CHAPTER 77: More Than Just BFF

 "Hey, Summer....breakfast's ready!" yelled Travis as he knocked on the door to the bedroom.

"You can come in, I'm decent" replied Summer.  Travis opened the door and stepped in whereupon his jaw nearly hit the floor.

"Summer....wow...is that a new hair do?" he said, impressed at the way her long blonde tresses cascaded over her shoulders.

"It is" she said, giving her hair a flick.  "I just decided to let my hair down, but pin it up a little at the sides.  Do you like it?"

Travis more than just liked it; he was impressed at how she looked in general...he hadn't seen that dress she was wearing before either.  The sight of her and the wafting of her perfume produced a sensation in him which he noticed and then tried to conceal by sitting on the edge of her bed and crossing his legs.  The problem then was that she sat next to him.

"Soooooooo, what do you have planned for today?" said Travis.

"I'm on the evening shift so I've got nothing planned until late afternoon" replied Summer.  "And you?"

"It's my day off...there's a bunch of technical manuals I have to read at some point but..." lame, man, so lame! He thought to himself.  Summer didn't want to hear about his boring work books...she's a babe, a bird, a hot chick, she's going to be turned off by all his nerdy talk.

Since they threw that party, Travis' feelings towards Summer had intensified.  When he had moved in with her and Liberty he had felt torn between which of these beautiful girls he fancied more.  Liberty was more his intellectual match...actually she was way more intelligent than him but they shared a mutual like of technology.  But Summer was sweet, kind, funny, great company and a cute blonde as well.  The more time Travis spent in her company, the more he liked her and now he was sexually attracted to her as well.

They stood up and went to the kitchen to have breakfast, with Travis trying to conceal his boner discretely.  Liberty was up and about now and joined in.

"What are you going to do today, Libs?" asked Summer.

"I have a day off...I might give a certain someone a call" Liberty replied.

"Is it that dude you met hanging around our house?" said Travis.

"Gary was lost that evening and, yes, I'll give him a call after breakfast to catch up with him" replied Liberty, justifying her interest in a random stranger she met whilst putting out the trash after the party.

"I was thinking of going for a walk...around the neighbourhood.  Would you like to join me, Summer?" said Travis, making a move.  Liberty picked up on this and watched with interest what Summer's response would be.  She knew she liked Travis, but then again Travis often took her for granted which annoyed Summer...she might turn his invitation down.

"That sounds great, Trav" said Summer, a note of excitement in her voice.  "I mean, just a casual stroll....right?"

"Oh yes, just to take advantage of the fine weather" he replied.  Liberty tried to suppress a smile...these two really did have a crush on each other.

"You know, this is a pretty nice place around here" said Travis, as he and Summer took their stroll.

"I know....and weren't we lucky to have found each other....I mean, you, me and Libs" replied Summer.

"Yes...I remember the day I found that card on the noticeboard in the library....that you were looking for two room mates.  The funny thing is, I almost didn't respond...the advert sounded too good to be true"

"Imagine if you'd passed on it" giggled Summer.  "We'd might never have met!"  There was an awkward pause before Travis piped up.

"Then my life would have been a whole lot emptier without Liberty....and you....to share it with" his voice became soft as he expressed this heartfelt sentiment.  He had even put a slight emphasis on 'and you' to drop a hint to Summer how he felt about her.  There was another pause; Summer looked down at her shoes then up again into Travis' eyes.  He took a deep breath and thought to himself 'ow heck!  I have to make my move now...there won't be a better moment'

"That's a lovely thing to say, Travis." said Summer.  "I'm so glad you did answer the advert"

"You know" said Travis, taking a deep breath "I'm just going to come right out and say it: You are the most groovy chick I know!"

Summer was taken aback.  Was he being serious?

"Gee....thanks!" said Summer, eventually.  "You know, I really dig you too" she added.

"So...." began Travis.  "How about we head on to the communal garden and chill out there?" he said, jerking his head in the direction of the gardens around the back of their house.

Meanwhile, back home Liberty could see Travis and Summer walking past her window and, to her delight, they seemed to be getting on very well.  Well, she thought, why should they have all the fun? She went to the phone to give her new friend, Gary, a call.

"Hi Gary...it's Liberty" she said.

