Boyfriend for the Summer

“Seph, what does this mean?”

Her voice shakes. “I don’t know.”

“We can do this.” I make the promise to her.

There are tears in her eyes again. “We really can’t, Eric.”

“I know you love her,” I say, taking Seph’s face in my hands. “But I don’t. Leena and I have been over a long time. She doesn’t have to come between us anymore.”

She licks her lips. “I—I’d like to know what happened between the two of you. I don’t think I have the full story.”

I nod. “I’ll tell you everything.”

Thunder cracks across the sky. “Later?” she asks.

“Later,” I agree.

Ideally, I would like to get the generator up and running again before the rain falls. I can do it, but it will be trickier when it’s wet. And this is a summer rain in Georgia. Which means it’s likely to be a downpour.

We both jump in the car and Seph starts to drive. She’s lived here all her life. She understands what a thunderstorm like this means.

My phone buzzes, and I pull it out, expecting it to be one of the counselors checking in about our progress, but it’s not. My body goes cold. I don’t know if the woman is psychic, or if the universe really just does have a death wish for me today, but my body goes cold. The text on my phone is from Leena.

I haven’t heard from her since the day I put a true, final end to our relationship a year and a half ago. I made it clear that we were done. No more random hookups when we were bored and in the same town. No more ‘giving it another try,’ which I never really wanted. Nothing.

What could she possibly want?

I doubt that Seph told her about us, given how torn up about it she is in the first place, but she could have mentioned that I was here. I steel myself and open the message.

I hear you’re fooling around with somebody else. That’s a big mistake you’re making.

I roll my eyes. The last time I checked, a break-up is a break-up, Leena. I thought I made it clear that we were finished with each other.

Oh sweetie, she says. You’ll never be done with me. I’ll always be the best you’ve ever had, and I know that you’ll be back.

Attached to the text message is a picture. Leena, in lingerie. She’s posed lewdly, looking at the camera like she wants to fuck it. Leena is a beautiful woman, but the picture does nothing for me. The only person I want is the one sitting next to me.

The one who looks over and sees the picture of her best friend in lingerie on my phone right after I kissed her. Thunder cracks overhead and the sky opens up, pouring rain down on top of us.

Seph swerves the car in shock, and then pulls over. She gets out of the car into the pouring rain, and I dump my phone on the seat and follow her. My clothes are soaked through instantly. Her face when she turns to me doesn’t seem angry, it’s devastated. “You really have some balls, texting her in front of me.”

“I didn’t ask for that photo. I haven’t heard from Leena in forever. Did you tell her that I was here?”

“I did, but only so I could mention you by name without walking on eggshells. I didn’t tell her anything else. And this is why it won’t work, Eric. This will keep happening. Little reminders. Death by a thousand cuts.”

And just like that, I can’t keep quiet anymore. “Fucking hell, Persephone. I don’t know how I can say it any more clearly. I want you. I don’t want Leena. I don’t want anyone else. I want you. I’ve only ever wanted you.

“Never in my life have I wanted anyone but you. You were the one who pushed me away. And it was devastating.”

“What are you talking about?” she yells over the rain. “You. Picked. Her.”

I storm through the water and grab her, pulling her close and kissing her hard enough that I know that she’ll never forget it.

“I’m going to tell you what happened,” I say. “And I need you to listen. Not all of it is going to be easy to listen to, but you have to hear it, Seph. Because it’s the only thing that’s going to get us through this. And I want us to get through this. Because I am so fucking in love with you and I’m not letting you go again.”

I kiss her again to quiet any protest she has, and then I begin to speak.

23

Eric

Six Years Ago

It’s been twenty days since I left Seph sleeping in that camper, and I’ve thought of nothing but her. Her phone number is tucked into my wallet so I can use it tomorrow, but walking into my new high school, I’m hoping that I won’t have to use it.