*****
Summer smiled as she remembered that night. That was the night that they had stayed up together and just talked. It was also the night that she told him she was a virgin for the first time.
~~~~
"So how many guys have you dated?"
"Two, and before you say anything, I know its pathetic. I can't just date someone just because he's hot. I'm not that type of girl. There has to be something else for me to see."
"You're dating Matt though, so that's not exactly true now is it? Were they serious?"
"Partially. I mean I never slept with either one of them or anything."
"Wait a second here, you had two serious boyfriends and you never made love to either one of them?"
"No Jeff I didn't. I have this huge standard that they have to overcome and they didn't. So before you ask me, yes I am a 24 year old virgin."
"I wasn't going to ask that, its personal for you, but I respect that. Why the long wait?"
"Something didn't feel right with my two boyfriends at the time, and me and Matt are just starting out. I want it to mean something to me when it's the right time. When I fall in love with someone, like really deeply, I want to feel everything. Every feeling, every spark that's involved. Does that make any sense?"
"It does, it makes all the sense in the world. I'm not a virgin myself, so I don't have the same motivations as you, but you make complete sense. I've not thought about it the way you have before I guess."
Summer smiled. She was always afraid to approach the subject of virginity with guys, but with Jeff it just fit, and it felt very comfortable.
~~~~
Summer went back to her lyric book and read over again what Jeff had scribbled down on the page. Did he write it in the hopes that she would read it? Was it even about her? Or did he just forget to rip it up when he was done?"
There was a knock on her door, breaking her out of her thoughts. She wasn't expecting anyone until later, so it took her a little off guard. She opened the door and saw Jeff standing there with his hands hidden behind his back. She ushered him in and shit the door. The heat outside that day wad heavy and she didn't want to drag it into the house.
"Before you say anything Summer, I need to talk to you. I need to get something out there."
"Okay, I'm listening..."
"I'm a huge idiot, and oh wait! These are for you." Jeff pulled the flowers from behind his back and passed them to her. She took them and walked with them towards the kitchen to put them in a vase with some water. Jeff followed behind her and sat down at her table. He saw the picture of the two of them sitting there and smiled.
"So, you had something you wanted to tell me?"
"Yes actually I do. Summer.... About that kiss.... God I don't even know how to say this."
"You didn't want it, it's pretty easy to say Jeff."
"No Summer, I wanted that kiss. I've wanted that kiss since the day I met you and we became friends. I laid off on you because you liked my brother, but I've always wanted you." Jeff noticed that Summer was about to say something and he put his finger on her lips.
"Just let me finish before you talk alright?"
"Okay...."
"The day that Matt cheated on you, and he asked me to come out here to check on you, I wanted to be with you, for you. We're such great friends and over the last month, I've found myself having to stop myself from touching you, and holding you because I might love you, and I know you don't need that right now."
"You wanted that kiss? You felt what I felt?" Summer choked out between the tears falling down her cheeks.
"Yes baby, I've always felt this way, but I needed you to see it, and see me. When Vince and Eric first came to me with the idea of us being an on air item, I thought it was my chance, but you beat me too it."
"But your face... you just looked at me like I did something wrong."
"You floored me that's all. You took me off guard and usually that doesn't happen much with me. I love how you made me feel when you kissed me on Monday."
Summer sighed and sat down at the table in the chair next to his. She hadn't expected him to show up here and be this honest with her. She'd had no idea that he wanted her as much as she wanted him when she'd kissed him.
"Summer tell me what you're thinking?"
"Do you remember the night about eight months ago, when you jumped the volcano and we talked all night?"
"I remember it like it was yesterday, why?"
"Well remember when I told you I wanted sparks, and someone who understood me?"
"Yes.."
"You are the only one I've ever felt sparks with. When I kissed you on Monday, I felt heat. Something I've never felt before. You understand me Jeff, better then anyone ever has, that including your brother."
