anything close to this, there is no way I could have handled it twice.
With his face buried in my hair, Guy picks me up, hugging me to his chest. “Shit. I didn’t think it would be this hard,” he whispers. “I don’t want you to go.”
I curl my fingers into his hair, memorizing the texture. “I won’t be far. And I’ll come home all the time,” I promise. “And you can come to me.”
“You’ll text me every day and call me every night.”
I nod against his shoulder. “We’ll Skype the weekends I can’t come home. Remind Sam to keep his clothes on. I know how he is.”
Guy laughs, his breath warm against my neck. “I can’t make any promises. That boy has been insatiable ever since the car accident. Something about enjoying every minute we’re alive.” He lowers his voice, moving closer to my ear. “I have no qualms reminding him how close to death I came. It makes him ravenous.”
I press my lips together. “Okay, on that note…” I wiggle until my feet touch the ground. We stare at each other with tear filled eyes. He touches my nose with the tip his finger and smiles.
“I’m going to go crazy without you, honey.”
“Maybe I’ll go sane,” I say with a grin.
He nods causing his blonde bangs to fall over his eyes. “Most likely.”
Annie pushes Guy out of her way and throws her arms around my neck. “Try not to gain that freshman fifteen,” she replies thickly. “If you come home with a fat ass I’ll have to pretend I don’t know you.”
She steps back and arches one thin brow. “I hear promiscuity is also an issue when girls go away to college.” She throws Mason a look before returning her attention to me. “Of course, you have that, so I’m sure you’re already a little slut.”
I exhale, blowing my hair away from my face. “The family love is overwhelming.”
She shrugs. “Send me pictures. I want to document your spiral into obesity.”
“Don’t you have to go to work,” Guy says, nudging Annie’s shoulder.
“Yes. By Hope.” She smiles at Mason and wiggles her fingers. “See you around Patel.”
Mason offers her a half wave and pushes off his car, coming to stand beside me. As his fingers intertwine with mine, I look at my foster family. Shit . I feel the tears stinging my eyes and start blinking quickly.
“Don’t do it,” Jenny mutters. “If you start then I’ll start.” She pulls me into the twentieth hug of the day. “Call me as soon as you get there.”
“I’ll make sure she doesn’t forget,” Alec reassures her. I smile weakly. He's not my real dad, but he insisted on driving me like a real dad would. He claimed it was to save on the U-Haul we realized I'd need to transport my stuff since I'm leaving my precious car, Niko behind. He presses a kiss to her forehead and lowers himself into his car. Mason kisses my cheek, brushing his fingers over my neck.
“See you in a few hours.” He turns to Guy, patting his back hard. “See ya, man.”
“Take care of her,” Guy says firmly.
“Scout’s honor,” Mason replies.
I open the passenger door, but before I can get in, Dylan barrels toward me. I almost lose my balance as he throws his arms around my thighs. “I love you, Hope,” he mumbles against my leg.
This is how my heart breaks.
“Love you too, Dill Weed.”
Jenny scoops him into her arms and I drop into the seat, shutting the door as quickly as I can.
“Drive, Alec,” I whisper. Before I change my mind .
13 Mason
My new apartment isn’t much bigger than a closet, but it’s cheap, and it’s equally close to Hope and Kel. Of course, the fifteen minute drive already feels much farther when I’d become accustomed to having Hope in my arms every night.
With his face buried in my hair, Guy picks me up, hugging me to his chest. “Shit. I didn’t think it would be this hard,” he whispers. “I don’t want you to go.”
I curl my fingers into his hair, memorizing the texture. “I won’t be far. And I’ll come home all the time,” I promise. “And you can come to me.”
“You’ll text me every day and call me every night.”
I nod against his shoulder. “We’ll Skype the weekends I can’t come home. Remind Sam to keep his clothes on. I know how he is.”
Guy laughs, his breath warm against my neck. “I can’t make any promises. That boy has been insatiable ever since the car accident. Something about enjoying every minute we’re alive.” He lowers his voice, moving closer to my ear. “I have no qualms reminding him how close to death I came. It makes him ravenous.”
I press my lips together. “Okay, on that note…” I wiggle until my feet touch the ground. We stare at each other with tear filled eyes. He touches my nose with the tip his finger and smiles.
“I’m going to go crazy without you, honey.”
“Maybe I’ll go sane,” I say with a grin.
He nods causing his blonde bangs to fall over his eyes. “Most likely.”
Annie pushes Guy out of her way and throws her arms around my neck. “Try not to gain that freshman fifteen,” she replies thickly. “If you come home with a fat ass I’ll have to pretend I don’t know you.”
She steps back and arches one thin brow. “I hear promiscuity is also an issue when girls go away to college.” She throws Mason a look before returning her attention to me. “Of course, you have that, so I’m sure you’re already a little slut.”
I exhale, blowing my hair away from my face. “The family love is overwhelming.”
She shrugs. “Send me pictures. I want to document your spiral into obesity.”
“Don’t you have to go to work,” Guy says, nudging Annie’s shoulder.
“Yes. By Hope.” She smiles at Mason and wiggles her fingers. “See you around Patel.”
Mason offers her a half wave and pushes off his car, coming to stand beside me. As his fingers intertwine with mine, I look at my foster family. Shit . I feel the tears stinging my eyes and start blinking quickly.
“Don’t do it,” Jenny mutters. “If you start then I’ll start.” She pulls me into the twentieth hug of the day. “Call me as soon as you get there.”
“I’ll make sure she doesn’t forget,” Alec reassures her. I smile weakly. He's not my real dad, but he insisted on driving me like a real dad would. He claimed it was to save on the U-Haul we realized I'd need to transport my stuff since I'm leaving my precious car, Niko behind. He presses a kiss to her forehead and lowers himself into his car. Mason kisses my cheek, brushing his fingers over my neck.
“See you in a few hours.” He turns to Guy, patting his back hard. “See ya, man.”
“Take care of her,” Guy says firmly.
“Scout’s honor,” Mason replies.
I open the passenger door, but before I can get in, Dylan barrels toward me. I almost lose my balance as he throws his arms around my thighs. “I love you, Hope,” he mumbles against my leg.
This is how my heart breaks.
“Love you too, Dill Weed.”
Jenny scoops him into her arms and I drop into the seat, shutting the door as quickly as I can.
“Drive, Alec,” I whisper. Before I change my mind .
13 Mason
My new apartment isn’t much bigger than a closet, but it’s cheap, and it’s equally close to Hope and Kel. Of course, the fifteen minute drive already feels much farther when I’d become accustomed to having Hope in my arms every night.
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