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Hmm.
Time.
I agreed with her, and maybe me and Drake’s time was coming to an end. Maybe… it was never meant to be. Maybe this was just a summer fling that we couldn’t prevent, but that needed to happen.
Whatever it was, it was very disappointing.
I wish I’d known before all of this how it would have ended.
If I had, I never would have gotten so close to Drake Davenport in fifth grade.
* * *
I didn’t get home until after midnight. Mom’s car wasn’t in the garage, which was a good thing. It meant they weren’t home. She only used the Mercedes when they were together.
I trudged up my stairs and sighed, rounding the corner and entering my room.
But when I walked in, I saw the silhouette on my bed. It was broad and dark and still.
I gasped, but the person spoke up. “Just me.”
My heart caught speed. “Drake?!” I whisper-hissed.
I stepped to my left, turning on my childhood nightlight to see him. He picked up his head, holding C.C. tighter in his hands. He then dropped her, staring down at the bear.
I wanted to be pissed at him so badly right now, but my excitement overpowered that anger.
He sighed and stood, making his way towards me, and I dropped my head on his chest when he wrapped me up in his long, thick arms.
I sighed as his warmth enveloped me, and he did the same, hugging me tighter, like he never wanted to let go. But he did let go—for more than a week. His body stiffened as I hugged him tighter.
There was a distance I couldn’t explain between us. He was there in the flesh, but he felt so far away. Like his mind wasn’t here, but his body was.
He pulled back. I remained close, deciding to start light.
“How did you get in?” I asked, looking towards the window.
“Your brother’s room.” He smiled faintly. “Bunch of trophies in there.”
“What are you, crazy? You can’t sneak in here like that—especially in there.”
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “The window was open. I saw your parents leave but they didn’t set the alarm. I’m guessing they did that for you.”
I shrugged. “Mom changed the pin…on purpose.” I pressed my hands to his chest. “You still shouldn’t sneak in here anymore, Drake. It’s not safe.”
“I wanted to see you,” he proclaimed, and I swear my heart skipped a beat.
“Where the hell have you been?” My voice cracked as I asked. Reality curve-balled me. “I’ve been worried sick about you, Drake. Everyone has. The twins too.”
“I know.” He stepped away, and my hands dropped to my sides as he walked towards my vanity. He picked up the thick packet lying on top of it. It was my Yale acceptance packet. “You’re going?”
“I have to,” I said, as calmly as possible.
“Do you?” His tone was sarcastic. He turned to face me. “Who’s making you?”
I frowned. “I want to, Drake. I don’t want to live under this roof anymore.”
He tossed the packet on my bed, and I could see his jaw ticking from the nightlight. “I see.”
“What made you come back?” I asked.
“You.”
Warmth coursed through my veins. “Well… where were you? What have you been doing?”
He sighed as he folded his arms over his chest. “I booked a hotel in Lumber.”
“Lumber? Why there? That’s a town away. What’s wrong with your house?”
“It’s not my house,” he replied sharply. “It was my grandmother’s.”
“But you lived there.”
“I couldn’t be in that house.” Drake lifted his head up to look at me. “Listen, Jenny, I’ve been thinking and I feel like I should tell you this now so you don’t worry about me anymore.”
I watched his face change, turning solemn. Grim. I rushed for his side, sitting down and grabbing his hand. He watched our fingers entwine, nostrils flaring.
“Drake, what is it?”
He swallowed thickly. “I’m leaving for good, Jenny.”
I sat back, pulling my hand out of his. “Leaving? To go where?”
He shrugged. “Anywhere but here.”
What… but… “Why?” I stammered.
“I just know I should go. I’ve been thinking a lot about myself—about you mostly. I was coming back to see how you actually felt—where you saw us. But then I saw your acceptance letter and I know what I should do. I should go… and I should let you go too.”
“Let me go? Drake, please. Stop. Don’t say stuff like that. You don’t need to let me go. I can always come back to see you.”
“Yeah, so I can end up like how Oscar was with his ex?” He shook his head. “No. Fuck that.”
I thinned my eyes at him as I stood to my feet. “You think I would do something that low to you?”
“You’d get tired of me. There will be richer boys there. They will be able to take care of you in ways that I can’t.”
“Does it look like I care about any of that?” I snapped.
