Come Next Summer: Chapter Four-Where It Becomes Not a Romance Novel

This chapter...this chapter threw me for a loop. I'll just warn you now, that I was not expecting what happened and this summary won't be anywhere near as snarky and amusing as I usually try to make them. Shit gets real. All right.

Devon heads to the liberal arts building half an hour before her class to talk with her adviser. He has an amusing lack of organization (books and papers on literally every flat surface), but an amazing memory for the classes Devon is taking. He tries to talk her into graduate school, she promises only to look at the brochure and not that she'll necessarily do it. They talk about her next class, Modern Problems, and how she hates it. The teacher, Dr. Burton had his appendix removed and, since he's seventy, he'll be out for about six weeks. Still, she'll go make sure that she's not missing anything in class today. On her way out, Devon tells her adviser that she's looking for tutoring jobs and he mentions that one of the staff is writing a book about his time in the political world. Yes, she just might be a ghost writer for Jon. Wow they get thrown together a lot.

Anyway, she heads to class. It's mostly political science people there, including The Viking, which is exciting. He decides to cut class since their professor isn't there. Devon decides to stay and make sure she isn't missing anything and The Viking invites her to hang out at the student union later. She is noncommittal. On his way out, he smiles at a pretty girl who goes doe-eyed and Devon reflects on how she has no ties to him so this is fine. Anyway, guess who's teaching the class now? Of course it's Jon. They don't have any other political science teachers in this university. Jon starts out by telling them that they won't need all of the expensive books they bought-they'll be reading more newspapers than books. He must not realize how ridiculously expensive those books are. Then he gives them a homework assignment of making a list of the ten most serious problems the nation has. That's the end of class!

Devon buys some milk, decides on making spaghetti for dinner, and wanders home. When Devon gets home she finds out that Jon has a political dinner to go to, and that her cat, Cyan, likes chewing on his socks. She says it seems a waste to make spaghetti sauce for one and Jon offers to make the sauce, or spaghetti, tomorrow night instead. Devon leaves Jon and Cyan in Jon's room, the latter is chewing on Jon's socks some more, and decides she's got to practice for her modern dance class. She puts on the uniform, leotard and tights, and tries to not be clumsy all over the place while dancing in the living room. It's only after she falls that she sees Jon standing there watching. Devon belittles her dancing and Jon says it's sexy and that her outfit is really hot. Devon covers up with a blanket from the couch, but he keeps staring. Maybe a lock on his bedroom door. On the outside.

Anyway, Jon's all dapper looking and stuff for his dinner, and Devon tells him that she knows Stella Hardesty is his mother. He leaves and, awhile later The Viking calls. Devon remembers that she was going to hang out with him, so agrees to meet with him at the student union, get a bite, and go over their homework. When she gets to the union and sees him there, Devon has especially squishy feelings for him and thinks how she'll have to introduce him to Julie and David. He kisses her, and Devon forgets that she doesn't like to be kissed in public. The Viking suggests that they go to his apartment and watch a movie. She can eat there and they can work on their homework during the commercials. After a bit of thought, Devon agrees. She doesn't usually go to guys' apartments, but The Viking is so nice. It was here that I had the first bit of dread. I thought that, no, this couldn't possibly turn out badly. It's a romance novel. She'll be safe. I'm sure Devon thought the same thing.

They get to The Viking's apartment and it's a studio. He's the only one there and mentions how it's nice not having to put a tie on the door, or worry about roomies being mad that someone spent the night. Devon sees the chance to tell him that Jon is her roomie, but doesn't take it. They watch the movie for a bit before The Viking declares that it's bad and chances the channel. Devon was enjoying it, but doesn't complain. The Viking kisses her and Devon's cool with it. Then he pushes her down on the couch and climbs on top of her.

All right, internet, we've been having this talk a lot recently, but this is awful, so we'll talk about it some more. When someone says no, they really mean it. Don't assume that they're playing a game, or when they say they don't want to have sex they're not serious. They are serious, or they wouldn't have said it, and you need to respect that and back off. So, when Matt (he does not get a nickname any more) tells Devon that she asked for this by coming to his apartment, can we all agree that she did not? Seriously. I'm assuming that everyone has taken a look at the #YesAllWomen stuff on twitter, facebook, and whatnot, but if you haven't please do. Yes, this is a work of fiction, but this happens in real life. And that's not okay.

