The Summer I Went Wild Chapter 5 Part 1
Chapter 5 · Part One
The Summer I Went Wild
Landon
“I'm calling dibs on Charlotte.”
Theo’s voice cut through the lull in our little group. It was the perfect time to say it too—out on the football field, far from the girls, where the only noise came from cheers and the grunts of players.
It was the first actual sentence Theo had spoken all day.
He’d been unusually quiet this morning, barely reacting even when one of the players scored an impressive goal.
Caleb leaned back with his arms crossed, chuckling softly. “Bro, you just met her yesterday, and you're already calling dibs?”
“Yeah. It doesn't take forever to like someone.” Theo shrugged. “Unless one of you is interested in her.”
“I literally grew up with her,” Caleb said, nudging me. “She’s like a sister to us. And if all you want is a summer fling, let it go.”
“Right.”
I said it just to play along.
But Charlotte Brown had never been a sister to me.
Not even close.
When I heard we’d all be spending the summer together, I knew things would be different—how could they not be after three years?
I just hadn’t prepared myself for Charlotte walking in looking like that.
Blonde ombré hair falling in loose bobs, high cheekbones that made her smile sharper, lashes so dark they gave her already-black eyes a magnetic pull.
And her body—slim, curvy in all the right places, long legs that seemed to go on forever.
She’d grown up in ways I hadn’t imagined.
That was why I couldn’t look her in the face yesterday.
If I had, everyone—including her—would’ve noticed how down bad I was.
“I like her,” Theo said, his voice steady despite the blush creeping up his cheeks. “And I want her to be my girlfriend.”
That earned a collective whoop from the guys—myself included—despite the annoyed looks from the older man nearby.
“Is that how much you like her?” Roger asked, laughing.
Theo nodded.
“She’s hot,” Roger added.
“And she knows what she wants,” Theo said. “That’s a huge turn-on.”
“What does she want?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” Theo said thoughtfully. “But when she talked about Harvard, it was like she came alive.”
“She’s always been that way,” I said before I could stop myself. “Some things never change.”
I leaned back, watching the sun dip low over the field, the scent of grass and salt in the air.
Charlotte—focused, determined, fire in her eyes.
The thought tightened my chest.
“You better treat her right,” Caleb said.
Theo laughed. “I’m not trying to screw this up.”
As they ribbed him, I stayed quiet.
Because the truth was—I didn’t want Theo, or anyone else, calling dibs on her.
“I’d appreciate it if y’all sealed your lips till I make my move and actually get to know her.”