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Chapter 11
Slowly, Summer moved her eyelids. She didn't know how long she had been sleeping and she felt very tired.
"Miss, are you all right?"
When Summer realized that she was laid on a stretcher, she remembered Brian and Christine. She looked around for them but she couldn't find them.
"Where are my 2 friends?"
A policeman answered, "Your friends? But when we spotted you, you were alone."
This curdled her blood. She agitatedly grabbed the policeman's shirt.
"Quick! Go and find them. They were with me."
"All right. Calm down. We'll go and search for them.
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After having some rest, Summer made a police report. The gangsters were arrested.
"Are my friends all right?"
"Yeah. But the girl is kind of weak. Don't worry. They're fine," the policeman assured her.
"Can I go now?"
"Sign here and you are free to go. Thank you for your co-operation."
"Welcome."
It was already 8:00 p.m. Summer took her thing and headed towards the door when Brian walked in. The moment when their eyes met was poignant for both of the. Each was relieved to see each other alive.
"Sum…" Brian tried to stop him but Summer ignored him and walked out.
"Hey, Brian, let me take down your statement," said the policeman.
"Sorry. I need to talk to her. Can I have back the magazine that I lent you for a while?"
"Sure," he said as he took out a magazine featuring the Backstreet Boys and handed it to Brian.
Without hesitating, Brian went to chase after Summer and found her outside the police station.
"Summer!"
"Summer stopped her steps, backing Brian.
"Summer, listen to me." He walked over to her.
"Spare me, Brian."
"I swam back, you weren't there. Only then it dawned on me that I can't live without you."
"You hurt me, Brian. And now you're sweet-talking. Which are the real you? Is this another game?"
"We tricked each other. Now, we're even. Read this," Brian showed her the magazine but Summer didn't even take a look at it.
"I have to go."
"Summer, I'm Brian of the BSB. Every summer, I spend my vacation here. If you don't believe me, you can ask anyone here. All of them know it."
"So, what does that mean? It only means that you pulled another lie on me."
"I didn't mean it. I thought it wasn't important."
Summer kept quiet.
"We'll sell the beach if you want. If not, I can help you. How much money do you need?"
His words hurt her dignity.
"I don't need your help. I deserve the money even if we sold the beach. You controlled the whole show. You promised not to be like my friends. Now what? They didn't hurt me most, Brian. You did. No more teasing, please."
"I don't mean it."
"But you did it."
"Summer, I…"
"Mr. Littrell, I beg you. When I gained back all my self-esteem, you were the one who swept them all away. Please stop this besetment and let me go with some dignity. Kay?"
Brian couldn't outtalk her. Those words battered Brian's heart as he helplessly looked at her leaving shadow.
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This summer vacation seemed to be very long. Sitting on the verandah, Brian thought of Summer. Alice came and sat beside him.
She sighed, "Are you all right?"
"Are you comforting me?"
"I thought you would cry but you didn't. I'm kind of disappointed. Poor thing."
"Thank you for your concern but I don't need it."
"Don't get it wrong. I mean I pity the girl. You don't know. I was in the café that day. I witnessed the whole thing - including some scenes that you didn't."
"What do you mean?" Brian became interested.
"I saw you left with her. But later, she came back alone and met her friend. The acting became real and the real George really came. It was hard on her to experience her friends' betrayals," she sighed again, "Really sad."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"If I did, you would have gone after her. Now, you can't get her back. Pity is one thing, watching you two broke up is fun. Don't you think it's a revenge on my put?" she said as she laughed in a way that the Brian who seldom lost his temper felt like punching her. But he had no time for it.
"You're wrong," he stood up and walked briskly into the inn, "I can still get her back."
He stopped at the door and turned to Alice who was furious, "Anyway, thanks."
Now, Brian garnered enough courage to apologize to Summer. He flew over to New York with hope to find Summer but with few leads, he omitted in doing so. He was forced to give up and go back to the island.
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After coming back from Malaysia, Summer called her parents and told them the truth. They forgave her and enrolled her into a new college in Florida. Summer wasn't so peevish anymore and she promised that she would behave.
When she unpacked, she came across the blouse Brian's bought for her; she held it for a while and threw it into the dustbin.
When she checked her mail, her mailbox was full of Brian's mails.
'You left and the sun hides.'
'Please respond.'
'The tea inn is short of Mrs. Tea.'
But she deleted all of them without even reading them.
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