“I want to take you on a date,” I admitted.
Tyler looked up from where he lay on my chest. “Really?”
“Yeah. Dinner, a movie, whatever. I just want to take you out and hold your hand and kiss you and not care if people see us.”
“I want that too.”
“Then let’s not wait until after graduation.”
He lifted onto his elbow. “You’re willing to risk it now?”
I sat up. “I don’t know, but maybe we can go to a restaurant in the city and I can get us a table in the back that’s away from people.”
“Okay. When?”
I thought for a moment and then responded, “I have a game tomorrow, but what about Sunday?”
He rose and leaned against my headboard. “All right. We can do that.”
“Yeah?” I grinned.
“You’re buying, right?” He winked.
I chuckled. “Of course, I invited you.”
“Ah, so you want me to put out?” He couldn’t say that with a straight face.
My chuckle turned into a belly laugh. “Yeah, you better.”
“Depends on how good this meal will be.”
“I thought if I bought you dessert, it was a done deal?”
“I thought I was supposed to be the dessert?”
“Oh, you will be.”
I leaned forward and captured his lips. I meant for it to be quick, but I couldn’t resist as my tongue slipped in further. Within seconds, we were rolling in the sheets again.
* * *
My eyes grew heavy,and before I knew it, everything around me became distorted. I stood along the side of a desolate road, a feeling of unease washing over me, and a sense of dread weighing me down. Where was I? What was I doing on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere?
Screeching tires pierced the air, and I turned to see the headlights of an approaching car casting an eerie glow as the vehicle sliced through the darkness. I recognized Jonah’s car as it hurtled down the road at a reckless speed. My pulse raced. Jonah?Slow down!I wanted to scream, but my breath caught in my throat as I watched the scene unfold before my eyes, every moment drawn out in agonizing slow motion.
The car skidded and spun out of control. Panic gripped my heart, squeezing it tight, as I realized the impending disaster that loomed before me.
In an instant, the car collided with a tree, and chaos erupted.
Shards of glass and twisted metal flew through the air, the impact echoing through the night sky like a sharp scream. Time seemed to stand still as the car crumpled, folding in on itself with a sickening crunch.
Desperation surged through me, overriding any instinct for self-preservation. I rushed toward the wreckage, but my movements were hindered by an invisible force. My heart pounded in my chest as I reached the mangled remains of the vehicle. With trembling hands, I fought to pry open the crushed door, fueled by a mix of fear and anguish.
Finally, the door gave way, and my eyes widened in horror. Inside, I saw Tyler, not Jonah. He was bloodied and unconscious, his body slumped against the contorted steering wheel. Tears welled in my eyes as I cradled his head in my trembling hands, desperately searching for any sign of life.
“Tyler, wake up!” I pleaded, my voice cracking as I fought the lump in my throat. “Please, don’t leave me!” But Tyler remained motionless, his breathing shallow and weak.
When my eyes shot open, my body was drenched in sweat. I could hear the pounding of my heart in my ears and I looked over. Relief flooded through me when I saw Tyler safely in bed next to me.
