Summer Love | Teen Ink

Summer Love

May 9, 2019
By Anonymous

(The Johnson family is hosting a fourth of July barbeque at their house.)

CAROLINE: Hey Mom, where do you want me to put the cups?

BECKY: Put them on the table outside by the grill.  

CAROLINE: Okay. Do you still need me to help you set up or can I go help dad with the grill?

BECKY: You can go help your father, your sister can help me set up. (Becky calls over Avery)

CAROLINE: Thanks. (walks over to the grill to help her Dad) Hey Dad, can I help you with anything?

SCOTT: Sure pumpkin.

CAROLINE: What can I do?

SCOTT: You can start putting the hamburger patties on the grill, and remember five minutes per side! Don’t let them burn! I am going to go put air in the pool floats. (walks towards shed to grab pool floats and pump)

CAROLINE: Alright Dad!

AVERY: Caroline your man is here (makes kissing sound & face)

CAROLINE: He’s not my man!

JONATHAN: (Jonathan walks over to grill; greets and hugs Caroline.) Hey Caroline, how are you doing?

CAROLINE: Hey Jonathan, I’m doing great! Can you do me a favor?

JONATHAN: Sure. What is it?

CAROLINE: Can you please get the pack of hamburger buns and the burger toppings from the kitchen? Can you put them on the outside table?  Thanks!

JONATHAN: Yeah no problem! (Jonathan walks into the kitchen and comes back out to put the burger ingredients on the table. Then, walks back over to Caroline.)

JONATHAN: There you go! Do you need anything else?

CAROLINE: No, I’m good. Thanks! (Caroline calls over her Dad)

SCOTT: Yes sweetie? Hi Jonathan, nice to see you son.

JONATHAN: Hi Sir, nice to see you again.

CAROLINE: Dad, can you take over the grill, so me and Jonathan can hang out?

SCOTT: Sure honey, you kids have fun!

CAROLINE: Come on Jonathan. (walks towards pool and motions for Jonathan to follow)

JONATHAN: What are we going do?

CAROLINE: Just swim and have fun!

JONATHAN: Can we go eat first?

CAROLINE: Sure! I am getting kind of hungry too.

(Caroline and Jonathan walk over to the food table and start making a burger. Jonathan’s younger brother, Derek, is by the table eating chips)

CAROLINE: Hey Derek! Are you having fun?

DEREK: Hey Caroline. Of course I’m having fun. I can’t wait to go swimming

JONATHAN: Derek, why don’t you go ask Avery if she wants to go swimming?

DEREK: Okay.

(Caroline, Jonathan, Derek, and Avery go swimming and watch fireworks for the rest of the night. Their parents talk and catch up.)

(It is now two weeks later. Jonathan walks over to Caroline, who is walking out of her front door.)

JONATHAN: Hey Caroline. I had a lot of fun at your house a few weeks ago. I was hoping I would see you today. I’ve been meaning to ask you if you would like to... um... go see a movie with me?

CAROLINE: I would love to! When?

JONATHAN: The movie is this Saturday at six, so I’ll pick you up at five thirty if that’s alright.

CAROLINE: Sure. It’s a date.

JONATHAN: It’s a date.

(Saturday finally rolls around. Jonathan picks up Caroline at 5:30 like he said he would. They go see the movie. Jonathan dropped her back off at her house afterwards. They had a great time at the movie.)

(ring, ring ring, ring ring ring, ringggggggggg.)

CAROLINE: (picks up her cell phone) Hello?

JONATHAN: Hey Caroline. It’s Jonathan. How are you doing?

CAROLINE: Hey Jonathan. I’m doing good. So what’s up?

JONATHAN: I have some bad news to tell you.

CAROLINE: Okay. What is it?

JONATHAN: I’m moving.

CAROLINE: What? (says loudly)

JONATHAN: I know.

CAROLINE: Why? Where to? How long?

JONATHAN: My mom’s boss is moving her to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I am not sure how long.

CAROLINE: I don’t know what to say.

JONATHAN: I’m so sorry about this.

CAROLINE: Don’t be! We can FaceTime and talk everyday!

JONATHAN: I would like that. I am going to miss you so much.

CAROLINE: I’m gonna miss you too!

JONATHAN: Would you like to hang out later today?

CAROLINE: I would love that!

JONATHAN: How about lunch at Pontiac Coffee House at about two o’clock later today?

