Every Summer After

by Carley Fortune

His shoulders, arms, and legs all carried more bulk, and his butt was … well, it could no longer be mistaken for a Frisbee.

“I can’t believe you still have it. I don’t think I even have a copy anymore,” I say with disbelief. “Well, you can’t have mine.” He grins. “It’s dedicated to me, if you’ll remember.”

I could see the agony and worry on his face, but I was angry and embarrassed, even though, somewhere deep, I knew what he was saying made sense.

16yo Sam is very mature

But when I sit back to look up at him, his brows are furrowed. “I loved you,” he whispers. “I know,” I say. Hurt eyes move across my face. “You broke my heart.” “I know that, too.”

“Actually,” I said, moving my feet off his lap and sitting up with my knees bent out in front of me, pressing my toes into his thigh, “the human body is pretty sexy. I mean, not the picture of that skinless man you’re looking at …” “It’s a diagram of the muscular system, Percy,” he said, turning his face to me.

“Done with anatomy lessons for today?” he asked, his voice hoarse and deep. I swallowed and shook my head. His eyes flashed with victory, and he shimmied the shirt up higher.

but I couldn’t help feeling like I was standing on the ground while everyone else boarded a rocket ship.

“You can forgive me?” I whisper. “I forgave you years ago, Percy.”