Summer
HELP! I butt dialed Matthew when I was walking out of Drawing š£
Annie
Waitā¦you told me you were going to delete his number!
Annie
Remember? After the two of you broke up OVER THREE MONTHS AGO?
Annie
You still have a thing for him, donāt you?
Annie
Good, bc you told me not to let you think about Matthew.
Annie
And that if you tried to convince me that you guys were meant to beā¦
Annie
I should remind you that heās uptight and youāre a free spirit.
Annie
You š were š not š meant š for š each š other š
Summer
Annie, could you stop lecturing me for a sec?
Summer
What should I do about the butt dial?
Summer
Heās going to see that I called him! What if he assumes Iām still into him??
Annie
Well, first of all, you clearly ARE.
Summer sighs in resignation.
Her heart beats with a sharp, achy rhythm as she thinks about Matthewās dark eyes and hairā
And about how she would swoon whenever he kissed herā¦
Annie
But listen ā just block his number and DELETE him, okay?
Annie
You were inconsolable after the breakup.
Summer
Well, it felt like I was losing one of the best parts of myselfā¦
Annie
Exactly. And you donāt want to be that way again, right?
Summer
Right. Iām deleting now.
Annie
Okay then. Gotta go ā my sister just pulled up to take me to lunch off campus.
Annie
You can do this, Summer. Stay strong and donāt think about Matthew.
Itās finally spring, but thereās still a bite in the air. She tugs her sweater around her body.
While the lunchtime crowd passes her by, she just stares at her phone.
Annie is right ā itās time to move on.
With a heavy heart, Summer brings up her contacts andā
The phone dings with a text from Matthew.
Matthew
Iām in the library so I canāt really talk.
Summer SHOULD ignore and delete himā¦
But a wave of fresh, jagged hurt overcomes her.
Summer
Donāt get your hopes up, Matthew. It was only a butt dial.
Summer waits for moreā¦but thereās nothing.
She always hated when he blew her off!
Summer
I see youāre still really good at paying zero attention to me.
Matthew
Did you butt dial me just so we could relive the last argument we had?
Summer
No, I butt dialed you because I forgot to delete your number.
Summer
Donāt give me that face like I kept your number on purpose.
Summer
No! And arenāt you kind of being a hypocrite anyway?
Summer
You knew that I called you, so my number must still be in your contacts too.
Matthew
Maybe Iāve been too busy with my Econ classes to fiddle with my phone.
Summer
Actually, Iām glad I butt dialed you ā so I can remember why we suck as a couple.
Matthew
Yeah. I almost forgot about how you were always on my case.
Summer
About loosening up and having more fun in life?
Summer
That counts as being on your case?
Matthew
Summer, if it were up to you, I would never studyā¦
Matthew
Which is exactly what I was trying to do before you called.
Matthew
Yes, I am so boring.
Then why is her pulse pounding so hard?
Summer shakes it off as another text appears.
Matthew
The thing is, you didnāt ALWAYS think I was boring š
Matthew
I didnāt seem to bore you that night we went to the lake after Homecoming.
Heat washes through Summer at the memoryā
Matthew kissing her in that sensitive spot behind her ear and making her squeal softlyā¦
ā¦trailing his lips down her neck and making her squirmā¦
ā¦whispering sweet nothings and making her meltā¦
Summer
The only time we ever got along was when we wereā¦physical.
Matthew
Thatās not true.
Matthew
You used to tell me everythingā
Matthew
How it hurt when your dad left your familyā¦
Matthew
How you dream about being a Disney Imagineer one dayā¦
Matthew
How sometimes, you canāt sleep because youāre afraid of life after high school.
Summer gulps, but the lump in her throat wonāt go away.
A few minutes pass, then her phone dings.
Matthew
Hell, Iām just going to be honest.
Matthew
When we broke up, it felt like I lost one of the best parts of me.
Summer lets his words sink in.
This whole time, Matthewās been feeling the exact same way she has.
Matthew
Iāve done a lot of thinking this past month.
Matthew
And all I can think of is you.
Summerās heart nearly explodes with warmth.
But then suddenly, it feels as if itās folding into itself.
Sheās paralyzed with fear.
What if she and Matthew make the same mistakes they made before?
Matthew
Good, because I just poured my guts out to you.
Matthew
A response would be great right about now.
Her heart is twisting every which way.
Matthew
You know why I couldnāt delete your number, right?
Matthew
Itās because Iām still crazy about you.
Summer
But thatās the problem, isnāt it?
Summer
We make each other absolutely crazy.
Matthew
Itās true that thereās a friction between usā¦
Matthew
But that can be a good thing, right?
Matthew
That friction created all those sparks between us.
Matthew
God, I miss those sparks so much.
Summer
Yes, but Matthewā¦you hurt me.
Summer
And I know that I probably hurt you.
Summer
What if we hurt each other again?
Matthew
What if we decide we wonāt? What if we promise?
Matthew
This endless winter has given me time to learn from the mistakes we made.
Matthew
I know we started off on the wrong foot today, but itās only becauseā¦
Summer
Because weāre both still hurting.
Summer closes her eyes, then opens them again.
She misses those sparks, tooā¦
But she misses their talks most of all.
Because they didnāt just hold each other physically when they were togetherā¦
Each would hold up the other person to keep them thriving.
Itās as if her feet have a mind of their own.
Theyāre taking her to a place that has her adrenaline surgingā¦
Summer
I know I donāt always need to tell you to stop studying.
Summer
The truth is, I like that youāre motivated. Itās impressive.
Matthew
God, Summer, itās really nice to hear you say that.
Matthew
Iām sorry I snapped at you earlier.
Summer
I snapped first. You were only snapping back.
Matthew
So can we agree that thereāll be no more snapping?
Summer has arrived at the library, where Matthew is sitting at one of the oak tables.
As if he senses her, he looks up from his phone, then slowly stands.
Even from across the library, Summer can see the hope in his gaze.
That hope gives her the courage to stand tallā
While he crosses the room until theyāre next to each other, inches apart.
Matthew
What if I promise to loosen up?
Summer
What if I promise to get more serious?
She touches a button on his shirt, and he enfolds her hand in his.
Summer
Just donāt loosen up TOO much, okay?
Matthew
And donāt you get TOO serious.
Summer
Maybe we can meet somewhere in the middle this time.
Thatās exactly what they do as he leans his forehead against hers.
He draws her into his armsā¦
And brings her back to where she always belonged.
