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She laid her head back down on my lap, her face looking up toward me. “You know, it kinda reminds me of us.”
To be honest, I’d been thinking the same thing, and I was afraid to hear where the story went. I didn’t want to know that, in the end, Allie went back to her life and left Noah with a crushed soul and a broken heart. I didn’t want to know that a happily ever after would never happen, that Lettie and I would never be more than just one summer in Aveline when everything in the world seemed perfect. I wanted her to stop the book right where we were. Where Noah and Allie were happy, because I knew, ultimately, in the end, Noah was going to end up lost and damaged. That’s just how these things went.
“Really? I don’t see it,” I lied.
She sat up and crossed her legs in front of her. “Really? You don’t?”
“Nope,” I replied. “I am much more charming than Noah,” I teased.
She ruffled my hair and lay back on the bed, both of us side by side, staring at the antique furniture and green floral wallpaper that adorned the walls. I reached my fingers over and took her hand in mine, moving my thumb over the softness of her skin.
“I have to tell you something,” she said, her voice quiet.
I turned my face to hers and tried not to show the fear that was twisting my stomach at those six words. Nothing good usually came from someone admitting they needed to tell you something. It was almost always negative. I braced myself for whatever it could be.
“My mother invited a boy from my school and his parents over for dinner tomorrow evening. I don’t want him to come over, but she did it behind my back, and there’s no way I can get out of it. She’s been trying to get us to date, and we did go on one at the beginning of the summer, but then you and I started to hang out so I’ve been avoiding him. I just wanted to tell you because, well, I don’t know actually. Should I have told you? Are we even at that stage where I should feel like I need to tell you? What exactly are we?”
I had to admit, the thought of Lettie at dinner with another guy made me jealous, an emotion I was not very familiar with. I didn’t like the idea that she was going to be eating dinner with her family and another guy, and I especially didn’t like the fact that it was something I would likely never be able to do with her. I hadn’t had much time to think about what Lettie and I were doing together. She came into my life so quickly, and the feelings I was beginning to have for her were so strong, I had forgotten about the fact that her family would never approve of us.
Until now, as it sat like a dark cloud around the room.
I exhaled a slow breath and turned fully to my side. Lettie followed suit, and I brushed a piece of hair from her face and behind her ear.
“I’m glad you told me.” I ran my hand along her cheek and over her lips. Her plush and pink lips that always tasted like cherry Chapstick. “What do you want us to be?”
She licked her lips and cleared her throat, placing her hands beneath her head. “I want to be your girl. The Allie to your Noah.” She paused. “Better yet, the Anne to your Gilbert.”
I leaned in, closing my eyes, and pressed my lips to hers, kissing her slowly. When I pulled away, I ran my fingers through her hair and whispered, “Well, call me Gilbert because I think I’ve been your guy since the moment I met you, Little One.”
THIRTY-EIGHT
LETTIE
Dear Tuck,
I hate that I can’t be with you tonight and that I have to be here with Theo and his parents. I think I would rather gouge my eyes out with spoons than sit through this insufferable dinner. I have to, though. My mother asked me where I was going the last time I left for Aveline, so I need to play the part in order to keep her questions at bay.
My mother’svoice interrupted my hand feverishly scratching thoughts on paper.
“Violet? Are you ready? The Martins should be here any minute. Do you have on that plaid skirt I got you? And the set of pearls from your grandmother? Come down now.” I rolled my eyes and heard her call up again. “And please put on a smile!”
I had on the stupid dress with the stupid pearl necklace and the stupid panty-hose just like my mother wanted, but there was no way in H-E-double-hockey-sticks I was putting on a smile.
I went back to writing.
I don’t fit in here.
“Violet? Did you hear me?” my mother yelled again.
Someday, I will get out of here, and I won’t have to have dinner with anyone other than you.
There were footsteps outside of my door. “Violet? I know you can hear me.”
As soon as I graduate, I’m gone.
XO,
Lettie
