Page 21 of Summer's Echo
Madison Harvey was the camp hoe—there was no other way to say it. We’d been coming to camp together for years, and a few summers ago, her body had developed to match her quickly growing ego. Her light skin, hazel eyes, and easy-access demeanor had every boy at camp smitten. She didn’t have to try; they flocked to her like dogs to bones. And as much as I hated to admit it, she was probably exactly the type of girl Echo would call sexy.
“Maxell is so last year, girl. There’s new meat to be devoured,” Madison said, her voice dripping with innuendo as she bit her bottom lip, never tearing her eyes from Echo. “You know what they say about tall, lanky boys.” She shared a high five with her roommate, Iris, who was lounging next to her.
Confusion swirled in my head, but I wouldn’t dare let it show on my face.Whatdothey say about tall, lanky boys?I had no clue. My traitorous eyes wandered back to Echo despite my better judgment. He was shirtless, wearing only the camp-branded swim trunks. He was playing water basketball with some of the campers, and the grin that lit up his face when our favorite camper, David, made a basket sent a strange, unexpected surge through my center. I swallowed hard, suddenly aware of the sensation I hadn’t paid much attention to before. Something hot simmered low in my stomach, my thighs pressing together instinctively. I took a long sip of water, desperate for any type of distraction, but it was useless. I clung to his every move like a magnet.
“No. What do they say?” Leah, another counselor, asked, her expression mirroring my own confusion. I was thankful her question interrupted where my mind had just wandered. A harmless daydream, right? The funny feeling in my panties said it was something a little less innocent.
Madison spun around so fast, like Leah had just asked the dumbest question imaginable. Leah, unfazed, cocked her head, clearly waiting for an answer.
Madison’s voice lowered like she was sharing a scandalous secret. “Let’s just say, their third leg is as long as they are tall.”
Leah’s brow furrowed.“Can you stop talking in riddles?What does that even mean?” she demanded, her voice sharp, cutting through the tension.
I watched, silently thankful for hercuriosity and boldness because I wouldn’t dare ask for clarity myself, even though Iwanted to know more than anything.
“That their dicks are big, girl, damn,” Iris whispered through gritted teeth.
My eyes ballooned, right along with Leah’s and a few other girls. Our reactions were identical and almost comical. Against my better judgment, my gaze flicked back to Echo. And now I couldn’t help it, I was staring…down there. Mama said curiosity kills the cat. And right now, I was dangerously close to understanding why.
Echo
That One Summer in 2004
“Yo, you see them?” Kyle asked, standing waist-deep in the water, his voice just low enough to sound like he thought he was slick.
“Yep,” Maxell replied, tossing the basketball to a camper but not even pretending to look anywhere but toward the group of girl counselors.
I didn’t need to follow their gaze to know who they were looking at—I’d already seen who I wanted to see. Summer wasn’t originally with the crowd of girls lounging like they were on a beach vacation instead of working with campers, but now there she was. I’d peeped her walking across the quad earlier, effortlessly pretty, as usual. Lately, she had a way of making everything seem…easy.
I was stuck in my own thoughts, mindlessly tossing the ball, when Bryant’s voice cut through my haze. “What’s the plan for Summer’s birthday?”
My head snapped around so fast I felt the water ripple around me.Herbirthday?I must’ve misheard him. “Her birthday is today?” I asked, keeping my tone as neutral as possible while heat rose in my cheeks.Why the hell didn’tI know it was her birthday?
Bryant nodded. “Yeah, man. You know Summer, though. She hates making a big deal, but we drag her out anyway.”
“Ain’t that your girl, E?” Kyle chimed in, his voice laced with that annoying tease he always used. “And you don’t even know it’s her birthday?”
“Whatever, man,” I said, brushing off his comment while anger simmered just beneath the surface.How the hell did I not know?I thought. After all the time we’d spent together, this wasn’t something I should’ve missed. Without another word, I waded out of the water.
“Watch them,” I ordered, pointing to the group of kids playing. The annoyance was clear in my voice.
When I glanced back, I saw Maxell and Bryant trailing me. We walked toward the group of giggling girls, and it was obvious they were whispering about us—or more likely just me. Fingers pointed in my direction, and their cackles grew louder with every step I took. Madison rose from the blanket, tossing her hair over her shoulder, like she was getting ready to greet me, but she wasn’t the one I was coming for. The moment I directed my greeting at Summer, Madison’s face collapsed into a scowl. It was obvious she didn’t appreciate being overlooked, but I didn’t care. I needed to talk to Summer.
“What’s up, Sunshine?” I said, standing directly in front of her.
She squinted up at me, lifting a hand to block the sun, but her gaze didn’t stay on mine for long. It danced back and forth from my face to somewhere else, like she couldn’t quite decide where to focus.
“Hey,” she replied, her tone casual, but the slight flush creeping across her cheeks and the way she avoided me told a different story. I was affecting her, even if she wasn’t ready to admit it. “Can you,um,sit down, please?” she blurted, the words coming out awkward and rushed, like she was fighting to soundmore composed than she felt.
I dropped to a squat, joining her on the blanket. “It’s your birthday, Sun,” I blurted, my words coming out more forceful than I’d intended.
She nodded, completely unbothered. “Yep. First day of summer, hence my name,” she said, as if I was supposed to have magically known that bit of info. “I know. My parents are corny.”
I stared at her, caught between wanting to kiss her cute face and feeling frustrated that she thought this was no big deal. “Why didn’t I know it was your birthday, Summer?” I asked, my tone laced with the frustration bubbling inside me.
“I don’t know when your birthday is, Echo,” she replied, dragging out my name like she was making a point.
Once again, this girl had me stumped. Out of all the questions we’d volleyed, birthdays had somehow never come up. And damn, she was right.
