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I paced in the small hallway and glanced at Luke, who looked grim. I was aching to ask him about Will. He caught my glance, and a smile flickered over his anxious face.
“It’ll be okay, Natalie.”
I was more worried about how awkward it would be. I whirled toward my bag. Did I pack everything?
Jessica and I jumped about a mile high.
“Can’t he knock like a normal person?”
My stomach did backflips as Luke shot from the couch and opened the door before I could move a muscle. Will stood there, looking fresh in his jeans and t-shirt. Just the sight of his arms peeking from the sleeves was enough to make me sigh.
His dark eyes narrowed as he focused his gaze on his cousin.
“Luke,” he said, inclining his head.
His cousin gave him nothing but a cursory nod, which was a mark of how angry he must be. Will responded with a lopsided grin.
“Are you going to step aside, or are you going to keep eye-fucking me?”
Luke moved away and Will stepped forward, his eyes settling on me.He might have been looking at a piece of furniture.
Cold gripped my limbs.
“Ready?”
“Yeah.” I grabbed the handle of my suitcase, but he ducked and took it from me.
“Ok, then.”
He gave Jessica a small smile before crossing the threshold out of the apartment. Luke followed him outside and Jessica and I looked at each other.
The look on her face made a horrible lump rise in my throat. She was blinking rather fast as she nearly bowled me over with her hug.
“I’m proud of you for doing this.”
“What?Why?”
Her arms tightened around my neck. “It takes a lot of courage to leave your comfort zone. Most people never do.”
My lips trembled. The flood of everything I’d been holding back suddenly burst through the dam I built up for myself. As much as I tried to deny it, I felt sick with fear every time I thought about my future.
My life was a constant battle for approval. While my dad opened my report cards, I would stare outside and think longingly of the playground where Jessica and I would play. Getting an A- was “acceptable,” but anything below that and I was grounded.
Going to college was like being born again. I could do whatever I wanted—I was free. I went against their wishes by majoring in graphic design. They screamed and raged at me, but I did it anyways, though not without a heavy dose of guilt. Within years of graduating, I made myself The Perfect Life to appease them. Perfect fiancé, perfect job, and not-so perfect apartment.
Then it all shattered and freedom’s intoxicating aroma beckoned me to Europe. William crashed into my life, promising excitement and spontaneity and suddenly I was flying thousands of miles with a complete stranger. It was overwhelming.
Jessica’s arms slipped from my neck and I turned away from her, rubbing my eyes. A warm, heavy hand patted my shoulder.
“If Will gives you any problems, call me,” Luke said in a gruff voice.
“I will, thanks. Bye!”
“Call when you get there!”
I hurried outside before I could change my mind and saw an Audi R8 parked by the curb. I laughed at the contrast between it and the rusty, Ford truck parked in front of it. Will had his arms crossed over his chest, sunglasses perched on his long, straight nose, looking bored. He said nothing about my red eyes. Will took my backpack from my shoulders and I flinched as his fingers grazed my shoulder, unprepared for the wave of dizzying heat. He popped open the door for me and I slid inside the leather seat, watching Jessica’s anxious face in the window.
I’m leaving it all. Finally.