CAROLINE: Okay. That’s perfect! I love that place!  

JONATHAN: Great see you later.

(At the Pontiac Coffee House. Caroline is standing in line to order. Jonathan walks in.)

CAROLINE: Hey Jonathan!

JONATHAN: Hey! (hugs Caroline)

CAROLINE: So what are you going to order?

JONATHAN: I’m thinking about ordering a hamburger with french fries and a Coke.

CAROLINE: That sounds good! I think I’m going to order a grilled chicken caesar salad and a Sprite.  

CASHIER: Okay guys your total today is seventeen dollars and eighty-nine cents.

(Caroline starts to take out her wallet to pay.)


JONATHAN: Don’t worry I’ll pay for our meal.

CAROLINE: That’s okay I can pay for my own. Really Jonathan. I got it.

JONATHAN: (Jonathan pays the cashier.) Too late!

CASHIER: Thank you sir. Your order will be out shortly.

CAROLINE: (chuckling) Thanks for paying for me!

JONATHAN: No problem, anything for you.

CAROLINE: Awww! Thanks! I would do anything for you too.

JONATHAN: Thank you. Now let’s go eat. I’m hungry!

CAROLINE: (Caroline nods and laughs) I’ll go grab our table.

JONATHAN: Alright. Our number is fifty nine. I’m going to the bathroom.

CAROLINE: Okay.

CASHIER: Number fifty nine your order is ready. Number fifty nine.

(Caroline goes to the counter and grabs their tray of food, walks back to their table, and sets down the tray. Jonathan comes back from the bathroom.)

CAROLINE: This looks so good.

JONATHAN: I can’t wait to eat. I am so hungry because I forgot to eat breakfast.

CAROLINE: (nods and chuckles) So how long will you be living in Gatlinburg?

JONATHAN: My mom’s boss said it could be for a year, but if she likes it, it could be permanent.  

CAROLINE: Oh, that’s a long time.

JONATHAN: Yeah, I’m not really looking forward to it because I have to go to a new school and make new friends. The worst part is (sighs and looks at Caroline) you won’t be there by my side.

CAROLINE: (Tears slowly fall from her eyes) Aww, that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said. I’m gonna miss you so much. (crying and hugging Jonathan.)

JONATHAN: I going to miss you so much too, but let’s not talk about it. I don’t want to get too upset right now. Besides, we still got a few more days left before I leave.

CAROLINE: Yeah. Let’s talk about something else that’s a little more happy. (wiping her tears with a napkin)

JONATHAN: So is there anything new going on with you?

CAROLINE: No, nothing much. Just the same old thing,

(They ate their lunch and continued talking. After about an hour or so, they decide to go and they walk home together.)

(At the Andrew household, the Johnsons are over and helping with loading luggage into a U-Haul and saying their final goodbyes.)

JONATHAN: Derek, can you please hand me this gray duffle bag please?

DEREK: Sure, where are we all riding? Who is in the U-Haul and who is in mom’s car?

JONATHAN: I think Mom and Dad are in the U-Haul and I'm driving us in Mom's car. We're following them and stopping at a hotel halfway.

DEREK: Okay that’s cool. If I am being honest, I’m not really looking forward to leaving.

JONATHAN: Neither am I, but who is.

CAROLINE: Hey! (hugs Jonathan and Derek) What can I help load?

JONATHAN: Hey! There are a few suitcases out here that can be loaded.

CAROLINE: Okay cool.

AVERY: (Avery comes out by where Jonathan, Derek, and Caroline are.) Hey! Are there any more boxes in the house that I can bring out here?

DEREK: I think there are some in the kitchen. Be careful it has all of our glass plates and bowls.

AVERY: Okay, I’ll be right back.

DEREK: Here I’ll come help you.

(Derek and Avery leave. Jonathan and Caroline finish loading the boxes in U-Haul. They finished packing and everyone is saying their final goodbyes. The Johnsons and Andrews exchange hugs and kind words.)

JONATHAN: Caroline, can I talk to you alone for a minute?

CAROLINE: Yeah sure!

JONATHAN: (Jonathan motions for Caroline to follow him away from the truck.) These few weeks that we have been dating have been the best weeks of my life, which makes it hard for me to say goodbye to you. I’m honestly gonna miss you by my side. I will always remember the good and bad times we had from when we were kids.  

