Page 10 of Lost Summer
Adele beamed up at me, her face still flushed from laughter. “This is amazing. I didn’t think anyone could singthatbadly and still be that confident.”
“That’s Max for you,” I said, shaking my head in mock disbelief. “But what about you—what’s your go-to karaoke song?”
Her face froze for a moment, then she snorted. “Oh, absolutely nothing as dramatic as this. I’d probably just do something stupid…like ‘Wannabe’ by the Spice Girls.”
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “You? Spice Girls?”
“Yep,” she confirmed, shoulders relaxing as she eyed me playfully. “Gotta embrace the cheesy pop sometimes. Besides, it’s a perfect group singalong.”
“Fair point. I can see that. In fact, I demand a performance of ‘Wannabe’ next.”
She raised her fruity drink, pretending to be outraged. “What, right after this stunning masterpiece from Max? How can I possibly follow that?”
We both turned our focus back to Max, who was now dramatically belting out the chorus. The collective voice of the crowd joined his off-key yells.
“OOOH, WE’RE HALFWAY THERE... WHOAAA, LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER!”
I clutched Adele’s hand tighter, leaning closer to her ear so she could hear me over the chaos, “Can you imagine trying to top this?”
She grinned, her face inches from mine. “No way. I’d rather never sing again if I had to follow Max.”
“Maybe I’ll save ‘Let’s Dance’ for later, then.” I winked.
The crowd chorused along with Max’s off-key rendition, but as I stood there, watching Adele’s face light up with carefree joy, I realized the music and the shouting around us felt distant—like background noise. The only thing I could focus on was her.
She turned back to me, catching the intensity in my stare. The laughter faded from her lips, replaced by something softer. This was the moment.
“You okay?” she whispered, her brow furrowed ever so slightly like she wasn’t sure if I was serious or just messing around.
I could feel the charge building between us, like the air before a storm. Every part of me screamed to close the distance.
I leaned in closer, her scent—vanilla and something sweet—filling my lungs. Her eyes flicked from mine to my mouth, and my pulse quickened. No words. There wasn’t a need for them anymore.
“I want to kiss you right now,” I finally breathed.
Her gaze softened, and for a heartbeat, everything suspended, the crowd fading further away. She gave me the slightest nod, her lips curling into a shy, knowing smile.
And then—finally—I closed the gap.
Our lips met, warm and soft and nothing like I’d imagined, but somehow everything at once. The world around me fell away entirely. Cheers, music, the din of festival chaos—it all dissolved into the quiet intensity of this single moment.
I cupped her face gently, feeling every second stretch as she leaned into me, her fingers curling into my jacket. It wasn’t rushed or clumsy, but slow and deliberate like she’d been waiting for this. Just the two of us in the middle of madness.
When we parted, the distance barely a breath, her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled again, that same soft, sweet smile that tugged at something deep inside me.
“Was that brave enough for you?” I murmured, my forehead pressing lightly to hers.
Adele exhaled a small laugh, her cheeks flushed, eyes shining. “Very.”
5
ADELE
As the echoes of cheers and the straggling notes of Max’s karaoke fiasco lingered in the air, I found myself lost in the aftermath of Ted’s kiss. The world around us had turned into a blur of motion and sound, but in the eye of that chaotic storm, there was only Ted and me, our breaths mingling, our hearts beating in unspoken tandem.
“Come with me,” Ted whispered, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine. His hand found mine, fingers interlacing with an ease that felt like coming home. I nodded, my throat tight with emotions I couldn’t yet name.
He led me away from the karaoke tent, the rowdy crowd, and the blaring music. We wove through the festival grounds, and the night air was cool against my heated skin. The lanterns hanging from the trees cast a warm, flickering light, illuminating Ted’s face in a way that made my heart ache with an intensity I hadn’t felt before.
