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Her hand turns over and links with mine for just a second before she nods. I walk over to one of the tables and sit down. My mind racing with what Jolie means as I wait. Then she's sitting across from me, biting the corner of her lip in obvious nervousness. I put my upturned hand on the table, and she sighs before putting her hand in mine. The warmth of it, the way it still fits so perfectly in mine whispers to me that things will be okay. They have to be okay.
"Talk to me Jolie," I plead.
"Do you think we're just held together by what we've both been through?"
I'm taken aback. That was not what I expected her to say at all.
"Is this because of what the counselor said?"
She starts to shake her head, then tilts it to the side. "Kind of. He called my mother and told her about us. When I came home after school the day we had our lunch, my parents were waiting for me with the therapist to talk about it. And they said some things that I hated to admit made sense. Like that we really have nothing in common besides us both losing someone to suicide. That when we've both moved on from how we feel over it, we'll move on from each other."
I swallow thickly, the thought of her leaving hurting deep inside. "And that's what you think? That you'll want to move on from me?"
"No. Never. I'm scared you'll want to move on from me."
Relief floods me. "Jolie, I cannot even imagine a day without you."
She finally gives me a small smile but then sighs again. "But do you think they're right? That some of our connection is grief?"
"Yeah, I do. And so what? People connect over all sorts of things. That may be what connected us in the beginning, but we're so much more than that. I was numb when I met you and now I feel alive, like I'm actually...here. I feel things for you I didn't think I could anymore. Grief brought us together, let us see we weren't alone, but it's not what keeps us together. Not at all."
"I feel the same. When I'm with you, nothing else matters. It's me and you against the world, no matter what. I feel a happiness I thought I wouldn't, couldn't, find again. I feel so stupid now." She shakes her head. "I let them get inside my head, and it almost lost me my heart."
I softly yank on her hand. "Your heart wasn't going anywhere."
"What if we ever get there though, Elijah? What if you reach a point where I'm just another reminder of your grief, your sadness? What if you've healed from it, and want to move on to someone who doesn't have the same baggage we started with anymore?"
"If you ever get there, because I know I won't, then I'll fight like hell to make sure you see we're worth staying. I'm not going anywhere Jolie. How could I when leaving you would mean losing the woman I love."
She stills, then whispers. "What did you say?"
"I said I love you."
Tears gather in her eyes, even as a smile forms. "I love you too. God, I'm so sorry about all of this."
"It's okay. We're here now. Maybe next time, just tell me what's going on."
"No next time. Not when it means I won't be able to hear you say you love me every day."
"Wanna hear it again right now?" I grin.
"Always."
"I love you, Jolie. And we're not going to lose each other because we're not going to let go of one another."
She gets out of her seat, leaning across the table to bring her lips to mine. God, feeling them after so many days without them. Feeling them when I was scared I might not ever have her lips on mine again, it's better than anything.
"Hey, there are kids here," someone says.
Jolie backs up with a chuckle, giving me one more quick kiss before sitting back down.
"You wanna get a pizza?" I ask. "I didn't come here to make you starve."
She grins, a mischievous grin, that has my eyebrow arching.
"I have a better idea," she whispers, pulling on my hand so I have to get out of my seat.
I follow her through the building, going past the rides and games to a darker area that says employees only. Not quite sure where we're going or for what, I silently walk behind her until we reach what looks like a closet. Jolie looks around as she turns the knob.
