burst out across my face.
     
    I was pulled out of my reverie by one of the kids. "Oooh! Lexi has a boyfriend!" The chatter only seemed to grow more and I felt myself getting embarrassed all over again and this time the instigators were children.
     
    Shooting them what I hoped were glares, I opened my lunch bag. Seth had packed me the most fourth grade looking lunch ever. A juice box. Peanut butter and jelly cut into four squares. Apple slices. A pack of fruit snacks. A homemade brownie. My heart pretty much melted on the floor over the stupidest things this time being the lunch.
     
    At the very bottom was a napkin with a message scrawled on it. I remembered how my mom used to do that whenever she'd pack a lunch. My napkin everyday had a note from her. When I'd been in elementary school, I'd been excited to read it every day. When I got to middle school, it made me embarrassed if the other kids would see them but deep down, I treasured those napkins.
     
    Pulling the napkin out, I saw Seth's crisp script written in black Sharpee. The message was simple, but made my stomach churn so hard that I felt dizzy. How he'd gotten the lunch and the note by my brother, I didn't know, but it was something that I really didn't want to question either. Glancing over the words again, all the emotions from the past few days flooded me.
     
    I really, honestly, simply cannot stop thinking about you.
     
    At exactly four o'clock that afternoon, Seth arrived, as promised, to walk me home. The playground where I worked was about four blocks away from my house, so I usually walked, unless it was raining. Most of my kids were still loitering around the park, but I was off the hook.
     
    Walking towards Seth, I met him halfway. Before I could even comprehend what he was doing, he pulled me into his arms and hugged me solidly. Stealthily, he laid a kiss just beneath my ear before letting me go.
     
    "How was work?" he asked, grabbing my hand and lacing my fingers through his as we started the walk.
     
    "Work," I shrugged, non-chalantly. "Same shit, different day."
     
    We made small talk for the first block or so, when I couldn't hold it in any longer. "What if someone sees us holding hands?" I asked, worried. "What if someone sees us together and then tells Rich?"
     
    I'd been thinking about what Seth and I had done and would probably do all afternoon. The one person who was never far from my mind was my brother. I had no doubt that my parents would be thrilled if Seth and I decided to make a go of it and give our relationship a chance. My brother on the other hand...
     
    Seth stopped walking suddenly, but still held onto my hand. I turned to look at him, afraid and nervous about what he was going to say. He was quiet for a long moment, before he said, "Do you want me to let go of your hand?" I shook my head almost violently. Seth sighed. "I've been thinking about the situation with your brother a lot, Lex." He fell silent again as he tried to piece his thoughts together. "I'm not backing down," he said, finally, his voice strong. "I have wanted this … wanted you for so long. I'm not giving you up now that I may have you."
     
    I couldn't help it, I practically flew forward and into his arms. Hugging him close to me, I felt his lips land softly on my forehead. "So what do we do?" I asked.
     
    "We try this for awhile before we tell him. There's no use in getting him upset if nothing ends up happening."
     
    The thought of nothing happening broke my heart, but I could see where he was coming from. If this was just some kind of lust, then that was something that Rich simply never needed to know about. The thought of it would probably make him sick.
     
    So I agreed. Pulling away from him, we continued our walk again. I loved my brother, don't get me wrong,