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And in this moment, as he brushes soft kisses all over my cheeks and lips, and tells me that he loves me…
I almost believe that I can.
Chapter 26
Skylar
Eighteen years old
Prom’s here, and that means there’s only a few more months of school left until graduation. I can’t go with Noah obviously, so we’re going separately and trying for a few stolen moments during the dance.
I fiddle with the blue dress as Daisy finishes my hair, feeling a bit of deja vu as I stand in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection.
At least tonight promises to be completely different from homecoming…at least I’m hoping it will.
“Just last year I was the one going to prom and now here we are. It's your turn now. I blinked and suddenly we’ve both grown up,” Daisy murmurs…and she sounds so sad that I can’t help but turn to look at her.
I want to tell her how thankful I am that she’s here on such an important night. Because I am. I couldn't imagine going through this rite of passage without her. A part of me thinks that’s one of the reasons why she didn’t skip town the minute she graduated last year. That she stayed on this island for me. That she took a waitressing job at The Scarlet Letter Cafe just so she could make sure I survived my senior year. She’s never come out and said as much, but what other possible reason could she have?
Anytime I question Daisy about her future, she always responds with a smile, saying that it will be as amazing as I am. She tells me that she’s just saving up to get off this island and travel the world but I’m not sure how that will work out since she’s always complaining to our mom about how broke she always is. That her money never seems to stretch far enough.
Lately, I’ve been wondering if the real reason she doesn’t leave is because she’s waiting on a certain Harvard pre-law student to return to Thatcher’s Bay to be her companion in her travels. But if that’s the case, if Derrick is the reason why she insists on staying, then why does she always look so sad?
“Daisy?” I start but before I can get a word in, she pulls me into a huge hug, sniffling a bit as she holds me close.
“You’re the best person I’ve ever met,” she tells me. “I’m so fucking proud of you.”
I start to tear up now too, and I hold her just as tightly as she’s holding me.
“I love you, sis. Forever,” I tell her, a word that only serves to remind me of Noah and our own promises to each other.
She lets go and holds my arms, staring at me like she’s searching for something.
“You’re beautiful, sis,” she says proudly, and I give her another watery smile before she squeezes me gently and then leaves my room.
Taking a deep breath, I adjust my dress one more time and then head out into the hallway where my mother and Curt are waiting. To my surprise, Noah’s there too, leaning against the wall and trying to look like he doesn't give a care, as usual. But as soon as I come into view, he glances up and stares at me, his eyes burning as he slowly takes me in. There's too much emotion there, too many words that anyone could read, and I quickly glance at Mom and Curt to see if they notice. Thankfully they’re chuckling over something on the couch and haven’t even heard me come in yet.
Giving Noah my own besotted look, I clear my throat, dragging my attention to my mother and Curt who start gushing over me. My mother insists on taking pictures of us, and even the slight brush of Noah’s fingertips against my back as we try to look like a sister and brother taking a picture, rather than a couple, sets my skin on fire.
"What time are your friends picking you up?" Curt asks Noah, talking about the limo that his crew had rented for the night.
Noah shrugs, giving his best bored impression. "I passed on the limo. I thought I’d just give Skylar a ride if she needs one."
I freeze, because this is a completely different plan than we’d talked about, but I definitely don't mind. Still, I'm worried that my feelings are written all over my face, with this incredible change in plans. All I want to do is throw myself at him and kiss his perfect lips.
"Do you need to borrow my truck?" Curt asks, and Noah shakes his head. "I borrowed a car for the night," he answers.
Curt frowns for a moment, but then nods his head. After taking a few more photos of us, and telling us to have fun and be safe, we’re out the door, stepping into the cool night.
My jaw drops when I see a shiny black sports car, that’s so fancy it looks like it came out of aBatmanmovie, parked in the driveway.
"I borrowed one of Derrick’s cars," Noah explains sheepishly. "I wanted the night to be special."
"It does feel special. This is more than I hoped, just us getting to go together."
His hand moves at his side, like he's wanting to reach out and grab me. He keeps it down though just in case our parents are still watching from the porch, opening up my door for me, then jogging around the car and slipping inside.
I moan a little as I slip into the cool leather seats. This car smells like money. A lot of money. I'm not exactly sure how to describe that smell. But the interior of this car is it.