Back to the story. In order to get him off of her, since saying “No” in various ways is doing nothing, Devon tells Matt that it's her first time and that she needs to use the bathroom to get ready. He lets her up and she practically runs to the bathroom. Of course there's no lock on the door. She's got no shoes on, her coat is in the closet, and it's January with snow on the ground. Devon stalls for as long as she can, but then Matt comes in there after her. When he comes up behind her and slides his hands over her boobs, she instinctively slams her elbow into his chest. This knocks him off balance enough that she can get out of the bathroom and out of his apartment.

She makes it out of the building and into a nearby tavern. She's eleven blocks from home and she's not sure where her key is. Fortunately, she has enough money for the pay phone and she calls her home number. Doubly fortunately, Jon is there. Devon doesn't explain much, but she tells Jon where she is and that she needs help. He says he'll be there in two minutes and recommends that she call the cops. She doesn't have money for another call. Matt comes into the bar. Devon wedges her foot against the door of the phone booth. Matt walks over with a drink, acting very cool, and says it would be stupid to call the cops because, “you came willingly to my apartment, you led me on, and then when I did what you indicated you wanted, you hit me.” I don't even comprehend how he can justify this. I know this book was written in the 80's, but this same kind of “reasoning” holds today. And that is not even a little bit okay.

Jon shows up, calmly buys a scotch, and seems to notice Devon and Matt. When he walks over, Devon opens the door of the phone booth, giving Jon the opening to say she seemed to have had an accident (since she's shoeless) and to offer her a ride home. Devon accepts and asks if Matt will get her coat and shoes. When Jon seconds the request, Matt sets his drink down and leaves the bar. Devon and Jon walk to the door of the tavern, and he carries her to the car and sets her in the passenger seat. Devon says she wishes Jon had hit Matt. Jon asks why she didn't call her brother and she baldly replies, “David would have killed him.” Jon admits that he still doesn't know what happened, and Devon fills him in. Miraculously, Matt comes back with Devon's shoes and coat and hands them over without a fuss. Devon can't hear what Jon says to Matt, but he doesn't sound angry or threatening. I really hope we find out what he said later.

Once they get home, Devon asks if she should file charges. Jon tells her no, using the same line of reasoning that Matt did. At least when Devon asks if he believes her, his answer is, “Of course.” Then he goes on to say, “Dammit, Devon, don't you have any more sense than that? When I think of what could have happened to you...It makes me want to beat you myself!” Hold on there, skippy. Feeling protective is fine, but come on. This is not a good way to show it, especially after she just got out of a violent situation. Of course this makes her start crying, I don't know who wouldn't cry then, but at least Jon has the decency to comfort her while she cries it out.

When she's stopped crying, Jon says she shouldn't fall asleep on him. She protests that she's not sleepy and states that Jon would never do that to a girl. Jon tells her not to put it past any man and that she's too trusting. When Devon pushes him, Jon admits that the woman in question wouldn't run into the street with no coat and shoes and that Matt's technique was “a little abrupt”. No. Not even a little bit okay. You know why this sort of thing pisses me off? Because his assessment about not putting this past any man is still something women have to think about. I'm not saying that every man will do this, but any man could.  It's not like a rapist will tell a girl what he's planning and let her escape. Rape still happens and people still put it on the women not to be too trusting-even being alone with a guy can be “too trusting”. #YesAllWomen either have been through something like this, or know at least one other woman who has. Women today. This book is 29 years old. We've had almost thirty years to stop this from happening. And we haven't.

Jon's further comments don't make this any better. He tells Devon that if she falls asleep and he has to carry her upstairs, that she might end up in his bed. Of course, Devon leaves. Her response is, “Men! You're all alike!” Mine would have been more akin to leaving immediately and barricading my door. Also, a much more pointed retort that sounded like it meant something. The one Ms. Michaels chose to put here almost makes it sound like Devon's just a little exasperated and it's not a big deal. Then again, maybe that's a filter of our time, and this phrase would have been taken more seriously in the 80's. Devon has just been through a traumatic experience and that's how he responds? You know what, rules of the romance novel be damned. They can not end up together. Yes, he rescued her, congratulations, he's a decent human being. That doesn't make any of the rest of his comments okay.

Hopefully, in the next chapter we can resume the general mood of levity. Of course, Devon still has to see Matt in class. And live with Jon. Maybe it's time to move. And not tell Matt where she lives. Or speak to him ever again.