CAROLINE: (tearing up and voice cracking) I’m gonna miss you so much and it hurts that we have to say goodbye, but promise me we’ll stay in contact and talk everyday and that you’ll visit if you do end up living in Gatlinburg.

JONATHAN: I promise. Nothing could ever break my promise. (Chuckling) Who knew this could be so hard?

CAROLINE: I know but we will get through it.

(Caroline and Jonathan go back where their parents are. Derek and Avery are talking in the kitchen.)

DEREK: I’m really gonna miss you. No one's gonna compare to you because you have always been my best friend since we were practically born. (Laughs a little). We are literally partners in crime and we do everything together. I’m gonna miss that.

AVERY: I know. It is really hard saying goodbye to best friends but if Jonathan and Caroline can get through it so can we. I am going to miss you too!

(Caroline and Jonathan hug and say goodbye. After a while it’s time for the Andrews to leave. Jonathan and Derek get into the car and Jonathan drives off following his parents. After they leave, the Johnsons walk back home comforting a sad Caroline.)

(At the Johnson house. Caroline is in her room watching Netflix on her computer, Avery is watching TV downstairs in the living room, Becky and Scott are cooking dinner. Avery then decides to go upstairs to hang out with Caroline. Avery knocks on Caroline’s door.)

CAROLINE: Hey, come in.

AVERY: (Avery walks into Caroline’s room to comfort and talk with her) Hey how are you doing?

CAROLINE: I’m doing fine, but I’m still pretty bummed out that Jonathan will not be here this year.

AVERY: I know it must be hard on you and I can tell you now that it’s hard on him as well being so far from you.

CAROLINE: Thanks Avery, but this year is gonna be hard on both of us because your partner in crime is gone too.

AVERY: I know don’t remind me. What am I gonna do without my best friend?

CAROLINE: I don’t know what to tell you, but we will get through this together. (Caroline’s phone ding; she reads her text message.)

CAROLINE: Jonathan just texted saying that they made it to the hotel safe and sound.

AVERY: Thank goodness.

BECKY: Girls! It’s dinnertime. (Becky yells from the kitchen)

CAROLINE: Okay, Mom. (Caroline yells from her bedroom)

AVERY: What are we having for dinner?

BECKY: We are having shrimp alfredo pasta.

AVERY: That sounds delicious!

(Caroline and Avery head downstairs to eat dinner. Everyone grabs a plate of pasta and sits down at the table for dinner. Caroline is just playing with her pasta around with her fork.)

SCOTT: (says softly) Caroline, I know that you've had a rough day, but you have to eat something.

CAROLINE: I know but I’m just not hungry.

BECKY: What about having a smoothie for dinner instead? We have some chopped fruit in the freezer.

CAROLINE: I guess a that sounds good. (Caroline gets up to grab the fruit from the freezer, milk from the fridge, and the blender from the cabinet.) Does anyone else want a smoothie?

BECKY: No thanks.

SCOTT: No, but thank you though sweetie.

AVERY: No. I’m too full from all this shrimp and pasta, but thanks.

(Caroline puts the ingredients in the blender, turns it on, poors it into a cup, and enjoys a refreshing drink.)

(It is now three months later. Caroline and her family are eating lunch at Fratelli’s Italian Grill. The Andrews are coming back home for good and Jonathan wants to surprise Caroline, so they were told to keep it a secret.)

CAROLINE: This food is so good! Thanks for bringing us to lunch Dad.

SCOTT: No problem sweetie. (Smiles)

BECKY: Caroline, how has school been so far this year?

(At about this time, Jonathan walks in to the restaurant. Caroline’s back is to him.)

CAROLINE: It has been a little weird without Jonathan, but I think I’m getting used to it.

JONATHAN: (He walks up behind Caroline.) It has been weird for me too without seeing you.

CAROLINE: Oh my gosh! (She immediately bursts into tears and throws her arm around him.)

JONATHAN: (He hugs her.) We didn’t like Gatlinburg, Caroline. We are here to stay. Which reminds me, Caroline would you give me the honor of being my girlfriend?

CAROLINE: Yes of course! I’d thought you’d never ask. (Laughs a little.)

(Caroline and Jonathan gratefully enjoy the rest of their Junior and Senior years together. Derek and Avery become even closer of friends. Finally, Becky and Scott spend their free time relaxing and seeing the joy on their daughters’ faces as they spend time with their friends.)



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