"I felt it too. When Trish told me you ran out of the arena and we're coming home, I knew I had to tell you. Summer, I didn't want to make things more complicated for you. Plus, Matt is my brother, and you were his girl. I didn't want to make anyone get hurt."
"Jeff?"
"Yeah?"
"You could only complicate my life if you weren't in it. I have a little residual pain from the breakup with Matt and everything that has happened since, but I'll tell you the same thing I told him the last time we spoke. There is someone healing that pain, and it's you Jeff. I thought I'd complicated things for you when I kissed you."
"Summer No! Don't ever think like that."
It was really nice to know that she wasn't alone in the way she was feeling. Summer took another look at Jeff and smiled.
"Did you mean for me to find your song in my book?"
"God, did I leave it there? No, I didn't mean for it to happen. I actually just threw down some thoughts. Shane tried to convince me to tell you and I came back here one day while you were healing and just wrote."
"It was beautiful."
"Not as much as you are, and no that wasn't a line. Look, where do we go from here now Summer?"
"Where do you want to go Jeff?" Summer questioned in a whisper.
"Over the past year, I've gotten to know you better then anyone else, and I think I may be slowly falling in love with you. Summer, I want us to be together, I want to be able to come home with you from the road and know we just don't live across the street from one another. That we are actually together."
"I want that too. Why did it take us so long so get here, in this moment, right now?"
"I think it's because we were scared and you had been burned before, pretty badly. I didn't expect it to be easy for us. So will you be my girlfriend? Or is it still too soon for that?" Jeff asked with a sense of urgency and fear in his eyes.
"It's still too soon baby. I care about you so much, and I don't want anyone else in my life if it can't be you. I just need some time to be me, and figure out who I am before I become Jeff Hardy's girlfriend. I mean I just broke away from that with Matt."
"You don't have to explain, we can just see one another for the moment, until things feel right again. Plus we don't need it going around the locker room, its bad enough Trish and Shane already know."
Summer reached over and shifted herself onto Jeff's lap. She gently stroked his face and ran her fingers through his hair.
"So, do you want to test those sparks from Monday again?"
"I'd like nothing more princess...." Jeff brought Summer's face closer to his and gently kissed her. The feeling he got when he touched her lips was electric. He had never felt anything like it before. He couldn't believe he had waited so long to have this girl in his arms.
Summer deepened the kiss and wrapped her arms around Jeff's neck. Being here with him felt so right. She was so glad he'd come home to her. She pulled away from him trying to catch her breath.
"If we keep doing that it's going to lead somewhere that neither one of us is ready for." Jeff stated before gently kissing her nose.
"I know Jeff, it just felt so right, being here with you."
Before Jeff could answer her back, his cell phone started ringing in his pocket. He reached in and grabbed it and read the number. Seeing his own number flashing back at him, he felt thrown for a loop. Who would be calling from his house?
"Hello?"
"Jeff, its Matt, I'm at your house, where the hell are you?"
"I'm at Summer's, remember, the house right across the street?"
"I'll be right there."
"Matt what is this about?"
"It's about Monday night, and what I saw happen. We need to talk now bro."
"Stay there, I'll be right home. I don't want anything said over here."
Jeff closed his cell phone and looked up at Summer, who had a confused look on her face.
"Matt's at my house, and he saw Raw, and our kiss no doubt. I'm going to go home and deal with it."
"Just don't hit him this time alright?"
"I think I'm the one that's going to be hit princess."
"Just don't fight with him then. This isn't worth losing a brother over. Maybe we should just rethink this whole thing." Summer said running her fingers through her hair nervously.
Jeff pulled her face quickly to his and gently kissed her. "When I kiss you, it's worth just about anything."
"I know, I feel the same..."
"Then don't worry about me alright? Let me handle Matt, and then I can take you out somewhere so we can really be alone, and away from everything."
"Okay Jeff, but please be careful."
Jeff stood up and kissed her forehead "I will baby, I'll see you soon." He got up and walked out of her kitchen and out the door. Summer went to the counter and smelled the flowers for the first time. Moving over she watched as Jeff ran across the street to Matt. She really hoped that everything would be all right.
