The Summer of Broken Rules

by K.L. Walther

He shrugged. “They got married. They got married, and I suddenly had four siblings who made me feel like shit at first. Four siblings who made me feel forgotten, because watching my dad with them…” He trailed off. “It was obvious how much he loved them.” “You felt replaced,” I said. “Yes, I did, and I held that grudge for a long time—long

“It’s one of those special places where you feel like time doesn’t exist. Where it will always be summer, where I’ll always wake up with you.” My body began trembling. “Well, that’s not how it works,” I said. “It may feel that way, but it’s an illusion—a fantasy. This week will end. It will.”

He squeezed my hand. “Let’s pretend.” Pretend. I knew what he was suggesting. Let’s pretend that time doesn’t exist. Let’s pretend that this week isn’t ending. Let’s pretend that we will always be us—happy, sunburnt, and tangled up together.

It would hurt. It would really hurt, but it would be wonderful, too—one last perfect day with him. “All right,” I whispered, squeezing his hand back. “We’ll pretend.”