heads out to the beach to join a few others. I mindlessly watch him from my post. He talks, laughs, lays in the sun, plays volleyball, walks ankle-deep into the ocean, wets h

myself connecting them when he sits up. Sally is in toda

ks, knowing wh

o, I'm

He's sure a pretty one, isn't he? I dated a guy like

tion. "How old were you

inished college." I look down to her b

I'm s

I think. You need someone to pick you up a bit." My eyes wander back to h

g my eyes on him.

t makes you feel any better, the days I'm here, he's always looking at y

essness and youth. We would fight and make up and make love on the beach or on a boat and lay together until our bodies ached to move. He would graduate before me, but I would come soon after, and we'd get a little p

along with Brandon's and our friends and our coworkers that we like. We'd say our vows, I'd cry, his eyes would glow with love, and we'd kiss and be married. Then, we'd have a honeymoon on some Caribbean

ations. Trips to grandmas and grandpas. Graduations. Sending them off to college. Peace. Peace and quiet except for holidays. We'd feel young again. We'd go on a cruise just us or go spontaneously to

mm

ont of me. "Yes?" I say, unprepared, my bottom lip q

break," B

'm not going to let it happen again. I can't. Not with Brandon or with Kaden again, I'm not going to get pulled under by the tide. But, at some poin

sked for space, not in a bad way, but just a little time for himself. I become close with Lauren during these times when I'd have nothing

ngs. I didn't know that he was with Katelyn or Becca or Jocelyn or whatever their names were-not until Lauren asked me if I trusted him. I said yes

gerous relationship with my parents, something like cat and mouse, but the cat is sleeping and the mouse is crawling on its still paws. The mouse will even nibble, but that cat might be dead. But, I continued anyway. Lauren and I peeped

I said, wanting to leave. "Come on, we look creepy,

the stairs. I thought it was him, and it was, but I expected her to come down as well, and she did, whoever she was. She might have been mysterious, intelligent, charming, irresistible, and ever

ut, "Who is she? Why?" But I didn't. I left Lauren at the window and made my way to the front of the house. Overwhelmed, I ra

e door and smile and ask, "What are you do

, I couldn't find i

I asked, quietl

My body went cold then. He never went anywhere with his parents, and his parents never asked him to go

e asked if I was alright. "I told you," I began,

about, Emma?" He said,

It's not your fault that other girls want you, a

nt to keep me, let it go and walk away.' But I couldn't walk away. What in-love girl

together. We." I felt like an idiot as he looked down at me. "Do you even love me? Was it all t

u should le

wingly blissful. Milo and I could have been happy until the end of summer, and maybe instead of things ending the way they did, we could have mutually agreed that it was t

with

e assume that? Everyone knew he was in love w

the best of me. I leave my bedroom and eye the living room for my Aunt, but it's not until I venture outside that I find her sitting with m

other chirps,

Wendy, can I borrow

it's besi

time. Your poor friends at home

I mutter, bothered by

ng friends now?

a cheeky sm

back door, I hear my mother cal

won

ue heart next to her name. I tap it and tap call, not patient enough to wait for a text back. Holding the device to my ear

e?" She sounds amused by the not-so

st was wo

ha

r before the last whe

That ass? Yea

w he was che

er sweet tone but I can hear her growing defensive. "I mean,

ut

you right away. Why are you thinking abo

ng myself to, I wave it off, "Oh, I

t's in the past. It doesn't matter anymore, not wh

ask, "What

s that he's gonna t

. I told him that I'm n

hat's going to stop him

id you h

out, you know. We miss havi

ask, "He to

ke a few

ow. I want this con

er tonight if you wanna join. I think we're going to

ut thanks. I ac

talk to you

h. B