*******
******************
"Don't start out here Matt, she's probably watching us." Jeff unlocked the door and let his brother in the house. Closing the door behind him, Jeff turned to face whatever Matt had to say.
"So do you want to tell me what the hell that was on Raw? How much convincing did you have to do with Jim, to make the writers do that for you? How could you kiss my girlfriend?"
"Matt, do you want to have a civil conversation here, or a yelling match? Because right now I could go either way, if you push me hard enough, and she isn't your girlfriend."
"I just want to know why my brother of all guys would make a play for my girl a month after we break up? I don't think that's too much to ask here." Matt stated before taking a seat on the couch.
"You know what bro? I was approached for the story, and not in the way you think either. Summer agreed to do it, and so did I. Its our job Matt. You did the same thing with Amy."
"Okay, I understand that, but since the day Summer left me, you've been by her side. You want to try and convince me that you don't have a thing for her?"
"I've always liked her Matt, she's just like me for crying out loud. I love her company, so sue me. What do you want me to say to you?"
"Why her Jeff? Why choose the one girl that I can't let go of."
"You messed up bro, and the last time I checked, me and Summer were both adults. Why can't we see one another? I live across the street from her for Christ's sakes."
"Because I love her Jeff, that's why. I know she loves me too."
"I'm not saying she doesn't love you, but she needs to do her own thing right now. Can't you get this? You broke her spirit Matt, and she had to rebuild it, on her own."
"Okay well listen, I'm talking to you brother to brother now. Do you plan on being with Summer right now?"
"Matt... man, you need to let this go. As of right now, she is a single woman. Yes we're friends and that's where it stands. I've told her how I feel, and she has in turn told me how she feels. She needs to find herself again, and when she does, then she will decide who she wants to be with, if anyone at all. That's all I can tell you."
As he listened to Jeff saying what he needed to say to make everything make sense; Matt came to a realization. He was so shocked that he hadn't seen it before.
"You love her too, don't you?"
"You know what bro? I think I loved her since the day she walked into our lives, and it just took me this long to sort it all out, and understand it."
"What are we doing here Jeff? I don't want to fight with you over a girl man. We've never done this before. I really don't like it."
"No we haven't and I don't know what to do here Matt. I can't not be around her, I work pretty damn closely with her."
"She thinks we're over here fighting and killing each other doesn't she?"
"Yeah pretty much man. We scared her that day when I hit you."
"For what its worth now, thank you for being there for her. I'm glad if it was anyone, that it was you bro. She told me that someone was helping her heart mend, and I had an idea it was you. No matter what happens, we're still brothers. I'm sorry I lost it before."
"Don't worry about it, I'm sorry I punched you."
"Listen Jeff, just go be with her. I know that's where you want to be. Plus I need to get home and unpack."
"Okay, you going to be home all night?"
"Yeah, I need to clear my head and work on the house."
"Then I'll call you. Maybe we can go out back and look at all of our old hideouts or something."
"Later Jeff."
********
Jeff walked across the street to Summer's house and noticed her car gone. Thinking she might have just put it in her garage, he jogged up the front door and that's when he saw the note.
~~~~
@---(---Jeff----)-----@
I've gone to my sister's to clear my head. I've been sitting here thinking while you are over there with Matt, and I can't have you two fighting over me, I'm not worth it. I'll be on Raw on Monday night; I won't leave you hanging. I just need this week to relax and to find myself. Please make sure you make up with Matt, he's all you have in the world. I miss you already Rainbow.
@---(---Summer-----)----@
~~~~~~
Jeff ripped the note off the door and threw it in anger on the ground. Why did she always have to run away when things got hard? Him and Matt had come to a stop with the fighting, a mutual understanding, and now she'd run off again. He knew he shouldn't have left her alone.
Jeff walked over to his house and opened the door. He saw Matt on the phone and by the expression on his face it wasn't good either.
"Who is it Matt?"
"It's dad."
"What does he need? I can be right there."
