Summer woke up slowly to sunlight pouring in her window. She stretched, or tried to stretch anyway, since there was a large, furry lump taking up more than the cat’s share of the bed, glanced at the clock, and shot upright.
Saturday. No more school, for either of them. Her namesake season — time to go to the beach.
She scrabbled her phone off the bedside table and hastily texted Isaac.
[text to: okami] sun is shining time for fun! I’ll pick you up in an hour?
It would hardly take her fifteen minutes to drive over to Derek’s and pick him up, which gave her forty-five minutes to pack and shower and persuade Helios into his carry-case. She bounced out of bed, feeling more excited that she had in a long while, and rummaged through the top of her closet for a duffel bag. Another, much smaller bag slid down from the top shelf, and she caught it before it hit her in the head.
It turned out to be her camera. Not the little pocket point-and-shoot kind of camera, but the full-featured DSLR she’d gotten with her high school graduation money. She turned it over in her hands for a minute, thinking. She’d discovered Isaac was into art, but she was pretty sure he didn’t have a nice camera.
She would pack it, and see if he’d like to try it out while they were at the beach.
Isaac grunted and peeked his head out from his tight cocoon of blankets as a loud chime pierced through his unconsciousness, a disgruntled expression twisting his sleep-heavy features. Blinking blearily and yawning, he fumbled for his cell and opened up the message, a fond smile settling on his lips as he focused on the words.
[Text to: Summer] Too early, but I can’t wait! Can you bring food?
As if on cue, his stomach rumbled loudly and he cast it a berating look, slowly extricating himself from the sheets and stumbling across the room. Grabbing some shorts and various other items of clothing, he headed to the shower, hoping that the water would help to wake him up a little.
And as he stood there, with water cascading down his broad shoulders and narrow waist, he smiled and tilted his head back, eager to begin the summer holidays with his appropriately named girlfriend.
Summer picked out several bathing suits, stuffing them into her duffle, and picked out some of her favourite clothes to go with. She debated for a minute about putting a nice outfit in there, then put it in anyway. You never knew what might happen.
[text to: okami] we can stop for food after I pick you up. it’s not like we’re in a hurry
She braided up her hair before jumping in the shower, not wanting for drive several hours chasing wisps out of her eyes. Helios seemed to catch on to her light mood, curling up in his carry-case as soon as she offered it to him. Together they drove to Derek’s, and she bounced up the stairs and rapped on the strange metal door.