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“I hope you understand where I’m coming from.” His hand burned when he placed it on my shoulder, leaving a scar for the future that didn’t include her.
“Maybe tonight can be the closing of one door, but the opening of another. For both of you.”
I heard the clicking of heels on the hardwood floor and immediately stood, turning to see her. I’d never seen Livvy look more gorgeous than she did in that second. The dress fit her exactly how I imagined. Her hair flowed loosely down her face and back. Her makeup was subtle, accenting her perfect, precise features, and I could smell her honey lip gloss from across the room.
She’s breathtaking.
“Livvy,” I stammered as she shyly smiled.
Her mom snapped picture after picture, and then we left.
“Come on.” I placed my hand on the hollow of her back, spreading a warm heat throughout my entire body as I guided her toward the door of my truck.
She tried to step up on the ladder, but her heels wouldn’t allow it. I grabbed her waist from behind and lifted her instead. Shutting the door behind her, I rounded the hood and jumped in next. We drove in silence to the dance. Before I knew it, we walked through the doors of the banquet hall that hosted our prom.
Decorations seemed to go on for miles, as did the crowd. Every inch of the room was covered in some sort of streamer, confetti, or balloon. We took our traditional prom picture with the photographer, but she didn’t get a chance to look at it since I immediately placed it inside my tuxedo jacket.
I grabbed her hand, and I didn’t give it any more thought as she followed me into the ballroom. We hung out like we always did, laughing and loving each other’s company. We always had our own dynamic, living in our own little world where nothing or nobody mattered but us.
When Livvy excused herself to use the restroom, I leaned against the wall to look at how everyone appeared to be happy and in love. I wondered if we looked like that from an outside perspective. My question was answered when I heard one of her favorite songs play through the speakers, “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
I glanced around until I found Livvy with a smug grin on my face, waiting for her to meet me on the dance floor. I softly sang it to her as I held her in my arms, spinning her in circles and bringing her close to my chest to the rhythm of the music. I wanted no space between us. She laid her head on my chest, and I placed my chin on top of her head, softly singing the lyrics to her again. It was around the chorus of the song when something felt different.
She felt different.
She stared deep into my eyes and said, “Let’s get out of here.”
And I didn’t have to wonder where we’d go.
Livvy
Thirty minutes later, he parked his truck at our river. The rumbling of the diesel engine hummed beneath our bodies for a moment before he grabbed the blanket he kept in the back seat, and we moved to sit on the bed of his truck. I stared at the water that stored so many memories and firsts for us. Except we weren’t kids anymore.
We were adults.
Man and woman.
About to embark on a journey without each other.
The truth was, I was terrified to lose him. I couldn’t imagine my life without him, and I didn’t want to pretend this wasn’t absolutely killing me inside. I felt as if my father was tearing out my insides, stealing my breath a little more with every passing second. I wish I could make him understand or at least be sympathetic. It was no use. It was a war I never had a chance of winning.
Neither one of us said anything for what felt like an eternity until finally, he broke the silence, asking, “Why didn’t you tell me you applied to SCU?”
“I don’t know.”
“Bullshit.”
I leaned my head against the headrest. “I thought I’d attend without his blessing.”
He turned to face me. “Livvy, why?”
“What do you mean why? You know I want to be with you. I thought we could—”
“No,” he firmly stated, immediately making me turn to look at him.
“No?” I repeated, confused.
“You’re not going there because of me. You’re not giving up Stanford because of me.”
