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“What? Make sure I’m not going to off myself?” he asked bitterly. I put a hand on his to calm him down.

“That’s not what I was going to say.”

“You don’t have to say it. You’re thinking it. Everyone is thinking it, like I’m some sort of bomb that’ll explode when you least expect it.

“You’re wrong. I never think that about you. Yeah, I worry because I care. But I know you have come a very long way and you’re better.”

He eyed me skeptically and shook his head. “I can’t go back to school. Everyone will be thinking about it.”

“Maybe. Maybe at first, but then some other high school drama will come and you’ll be old news.”

He smiled a little at this. “Will you...I mean, will Jake care if I’m around you guys.”

“No. He’s one of the most understanding people I know.”

“That sounds like what a girlfriend would say. I’d kick my ass if the tables were turned.”

“I think you’d surprise yourself,” I said and then hugged him goodnight.

32

Jake held my hand as we waited for my plane to board. My parents had talked me into visiting them in the middle of the summer, and although I was hesitant, I turned in my ticket for a new one. The only problem was that the new ticket had an over night lay over and I was nervous about being in a strange city on my own.

My knees were shaking as the minutes grew closer. Jake pulled me close to calm me down. I was nervous about everything- being away from him, leaving my new home, and seeing how my parents were doing. They seemed good. I had to believe that they were.

We both stood when they called my flight to board. “Let me walk you up there,” he said, taking my backpack for me.

“I’m going to miss you for the next two weeks,” I pouted.

“I’ll miss you too, but you don’t have to miss me until tomorrow.” He pulled out a boarding pass and handed it to the attendant.

“I’m confused.”

“What? Did you really think I would let you stay in a strange hotel room by yourself?”

“What about your stuff?”

“I stuffed a change in your backpack when you weren’t looking,” he said with a wink then he kissed my cheek. I lifted my pack by the handle, and it really did feel a little heavier. The realization that I would have Jake all to myself for the next twenty four hours started to sink in, and the grin across my face had people staring at me.

We found our seats, his right by my side, and held hands as we took off. The flight was bumpy and I was thankful that I had him there to keep me from totally freaking out.

Once we arrived at our layover, we took the airport tram to the hotel I had reserved, but Jake had tampered with that too. I stepped into a room filled with daisies of every color, and a basket of chocolate covered strawberries sitting on the bed.

“What have you done?” I asked in shock.

“Mark keeps you on a tight leash. I want you all to myself, and I want you to know how special you are to me.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled his warm lips to mine, parting them with my own, and deepening the kiss even more. His hands traveled up and down my back, finally making their way under the fabric of my shirt, and that’s when I pulled away and stopped him.

“Jake, I don’t...” he put his finger to my mouth to stop me from talking.

“I’m not expecting that, Meg. I just want to be close to you without all of that interfering,” he said, motioning to the window and the world outside of it. “I’d never pressure you into something you’re not ready for, and maybe I’m not ready either.”

I smiled as I brought his lips back to mine. “I’m such a lucky girl,” I whispered against his mouth.

“We’re both pretty lucky.” And we were. This was our world now, and I knew nothing could tear that apart.

Copyright © 2015 by Talie D. Hawkins
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