We started dating back in high school.
We were the typical high school sweethearts in many ways, I suppose. We sat together at lunch, suffered through P.E together, and we both survived my senior prom.
Her prom was a different story altogether, but that's neither here nor there.
Summer Campbell was a couple of grades below me when we met, but we've managed to stick it out for the last few years, for better or for worse. It's been anything but easy. We've had our fair share of fights, explosive arguments, and otherwise toxic moments. We've gone through periods of distrust lined with shaky foundations.
Okay, so we're one of those couples that's broken up a few times and then gotten back together. So what? We love each other and that's the bottom line.
Truth is, Summer is the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I will always treasure the moment that she walked into my life.
I met her at a party - feels like so many years ago, now. My buddy Jason was throwing a little shindig at his place and he invited me over. I, being the social maestro that I am, ended up on my phone most of the night. I'd tried to strike up conversations with people at various points throughout the evening, but I just didn't know anyone there. Truth is, I've never been the kind of guy that can get dropped into a social scenario like that and, without knowing anybody, become the life of the party. Instead, it was quite the opposite. It was a pretty lonely night that left me feeling awkward and introverted for the most part.
For the most part being the operative part of that statement: that was all before Summer. Changing her transformed my night, and ultimately my life.
Jason, who had been one of my best mates for years, ended up introducing us. It feels like forever ago, and as clichéd and tired as it sounds, I can remember it like it was yesterday.
"Have you met Charles yet? Probably the smartest and dumbest guy you're likely to meet tonight at the same time," he chuckled, punching my arm.
That's when I saw her for the first time. She laughed and I swear she glistened. Her shimmering, golden blonde hair fell back over her shoulders and down her lovely toned back. She was fit, but not in a distracting or overbearing manner. Her tan frame looked like it was sculpted from a collage of supermodels. She must have been about 5'6, I'd say, and with hips like a...god damn, I'm not lying, she was the hottest chick in that room. She beamed a smile at me that would have intimidated the varsity quarterback. It was at that moment that I knew I was a goner.
"Oh really? And why's that?" she asked.
"Huh?" I snapped out of it, realizing that I was probably staring.
She giggled, seemingly recognizing this fact. "I was just asking your friend about you."
"The dude quotes Kant and eats differential equations for breakfast, but he's gonna bomb here like always," Jason laughed before slapping his buddy gently on the shoulder reassuringly. "Have fun, you two," he told them while making his way back over to the keg.
Okay, so my memory's not perfect. I can't remember the first thing I said to her, whatever dull line that might have been. Really, I'm not sure that I even remember the first thing that I ever heard her say. But I remember Jason's sarcastic introduction, because it lead to one of the best nights of my life. We talked for hours on end that night, just the two of us. We slipped away from the crowd, looked up at the stars, and I felt the blueness of her eyes intertwine with mine.
Sometimes I wish that night could have lasted forever.
Now, I know what you're thinking, but we didn't get together that night. She just wasn't that kind of girl. We were both young and didn't really know how to approach things back then. There wasn't even a goodnight kiss. It was just talking.
When I went home that evening I knew that I had met someone who was truly special. Even then, I'm not sure I would have anticipated how big a part of my life she would one day become.
About a month later I finally got the courage to ask her out and she said yes. The first kiss came about two months after that. I'll admit, it was a slow and arduous process. I'd had a few girlfriends up to this point, but none of them had been even remotely as...well, attractive, as Summer. That's not to say they weren't good looking, they were, and honestly I had felt lucky to be with them at the time. But Summer was a different level of hot. She was a different level than I was used to, so to speak. And to be perfectly honest, probably above the level that I had previously thought possible for me.
Moreover is the fact that I just wasn't that experienced. I had a dating history, but it was shallow, and I didn't have a good history of being bold in the intimacy department. Up to that point I had kissed a few girls and made out with others, but nothing more. And if I'm being perfectly honest, many of those instances were more a product of the situation or even the girl being a bit forward rather than my own persistence or initiative.
So yeah, the first kiss took a while. I'm not gonna lie, I was a little worried about Summer getting impatient with me. I explained to her that I wasn't that experienced, and she told me not to worry because neither was she. She was understanding and reassuring. What's more, turns out that she was a tad more bold than I. The first time I visited her she tackled me the moment we stepped into the bedroom and we started making out. Another time she lead my unsteady hands underneath her shirt to unhook her bra.
Several months later she took my virginity, and I took hers. It was at my birthday party, funnily enough. We snuck off into the bedroom and she told me she was ready. I remember being quite surprised, a little terrified, and really excited all at once.
I still feel the same way to this day, almost two years after that moment. Okay, maybe not so much terrified, but sometimes still a bit intimidated by her body. Don't get me wrong, my confidence in that regard has come a long way, but she is still so damn sexy that sometimes it's just a little hard to believe.
We've been together for about three years now, on and off. We've both graduated from high school and moved on; I'm over at University of Berkeley studying to be an Engineer and she's taking classes on campus at Berkeley City College. She's still figuring out exactly what she wants to do, which I think is great. Until then she does some waitressing at the local Hooters. We moved in together recently, and that has been an adventure in itself.
Now, when I say we've dated off and on, that's because of the aforementioned fights. We've broken up and gotten back together again a few times. We've gone on breaks. You know, the typical stuff. I guess that means we're not perfect. Oh well, I like whatever it is that we are.
Lately, we've lived up to this imperfection. There's been a bit of fighting. We've seen much, much worse - but things still haven't exactly been smooth sailing as of late.
The start of our recent troubles came a couple of months ago. Little did I know, this was also going to be the start of something...else.
As I stated before, we had just moved in together and were still in the process of exploring what that's like and how it can change relationships. For me, it meant wanting to know her better. Sure, I was pretty positive that I knew about 90% of what there is to know about her, but the 10% left is usually what's the most intriguing. Living together was a new kind of intimacy all together, and so with it came new questions.
One night one of those questions treaded on dangerous waters. While we were doing some messing around I got curious and asked her a question that I maybe shouldn't have asked her. As stated before, we've been on a few break: even one somewhat recently before we decided to move in with each other. They were usually over something petty that I did or said, and Summer would decide that she needed some space. It was rarely anything more serious during that.
I don't know what possessed me to ask this question, but that night I decided to ask her whether or not she had ever dated anyone during one of our breaks.
"What?" she paused, looking at me confusedly. "What makes you ask that, baby?" she put her hand on my shoulder.
"I don't know, just curious I guess. I mean, haven't you ever met anyone any of the times that we were broken up that you, maybe sort-of developed a bit of a crush on?"
"Have you?" she shot a glare that I wasn't sure how to interpret.
"No."
"Baby, the past is the past. Can we drop this and just focus on what we've got now?" she asked.
"So you have, then?"
"Why do you care so much?"
"I don't, babe. I promise, I'm just a bit curious," I gave her a reassuring peck on the lips.
She sighed. "Okay, please don't get mad. But there were a couple of times where I ended up dating someone after we broke up. Sometimes the fights are just too much, and I just don't think we can make it. But every time I've tried dating again...I...I realize how lucky I am to have what we have. And I realize that it is worth fighting for," she whispered, taking my hands within hers and staring into my eyes.
"What about this last time?"
"What about it?" she asked.
"Did you end up seeing anyone last time we broke up?"
"Why do you care?"
"I don't. I'm just curious."
"Yes. I did."
"What was his name?"
