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Eventually I get out of bed and run some water for a bubble bath. My bathtub is nowhere near as nice as the one Hollis had in his hotel room, but it works.
I sink down into the steaming water and sigh. My hair is tied up in a messy bun and I drop down into the lavender scented water as much as I can.
I never knew I could hurt like this. This ache deep in my heart and soul, like a vital piece of me is missing.
Hollis took a part of me with him, a part I’m never going to get back, one I’ll have to unfortunately learn to live without.
When the water goes from hot to warm and then begins to cool even more I finally get out. My fingers are wrinkled little prunes, but I don’t care. I pull on a pair of pajamas and pad back into my room. I lift the lid on my hamper to drop my towel in, but it hits the edge and falls to the floor. I sigh and bend down to pick it up.
My hand closes around it and my eyes narrow, spotting something shiny behind my dresser.
I reach for it and pull it out, finding a large rectangular wrapped birthday present.
I glide my fingers over the paper, my heart beating a mile minute, because there’s only one possible person who could’ve hidden a present in this exact spot.
A large part of me wants to throw it away, to never see the secrets it holds, but I know deep down I’ll never do that. I can’t.
I rip open the paper and a card falls out.
I don’t look at the gift, instead I read the card first.
In Hollis’s scrawled handwriting it reads:
For the girl who had my heart from the moment she asked who the hell I was and warned me she knew jiu-jitsu. You own me, Mia Hayes, heart, body, and soul. I’m yours.
—Hollis
I press a hand to my mouth to stifle the sound of my sob.
I let the card fall from my fingertips. Finally, I allow my eyes to land on the present. It’s a framed picture of the lyrics to the song he wrote for me. He’s written out the words as neatly as he can, but it’s still sloppy. In my eyes, it’s perfect.
Laying on top of the frame is a small white box. I pick it up and open the lid to find a gold necklace with a small heart charm.
On the bottom of the lid he’s written;
Now you can wear my heart around your neck, proof to anyone who dares second-guess that it belongs to you and only you. —H
I can’t stop the tears from falling freely then.
I’m surrounded by tangible proof of how much he loves me and still I feel achingly alone.
CHAPTER34
HOLLIS
Islide into the booth at Jerry’s Diner where my mom works. It’s one of my favorite places in this town. There’s not a lot I liked about growing up here. I didn’t care about being poor or even it being small—I just wanted more. I always wanted to be better, to be greater.
“What can I getcha?” I look up and break out into a smile.
“Alice, it’s good to see you.” I’ve already been here a few days but didn’t venture out until today—instead choosing to stay home with my momma while she was off work.
“Is that you, Hollis?” she asks, squinting dramatically. “Your momma said you were back when she got here this morning, but I didn’t believe her. I said there’s no way that boy has been back and not stopped in to say hi.” She plops her hands on her hips.
“I’m back, but not for long.”
She clucks her tongue. “Shame. Well, is your order still the same? Fresh squeezed orange juice and five cinnamon pancakes?”
“You got it, Alice.”