"He doesn't need anything Jeff. He's fine, he is calling because there's a girl in his living room who is very messed up over us."
"Oh god, it's Summer. Matt give me the phone." Jeff said trying to grab the phone out of his brother's hand.
"How do you know it's Summer? It could just be another crazy fan of ours. You know we get tons of them now." Matt explained rolling his eyes at Jeff's attempts to grab the phone.
"Matt, she's gone. She said she was going to her sister's, but she must have gone to Dad's. Please give me the phone Matt."
Matt handed the phone over to his brother and went back into the kitchen to make something to eat. He watched as Jeff paced back and forth, trying to get information from their father.
"Dad, what does she look like?"
"Purple hair, kind of a mess like yours son. She's here in tears because you two boys are fighting over there? Is that true boy?"
"No dad, we aren't fighting, Listen do me a favor okay?"
"Sure son, what's the favor?"
"Let her stay there for a few days. Tell her not to go to her sister's. We'll both leave her alone and everything. Let her have my old room since it has the bigger bed. She needs to sort some stuff out and I want her to be okay, so can you do that?"
"Sure, I won't mind the company, and she smiles like you do Jeffrey."
"Make her smile dad, until I can figure all of this mess out."
"She like country music boy?"
"She loves it. Just play her some on your guitar, I'm sure it will help. Tell her I love her and I'll see her Monday night in Seattle."
"Will do, and can you do me a favor son?"
"Yeah of course dad, what do you need?"
"Tell your brother the next time I see him, I'm going to whip his ass for what he's done to this girl. She seems too outgoing for this crying business."
"Okay dad, take care of her for me."
Jeff placed the phone down and went into the kitchen to find Matt. He wasn't going to tell him what their father had said; he didn't want to hear the response right now. He just had to wait out the time until Monday.
"That was crazy Jeff. Why would she just run to Dad? He's never even met her before."
'Yes he has Matt. You might not have brought her by to meet him, but one of the times we were hanging out, I did. He's concerned about her though, but we've got to give her time to sort this all out. She thinks we were killing each other though. Dad confirmed it."
"Dad will take of her now. There's nothing else we can do but give her the time she needs."
"I know Matt, but it still sucks."
***********
********
Summer woke up to the streaming light threw her window. She rubbed her eyes and looked around, realizing where she was. She stretched and got out of the bed. She looked out the window and saw the most peaceful vision she'd ever seen. There were acres of land beautifully strewn out for miles and glowing in the sun.
"So this is what Jeff saw everyday growing up."
"He did, but after so many years, I think he grew to hate it."
Summer spun around on her heels as Gil came up behind her and looked out at his land. The land had belonged to the Hardy's for hundred of years, dating back as far as some of his ancestors. He was very proud to say he owned it, and even worked off of it over the years.
"Mr. Hardy, did I wake you?"
"Missy, I get up with the birds, so you can't possibly think you woke me. Did you sleep well?"
"Like a baby actually. You only live a few miles from me, but it's the most peaceful sleep I've had in months. It's like being somewhere completely different, but good."
"Wonderful! I'm glad, you looked like you needed it last night young lady."
"I did, I just didn't know how much."
"Well there's coffee downstairs when you're ready to come down. Oh and some of that tea you drink that smells funny. Jeff said you liked them a lot so I picked some up for you."
"You do not have to go out of your way for me Mr. Hardy. I can adapt to the way that you live. After all this is your home." Summer smiled a little as she thought about Jeff's father going and buying her the herbal tea she liked. He was really trying to make her feel like she was at home here, and it felt so nice she had to smile.
"Call me Gil, and no you won't do that. You're my guest here, and you will act and be treated as such. Which means I get to make you some of that stuff you drink."
"Well thank you Gil. You really didn't have to do this though."
"I know I didn't. I'll let you get cleaned up and see you downstairs."
"Okay, and thanks again."
