Me
What???
Nate
They’re calling me the trouser-rouser Hayleigh!!!!
I can’t help it, I howl so loud it sets Emmy off, and when I show her Nate’s message, it isn’t long before we’re crying tears of laughter.
When we both calm down, I realise I’m still smiling and my cheeks hurt. “Why didn’t I come to you ages ago? I feel like such an idiot.”
Emmy sobers. “You were inside your own head, and that can be a perilous place if you have no one to pull you back, but I’m here, and so is everyone else. We can get through this.”
**********
We spent the last few hours talking about everything that has happened since last year, and I could kick myself for not doing this sooner. I never should have shut Emmy out, but that little niggling voice inside of my head told me that she wouldn’t understand, and neither would anyone else. How wrong I was.
By the time I leave Emmy and Cas’s house, it’s dark.
I'm ready to face the music with Nate, but I’m not expecting him to be waiting outside, and I admit a thrill runs through me.
He leans against the side of his car, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. “You’ve got some making up to do.”
I hold my hands up. “Hey, it wasn’t my fault your brother was eavesdropping on girl time.”
He nods to the car. “Come on, we have some place to be.”
I narrow my eyes. “Where?”
“You’ll see.” He opens the passenger door, and I climb in.
Nate gets behind the wheel before reaching behind him to the backseat. He hands me the scrapbook he made for me. As I flick through the pages, each one has a header. He’s gone through the list and added them to each page. That feeling of being inflated from the inside returns as my heart thumps into overdrive, and another round of fresh tears threatens to spill down my cheeks. My hand touches my heart.I can’t believe he did this for me.
1. Dance at the movies
2. Kiss in the rain
3. Learn to cook
4. Go on a Ferris Wheel
5. Get my own place and do it up
6. Safari trip
7. Eat cake in bed
8. Get over my fear of clowns
9. Learn a new skill
10. Say no to Morgana!!
My smile is wide. “When did you do this?”
He shrugs. “Earlier on. I figured you needed the reminder of why you started the list.”
“I did. I also spoke to Emmy and told her everything I’ve been thinking and feeling. It was good to get it all out in the open.”