"Liberty!  Hey, I'm so glad you called....I was going to head over to Magnolia Blossom Park today...do you want to join me there?"

"Absolutely!  What time?"

"11am...see you there" said Gary, the tone of his voice sounding inviting.  Liberty put the phone down and did a little jog of delight.

Back at the garden, Travis and Summer sat down next to each other on a park bench.  "You know, Travis, we don't use this area as much as we should...look, the apples are ripe for picking"

Travis got up and picked one, then went back to the bench where he presented the apple to Summer.  "Sweets for the sweet" he said.

"You can be the real charmer when you want to be" replied Summer.  "I'll save this for at work" she said, giving the apple a little polish and putting it next to her.

"Oh..." said Travis suddenly.  "Splinters...in the bench.  Hmmm, yes the varnish has worn away exposing a particularly grainy area of wood"

"Uh huh?" said Summer, with a wry smile.

"Oh yes.  Splinters can be more dangerous than they seem.  I mean, you could get one and it could go septic later on"

"Wow, this is REALLY romantic stuff here, Trav" 

"Also...I don't want the splinters or bits of wood sticking out ruining your lovely outfit.  Here, this middle bit of the bench is smooth.  Let's sit a little closer"

"You know, if you wanted to snuggle up here that's totally OK with me" said Summer.  "But I appreciate your concern for my safety"

Meanwhile Liberty had headed off to Magnolia Blossom park to meet with Gary.  She was excited at landing a date with a cute guy...it'd been a long time since she'd been on a date, in fact she couldn't remember the last time she had been on one.

"Wow, Liberty, you look great!" said Gary.

"Thank you...I thought, seeing that it's my day off I'd wear something more eye catching" she replied.

"It certainly is...anyway, it's a lovely day today here....now I'm guessing you're the kind of girl who combines brains and beauty; do you play chess?"

Liberty looked Gary directly in the eyes and in a low, welcoming voice, said "try me"

"Check!" said Liberty, confidently placing her bishop in line with Gary's exposed king.

"Again?" he said before looking at the board, trying to work out how he'd been outflanked.

"I told you I was good" said Liberty.

"Excuse me..." said a young man who approached them.  "You wouldn't happen to know a Suzy Kent, would you?"

Liberty looked up at this man...or more accurately, a teenaged boy.  "Erm...yes?  Why?" she said.

"Oh no particular reason....I just like to know who her friends are.  I'll leave you to finish your game" and with that the young man walked off.

"Who was that guy?" asked Gary.

"No idea.  He seems creepy though.  Anyway I reckon you're mated in 3 moves." said Liberty, changing the subject.

"What?  No way!  Oh dang it....you're just too good.  I say we take a walk"

Liberty and Gary took a walk around Magnolia Blossom park, which lived up to its name as the spring blossoms were in full bloom.

"Funny how we met...me being lost and you taking out the trash at that exact moment" said Gary.

"I actually keep a sack of trash by the door just for when cute guys walk past the house" replied Liberty.  Gary laughed.

"You're a goofball...I like it" he said.

"That's good...you'd better get used to it"

"So you see us hanging out a lot more, eh?" he said

"Uh-huh...what about you?"

"Definitely...if only to brush up on my chess skills"

Liberty smiled and gently grasped Gary by the arm as they strolled.  They talked, joked and watched the clouds drift by...losing all track of time until a distant church bell chimed.

"Drat...that's work calling" he said.  "I have to go but I had a wonderful time.  Let's do this again and soon"

Liberty gave him a big hug and they said goodbye for now.  Liberty found herself skipping all the way home where she found a very happy looking and satisfied Travis watching TV.

"Well you look pleased about something" said Liberty, sitting down next to him.

"I could say the same thing about you" replied Travis.  "I take it the date with Gavin..."

"Gary" Liberty corrected him.

"Gary went well?"

"It did!  I think it's worth a second date...but that's not the big news is it?  I want to hear what happened with you and Summer!"

"Well you know..." said Travis, teasing Liberty, who was on the edge of her seat wanting to know how her housemates had got on in her absence.  "Let's just say it's the beginning of something special"

"Did you....you know...kiss at least?"

"That would be telling!" said Travis.  Liberty lightly punched him in the arm.  "OK....no, we didn't.  Not this time but...you know, next time...you might even witness it!"