Page 65 of Finding My Forever

“You live on the other side of the country.”

I nodded against him. “For a few more months.”

“You would really come to NYU?”

“I’ve fallen in love with this city and I could learn so much from their writing program. If I can get in, I will be here as soon as they let me.”

Silence enveloped us again.

I listened to his heartbeat counting them, memorizing them.

“I can’t promise the future, April.”

No. I wanted to run. I couldn’t stand here and listen to him say this. I tried to step away but his arms tightened around me.

“April, this is crazy.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “We’re so young and we barely know each other.”

Had he just stabbed me? My hand ran over my chest but it was whole, although, it felt like he was ripping it open.

No. No. No.

“We can keep in touch. We can talk, but I don’t feel like we should make any plans.”

Why wasn’t he just saying it? He didn’t feel the same!

My heart was bleeding out. I could feel it.

“It’s your last year in high school. I don’t want to keep you from enjoying any of it.”

I’d leave now if it meant being with him, but I kept that to myself. High school was fine, but my life wasn’t there. My world didn’t revolve around those people. Dances, pep rallies, and cheer competitions meant nothing. I give it all up without a second thought for him to say we’d be together.

He made up his mind. I knew it. He thought he was doing what was best for me, and nothing I would say could change that.

All I could do was hope something, anything would change his mind. Maybe something would strike him, like a bolt of lightning, and he would realize we were meant to be together.

Footsteps sounded down the hall coming toward us.

“April! Are you ready?”

I couldn’t say no, no matter how badly I wanted to stay right here.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

I really, really didn’t want to leave this on a sad note. I wanted to live in the moment of our first kiss. I wanted to remember how it felt for him to hold me at Top of the Rock and to walk through Central Park.

I wouldn’t let the end taint the journey.

Liam tightened his arms around me one last time before I stepped back and blinked away more tears.

“Good…”

I cut him off with a kiss. The fire that had been there on the top of the Met was present again. How could he not feel that?

I stepped back and smiled at him. “Don’t say it.”

He followed me out of the room. When the elevator doors opened, Sophia and I stepped in. Liam and Eli were about to join us when I raised my hand. “Please, don’t drag this out.”

Liam’s arm reached out and forced the door to remain open as it beeped.