Tessa
Who knew forty-eight hours of one summer could change two people so drastically? I sure didn't. I thought I'd imagined everything, that things were finally working out the way they were supposed to.
Boy, was I wrong...
~
*Present day*
It's been almost a year since I last had to see him- Levi Daniels, my brother's best friend and my (now) sworn enemy. We used to be close, but things changed last summer after a series of horrible mistakes were made, things I now wish I could take back. I thought he was different, I thought we had a connection, but I was dead wrong.
I still can't believe I was dumb enough to believe he and I shared something special. We grew up together- me, Levi, and my brother, Jason. Levi and Jason were in the same grade, and we were next-door neighbors, so naturally, the two were like peas in a pod growing up. And me, refusing to be left behind, followed them around like a puppy.
They never seemed to care. They welcomed me into the fold and allowed me a special place by their sides as we all navigated school and life in the suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina. Levi wasn't like other boys; he always treated me kindly and didn't mind when I included myself in his and Jason's plans. He was my friend.
As we grew older, that started to change. Puberty hit me like a hurricane, and suddenly, I was taller, my boobs developed nearly overnight, and boys started looking at me differently. Thanks to the surge of teenage hormones, I started seeing them differently too, especially Levi.
He was no longer the lanky, awkward kid I grew up with. He was tall and muscular, and his voice was deeper. His brown hair was no longer a heaping mess on top of his head, and his blue eyes seemed to shine brighter. It didn't take long to realize why I noticed all these changes in Levi- I had a crush. A big one and it wasn't going away easily.
Truth be told, I don't think it ever really did. Even now, when I'm supposed to hate him, I don't believe that crush ever truly disappeared.
Last summer, I thought things between us would finally mature into something beautiful. For a moment, they did, but he had me fooled. He had everyone fooled. And I don't think I can forgive him for what he did.
A car horn blares behind me as I zone out at the stoplight, jolting me from my trip down memory lane. I grimace, shooting a quick apologetic wave to the car as I make a left turn, heading toward Jason's house.
I've been stuck in this car for over two hours, making the drive from Surf City to support my brother and my best friend, Charlotte, as they prepare to get married in two weeks. I'm using up most of my vacation time for this trip, but it's worth it to see them finally tie the knot.
They've had googly eyes for each other for as long as I can remember. Charlotte moved to Raleigh when I was in sixth grade. She was in nearly all of my classes, and we bonded over our mutual love of chocolate frosted mini donuts and brightly colored scrunchies. We declared ourselves best friends that day, and that hasn't changed even now.
The first time she came over to my house, she saw Jason and immediately saw stars. She says she was in love with him from the start. It took him a little longer to see her as anything but my cute best friend, though- sophomore year, to be exact. Once she traded her pigtails and graphic tees for beach waves and booty shorts, Jason saw her in a different light.
They would talk and flirt whenever she came over, but nothing came of it until after Jason started college. He didn't want to start something with Charlotte right before he left for school. We still had two years of high school left, and he and Levi were heading off to university. Charlotte was upset but understood. Their time apart didn't hinder their underlying feelings.
When they finally started dating, I was so happy for them. They ran into each other at a party after Charlotte transferred schools in her second year of college. They locked eyes from across the room, and old feelings resurfaced. They've been together ever since.
The thought of them getting their happily ever after brings a smile to my face. If anyone deserves it, it's those two.
I turn down my brother's street, starting to feel less excited the closer I get. Jason and Charlotte live separately- to appease her family- at least until after the wedding. And since the single-family home of their dreams didn't come cheap, they wanted a little financial security.
So, to help with bills until Char can move in, Jason has a roommate. One I am not looking forward to seeing- Levi.
I feel my stomach clench as I pull up outside the house. I see Jason's car parked right beside Levi's. Great.
I take a few steadying breaths, trying to remind myself that this is only two weeks, and it's for a good cause. I only have to make it through two weeks in his presence; then, I can go back to pretending he doesn't exist.
Yeah, I can do that.
My car hums idly as I sit parked along the street, debating whether or not I can actually face him. I consider leaving for half a second and staying in a hotel, but before I can set that plan into motion, I remember it's not in my budget.
I try to psyche myself up to go inside, reminding myself that this vacation is about Char and Jason, not Levi. As I tip my head back to release a heavy sigh, Jason opens the front door and waves at me with a giddy look.
Well, here we go.
I plaster a smile on my face and wave back as he bounds down his steps toward my car.
He greets me with a toothy grin as I open my door. "Hey, Tess! I'm glad you made it okay."
I wrap my arms around him in a quick hug. "Me too. I wouldn't miss this for the world."
Jason grabs my bags from the back seat, updating me on what's new at work and home as we walk toward the house. Apparently, two of the three bathrooms in the house are being renovated, leaving only one bathroom with a working shower. Oh, joy.
"Yeah, they gave us a break on the cost since we did both bathrooms at once. They're just waiting for some supplies to come in so they can finish up. So, the middle bathroom upstairs is the only one we can use to shower for now. The toilets and sinks work fine in the other bathrooms, just no showers." Jason sends me an apologetic smile.
"It's okay; I'll deal."
For the next two weeks, I'll be sharing a shower with the ass hat that is Levi Daniels... It's no big deal. I will survive. No guarantee that Levi will, though.
My anxiety starts to pick up as we get closer to the house. I'm not ready to face him.
