Together at Last
Companion to Season 1, Chapters 13-14: Summer’s Perspective
As Hannah and Don made their first appearance as husband and wife, Summer headed down the steps into the bunker. It’s kind of cozy down here, she thought. She looked around and breathed in the quiet. I wonder where Travis headed off to. Suddenly, she heard a quiet whimper.
“Travis?” she called out, concerned as her high pitched voice rang down the hall.
Summer headed down the corridor until she reached a door at the very end. “Travis, are you in there?”
Choking back tears, Travis quietly responded. “Yeah, I’m here.”
She turned the doorknob and found Travis under the blankets. “Now, now. Don’t do this to yourself. You’re too good for this,” she said.
He pulled the blankets down, revealing his tear stricken face. “I can’t believe she went through with it.”
“Well that’s Hannah for you. That girl will never notice how great you are. You’re sweet and smart…and sexy as hell.”
Travis blushed. “Summer — please.”
Summer smiled. “I’m just saying, if she won’t have you, I know about a million girls who would.” She timidly raised her hand and looked at his face hoping to see a smile but instead, he was still looking down, devastated. She quickly slid her hand up into her side swept bangs, brushing them away from her eye.
“Look Travis. Hannah is married now. You can’t keep doing this to yourself and you can’t wait anymore for her to wake up. I think it’s time you take that job offer out of town.”
Travis put his face into the palm of his hands and shook his head. Days earlier, he had been offered a new job on the eSports track in San Myshuno. He always dreamed of having a startup gaming company of his own, but maybe fate was telling him to be an eSports competitor instead.
“I don’t know,” he said as he shook his head. “It’s like every sign is telling me this isn’t happening. But… in my heart —“ he stopped and looked up at Summer with his swollen red eyes. “In my heart, I don’t believe this is over yet.”
Summer tried to nod supportively before taking a deep breath. She knew what she had to say would devastate him, but she had no choice. “It’s over, Travis. She doesn’t love you. She’s never going to love you.”
Travis wiped another tear from his eye. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I do need to finally let her go.”
The two of them looked at each other. As Summer held his gaze, her mind wandered. Maybe one day he’ll see that I understand him more than anyone. I know exactly how he feels about Hannah because it’s exactly how I feel about him. As she parted her bubblegum pink lips, prepared to confess her feelings for him, Brent, Hannah’s best friend, swung opened the door.
“Hey guys! What’s going on down here? Is this like, the secret bunker?” he said looking around. “Pretty darn weird!” Brent smiled at them. “Okay. Seriously guys, why is this a wedding venue? Don had to have picked this one, right?”
Travis smiled for the first time all night as he looked at Summer. “Maybe if I just wait a little longer… Who knows? Maybe Don will get eaten by a dinosaur here in Strangerville or something. Stranger things have happened, right?”
Brent laughed. “Honestly, I don’t think anyone would be upset if that happened.” Brent patted Travis on the back. “We were all rooting for you, buddy.”
Summer shot Brent a look. Stop trying to support this. He’s not meant for Hannah. He’s meant for — she cut off her own thoughts as she looked back at him. “Seriously Travis, you need to move. You need to get away from all of this. Why would you want to be her second choice anyways?” She rolled her eyes as she heard herself. I guess that’s a tad hypocritical of me considering I don’t mind being his second choice.
Summer stood up and walked over to him. “I’ll see you at home, okay? This move will be good for you. You’ll see,” she said, before giving him a friendly kiss on the cheek.
As Summer left the bunker, she spotted Dina and Don sneaking off to the closet together. I better get Travis out of town before Hannah and Don go kaput, she worried to herself. From a distance, she spotted Hannah, sitting alone in her wedding dress at the picnic table. Shit. This is going south fast. I’m really running out of time.
Summer quickly headed home. As she got inside, she walked past Liberty’s bedroom.
Liberty glanced out at the doorway as she saw a shadow skipping by. “Summer, is that you?”
Summer poked her head in with a wide grin stretched across her face. “It’s me! Guess what?!”
“What?” Liberty said.
“Guess who’s taking that job in San Myshuno after all?!”
“Travis is going? Wow! That’s great!” she smiled. “Good for him.”
“And guess who’s going with him?”
Liberty cocked her head to the side confused. “Did he finally win over that woman he was crushing on?” She often stayed out of her roommates affairs, but she couldn’t help overhear him mooning over Hannah each time she visited.
“Nope,” Summer smiled. “I’ll catch you up on it later. I don’t have a lot of time,” Summer said before rushing to her room.
As she ran into her bedroom, she looked at the walls. They’re so bare. I really should’ve spent more time decorating this room. Oh well! I hope the next person who lives here puts some pictures up. She glanced at her bedside table and spotted a picture she took of Travis last summer.
I told him he should move away…but I never mentioned to him that I would be moving with him. What a surprise this will be, she thought giddily.
She began stuffing her clothes inside of her suitcase, when her phone suddenly dinged. It was a text message from Travis.
“Hannah and Don broke up. She told me she loved me but I told her I’m moving and it will never happen. I’ll tell you more tomorrow. Okay? Thanks for looking out for me.”
Summer suddenly felt a rush of joy wash over her. As she held the phone to her heart, she fell back onto her bright blue bedspread. It was her time. It was finally happening.
She giddily closed her eyes, ready to drift off to sleep. Tomorrow, when I wake up, my life will be changed forever…I’m finally going to be with my Travis.
