Page 4 of Summer’s Echo

My artificial smile melted into something genuine as my eyes locked on a gorgeous girl who seemed to light up the space around her without even realizing it.

Her caramel skin glowed under the sunlight, and her curves stopped me in my tracks.

A delicate floral scent lingered in the air as she walked by, teasing my senses and leaving me completely dumbstruck.

I couldn’t help but notice how her denim jumper fit her just right, hugging her in all the perfect ways without looking overly tight like so many of the other girls who passed by.

Her straight hair swayed with every step, bouncing lightly as she turned to flash me a fake smile.

But even that small gesture hit me like a jolt, leaving me standing there wondering who she was.

“Summer, I expect you to be in uniform before the welcome event,” Marissa called over her shoulder, the chipper tone a bit sterner.

“I’m going to change now, Marissa,” the pretty girl sang, rolling her eyes with a playful smirk.

Summer , I thought. Yeah, that name fit her perfectly. Bright, warm, and impossible to ignore.

Marissa turned her focus back to me. “Alright, Echo, say your goodbyes, and I’ll take you to your lodge,” she said, pressing her clipboard to her chest.

Her voice snapped me out of my daze because I was still focused on Summer. Marissa stared at me, her eyes silently signaling for me to hurry up.

I hugged my mother tightly, then turned to my little sister, Sadie, who had cried nonstop until my parents finally let her tag along for the ride.

At just eight years old, she had no problem making it clear that I was, hands-down, her favorite person.

Squatting to her level, I planted a soft kiss on her forehead, and she immediately threw her arms around my shoulders, holding on like she never wanted to let go.

“Write to me, okay?” I said, my voice gentle.

“Okay. I promise,” she whined, her tone thick with reluctance, as though even the thought of me leaving was too much for her to take.

Standing, I shook my dad’s hand. He nodded, and I nodded back.

That was all we needed—no hugs, just a nod of respect and understanding.

Obi Abara wasn’t exactly the emotional type, but I knew what that nod meant.

It said everything he didn’t have to. With one last glance at my family, I turned and followed Marissa, ready—or at least as ready as I could be—for whatever this new chapter at Camp Summit Quest had in store.

The counselors’ lodge was way better than the setup at Camp Wildwood.

This place felt more like a cool apartment—four people to a room, a shared bathroom, and an open living area where we could just chill.

When Marissa introduced me to my roommates—Maxell, Kyle, and Bryant—I immediately felt at ease.

They were a lot like me: into rap music, especially Jay-Z; crazy about sports, specifically basketball; and always had an eye for pretty girls.

It didn’t take long to feel like I could vibe with them.

Marissa let us know that we had about fifteen minutes to meet in the common area, so I headed to my room.

On the bottom bunk, I saw an envelope with my name written on it, two pairs of khaki shorts, and a few camp shirts neatly folded.

I quickly changed and caught up with my new roommates, falling into step with them as we made our way out.

Whatever was coming next, I hoped I was ready.

The outdoor auditorium buzzed with energy, filled with counselors fitted in matching camp gear.

Up front, several senior counselors took turns speaking, reviewing the rules and procedures for the summer.

My attention, however, wandered as my gaze darted around the space, taking in the scene.

Counselors laughed and hugged, catching up like old friends—most of them probably hadn’t seen each other since last summer.

And then there was me. Definitely the new guy. Curious glances and subtle whispers of Who’s he? Where’ s he from? floated in my direction. I brushed off the questioning stares, determined not to let them bother me—at least, until I saw her. Summer.

She was sitting a few rows over, eyeing me as another girl leaned close, whispering something in her ear.

Summer’s reaction was typical for a girl—she rolled her eyes dramatically—and I couldn’t help myself.

I laughed loud enough for her to notice.

For the briefest second, our eyes locked, and something about her made all my worries about being the new kid fade into the background.

I walked with my roommates as they introduced me to a few of the other guys.

We’d just finished reviewing the schedule and getting our camper group assignments, so everyone was hanging around, waiting for the next set of instructions.

I exchanged daps with a couple of the guys, starting to feel a little more at ease.

But just as I was settling in, I heard Marissa call my name.

“Echo, can you come here for a second?” Marissa asked, waving me over from the front of the space.

Since I was into drawing and graphic design, I was assigned to co-lead the Quest Creative Crew.

Marissa described it as the group for campers who lived and breathed creativity, finding expression through every form of art imaginable.

I was excited to sketch by the lake and build unique fixtures from materials we’d gather from the woods.

Art was like breathing for me, and I was ready to help these kids craft their next masterpiece.

“Hey, Marissa,” I said, huffing as I jogged over after crossing the quad.

She shot me an awkward look and then turned toward her .

Summer was so damn pretty. Her shoulder-length hair was now pulled into a high ponytail, showing off her silky skin, sprinkled with the cutest freckles at the peaks of her cheeks.

She had doelike, dark brown eyes framed by clear glasses, and when the sun hit them just right, a hint of hazel was revealed.

Even under the t-shirt and khaki shorts, Summer was thick.

“Summer, this is Echo. He’s here from St. Louis, and it’s his first year at Camp Quest as a senior counselor. I expect you to show him the ropes,” Marissa instructed.

I grinned with my hand extended to greet her, but to my surprise, Summer frowned. “Show him the ropes?” she repeated, clearly not happy. “What do you mean?”She didn’t even try to erase the scowl from her pretty face.

“Every year, you say that you need help with the Creative Crew, and Echo’s your guy. He started a computer art class thingy or something like that at his last camp,” Marissa said, continuing her introduction as if my résumé needed more padding.

“It was actually a computer-aided drafting class,” I corrected, unable to hide the big, proud grin spreading across my face. “I taught campers how to draw objects on the computer using a software program.”

Summer’s sharp gaze snapped from me to Marissa, her expression shifting faster than I could process. “Yeah, okay, that’s cool and all,” she said, her tone laced with impatience, “but I thought Trinity was helping me this year.” She narrowed her eyes slightly.

“Trinity is on swimmer duty this year,” Marissa shot back. “Now, Summer Knight, meet Echo Abara. I trust that you two will work together to make this summer unforgettable for your campers,” she said, nodded firmly, then walked away.

Summer’s grimace was growing, and it was starting to piss me off.

She didn’t even know me, yet she looked at me like I’d stolen her iPod or something.

“I pretty much already have the activities scheduled for the campers, so…” her voice trailed off, and she shrugged. “I guess you can just follow my lead.”

A soft snicker slipped through my lips.“Nah, Summer Moon… That’s not how this works.”

She rolled her eyes so hard it was a wonder they didn’t get stuck.

Her arms folded tight across her chest, begging my pardon.

“My name is Summer. Not Summer Moon, not Sunny Day, not Midsummer’s Night Dream, or any other stupid joke you can come up with about my name.

Trust me, I’ve heard it all. If you can’t refer to me as such, then I suggest you find another assignment,” she shot back, not backing down.

And honestly…I loved that shit.

I stepped closer, towering over her petite frame. Biting the corner of my lip, amusement flickered across my face. I was already looking forward to fucking with her all summer long.Leaning down, I whispered, “I wasn’t joking about your name, just pointing out how bright you shine…like the sun.”

I heard her breath hitch as she swallowed hard, pushing her glasses farther up on her nose. Her fan of curly lashes fluttered while she blinked rapidly. “Now, Summer, I’m ready to follow your lead. Show me the way.”