I see Jason look my way from the corner of my eye. "He's not here right now. Caught a ride to town with one of the guys from the office. Probably won't be back until late tonight."
My eyes snap to my brother before I can stop myself. I quickly mask my face with a neutral expression and shrug. "Okay, doesn't matter to me."
The rest of the walk to the house is filled with awkward silence as neither of us wants to bring up the 6'2" elephant in the room. Jason knows something went down between Levi and me last summer; he just doesn't know exactly what that something is. All he knows is that one day, Levi and I were on excellent terms, and we refused to speak to one another the next.
We continue up the stairs to the spare bedroom in silence. Lucky for me, Levi's room is on the opposite side of the house. It's hard enough staying under the same roof; I don't know what I'd do if my room shared a wall with his.
What would I hear through those walls?
No! Not going to go there. He's a thing of the past, Tessa. You've left him there to rot.
"Sooo, are you ever gonna tell me what happened between you two?" Jason asks cautiously.
I turn around after setting my purse on the dresser in the guest bedroom, facing my brother, who has decided now is the right time to dissect my former relationship- if you can even call it that- with his best friend. Ha, no thanks!
"If it's all the same to you, J, I'd rather not."
I hear Jason sigh behind me as I start busying myself with unpacking. "Okay, that's fine, but someday the two of you need to figure things out. Or at least agree to be civil. You and Levi were so close last summer. We all thought you'd be next in line at the altar."
Tears start to prick my eyes. I used to think the same thing. Before...
I shake away the thoughts of last summer, wiping away the moisture in my eyes. I swallow hard before looking back at Jason. He looks like he's about to say something when he's interrupted by his phone ringing.
He gives me a quick smile before answering the phone. "Hey, babe, what's up?"
His voice fades away as he steps into the hallway to take the call. Another sigh escapes my lips as I brace myself for the next two weeks.
I can do this. Two weeks, then I can get back to my life.
I kick off my shoes and start hanging up my clothes in the closet. My suitcase is nearly empty by the time Jason reappears in the room.
"Hey, that was Charlotte. Do you remember the weekend getaway we had planned for next week?"
The weekend getaway he was talking about was less of a romantic escape for the lovebirds and more of an apology gift in the form of a family vacation. My brother, best friend, her parents, and her aunt's family on her mother's side would all be going. It was her aunt's way of saying sorry for missing their big day.
Charlotte's aunt was a ditzy woman who always seemed to forget things- especially when it was in her best interest. She accidentally booked a cruise for her family the same week as J and Char's wedding. Even though the save the dates were mailed well in advance. She told them she would see them beforehand for a weekend full of fun and relaxation- next week.
"Yeah, Char told me all about it. She said her aunt was footing the bill next weekend at some bougie bed and breakfast three hours away for all of you."
Jason grimaced, and I knew I wouldn't like what came out of his mouth next. He rubbed the back of his neck as he dropped eye contact. "Mmhm. That was the plan. But apparently, she mixed up the dates and booked everything for this weekend."
Oh, no.
I could feel my face fall. When I said nothing, Jason looked back at me. I watched as his gears clicked into motion. "It's okay. I'll tell Char to go ahead with her aunt and her parents without me. They can tell me all about it when they get back Monday. We had everything planned for next weekend, and I'm not turning around and leaving when you just got here."
Jason picked up his phone as if his mind was already made up. More than likely to call Charlotte and cancel their weekend getaway. I caught his hand before he could hit the call button.
"Wait!"
As flighty and narcissistic as Charlotte's aunt could be, the woman had great taste. And I know that my best friend was looking forward to a weekend away from the city where she could indulge in spa treatments, sunset dinners, and romantic horseback rides with Jason before they sank into the craziness that would come with wedding week.
I couldn't take that away from her, even if it meant spending a weekend with no buffer to Levi Daniels. Jason and Char deserved this.
"Don't cancel. Hurry and pack a bag. I'll be fine for a few days without you," I tell J, who is now looking at me cautiously.
"Are you sure? Even with Le-,"
Holding up both hands, I silence the name before it can fall from my brother's lips. "I'll be fine. I promise. And I can see what Colin, Micah, and Leah are up to. Chances are, I won't even be around the house that much. He and I probably won't even cross paths."
I put on a convincing face as my brother debates for a minute. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. Now, go pack!"
Jason gives me a quick hug, promising to make this up to me, before racing to his room to pack.
Half an hour later, he's waving goodbye from his car as he drives to meet Char and her parents. I keep my smile in place until he is good and gone. I let my feelings show only when his taillights are no longer visible.
I hope I make it through this weekend.
Me, Levi, stuck in this house all weekend with no buffer. What could possibly go wrong?
A/N:
Thank you for taking the time to check out The Summer Before. If you are enjoying so far, don't be afraid to vote and/or comment and let me know :)
Every vote and comment helps elevate the story so others will be more likely to find it on Wattpad and hopefully enjoy it as much as you all have.
I have finally decided to start posting this story. I will be posting new chapters on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen this already. I'm so excited for you all to read Tessa and Levi's story, it's been marinating in my head for over a year now, and it's finally time to bring it to my readers. And as a treat, I'll be posting a second chapter today as well. If you enjoyed the first chapter, please let me know, and if you have a guess about what went down between these two, I'm interested in hearing your theories.
Til next time, have a wonderful weekend!
❤️