Summer surveyed the room. It looked like Gil hadn't changed anything since the boys were here. There were pictures everywhere, some older then others. She still couldn't believe when she jumped in her car, that she would have ended up here. But thinking back, it felt like the right move. She needed clarity and this was the right place to get it. Somewhere neutral, where she could just be herself and not worry about people cheating and any other pain.
She grabbed her clothes and shampoo and made a beeline for the bathroom. She'd be able to think more clearly once she'd had a shower. Plus, she didn't want to keep Gil waiting for too long downstairs.
*************
"She's fine son. She just woke up, and I'll take good care of her, don't worry."
"Thanks Dad, and by the way, Matt is coming by there today, so you might want to warn her."
"Son, don't you think she needs to deal with all of this head on, that is if she ever wants to feel like herself again?"
"I suppose so. I just don't want to make it worse you know?"
Jeff was more afraid of what might happen if Matt came face to face with Summer again. He knew that as much as she wanted to move on and try with him, Matt was still very much in control of her heart.
"I'm here all day, and I will make sure it doesn't get any worse. Is that okay?"
"Thanks Dad."
"Call me later boy, and I'll let you know how she is."
***********
Summer came downstairs and into the kitchen as Gil was putting the phone back on the hook. It seemed that he was a lot like her parents were towards the new age things. The telephone just looked like it was from the seventies. She gave herself a mental reminder to buy him a new one for his birthday, or Christmas, whatever came first. She took the cup that was placed on the counter and poured herself a cup of water with her herbal tea.
"So, Summer Ryan, would you like to tell me what happened?"
"I got overwhelmed that's all. Too much was happening at the same time and I just couldn't deal properly I suppose."
"You mean Matt and Jeff?"
"Mostly, but my career as well. I just had a major medical scare, and it's made me do a lot of thinking."
"Along what lines?"
"I'm thinking about taking a break from the wrestling business and going back to my music. I miss it, and the best part is, no serious injuries, except for the occasional bruised ego thing."
Gil looked up surprised. He knew that his son was really into the music business now, and even thinking about leaving wrestling to pursue it, but he never would have thought that she was thinking the same thing. Especially after Jeff telling him about her drive and dedication for the business.
"Is that the right thing for you to do? Will that be the life that you really want for yourself?"
"I honestly don't know. When I got into this business, I put everything in my life on hold. All of the dreams that I wanted to make reality, because wrestling was the real dream, the very first one. Wrestling has always been such a huge part of who I am that it just seemed right for me to put the rest in the back and worry about it later. Now I think the time has come for me to branch out."
"Just like Matt. That boy knew he wanted to be a wrestler from birth. He always had that same drive to succeed in the wrestling business. Everyone else be damned."
Summer smiled. That was the one thing that ultimately drew her to Matt in the first place. His uncanny desire for their business. Even after so many years of running the roads and wrestling all over the world, his desire and heart never wavered. Jeff on the other hand was the complete polar opposite.
"How did you get to where you are right now girl?"
"Where I am sitting here in your kitchen? Or where I am in the business?"
"The business for the moment. How did you get there?"
"I watched wrestling on television a lot growing up and that's how it started. When I got older I just got more athletic and I took it one step further and joined the Independent scene. Then came the WWE. That's all there is too tell really. I love that larger then life quality that comes with being a wrestler. I fly off the ropes and it's my own personal high. I just love what I do."
"Then why stop that? The way I see it young lady is this. You love it, it completes the puzzle to whoever Summer Ryan really is. So you should stick with it."
"Is that what you told Jeff?"
"Jeff is my little oddball. God rest Ruby's soul because I don't think she could have pictured Jeff like this."
"He didn't do anything you expected did he?"
"No, that's not what I meant. He actually did everything I expected. The one thing I learned by raising Jeff is he's different from all the other guys. He's got so many ideas in his head and he'll do every single one of them. He's very unique and I honestly think he's better then wrestling."
"I agree, he is better then wrestling, at least the way the business is now. He's starting to realize it more now I think. He's really into his music, and well coming home and being with his family more. I think in a lot of ways, it worked wonders on him."
*********
