Always with You | BOOK #2 OF ITS YOU TRILOGY

18. the next step

I began to love myself again. It was all because of you.
**

Cameron's POV

Everything is right. Everything is perfect. This is a formal to remember.

We headed back in to dry off for a while and once we were, and we didn't look like rats, we headed back into the hot dance area. I spot Parker and Sierra and I run over to them and Ty mingles over with the guys.

"Oh my god, where were you?" Parker narrows her eyes at me suspiciously. Sierra gives me a mom look and I stick my tongue out at her.

"The rooftop," I respond and they both give me wide eyes and smiles.

"You guys are really happy, I'm so proud." Sierra comments and I grin even wider at that.

I think I smiled for the hundredth time. Parker and Sierra shake their heads and we dance and chatted for so long, our feet started to hurt. I have this odd feeling in my body. Its this feeling where I feel so carefree and so genuinely happy with myself. I forget all the shit happening to me and I just feel, good.

I love this, I love everything that's happening, and most importantly, I love me. I really do, right now.

We get tugged over by our table and Parker almost slaps the person dragging us, but its Kaydon.

"Dude! We were jamming out back there," Parker complains and Kaydon rolls his eyes at us then nods toward the door.

"Come on! Didn't you wanna say we visit Melly since it's the last formal?"

Our eyes widen and in realization. Every year during the formal after a while, the girls and I head to Melly's for the rest of the night to chat with her and talk. It's the same for prom as well. We do this because, well, she made us promise during freshmen year to come back every single dance because her kids are already grown up. We're the only kids, who she loves and adores, that are still in high-school.

She would always say that if we didn't, she would send her daughter down to find us and drag us to the diner. Her daughter is in her thirties now, raising her own kids so I doubt she'll come find us but whatever Melly says.

We all hop into the cars and we drive in silence. Ty's eyes are focused on the road but mine are struggling to keep off of his. Blake in the back is calling someone and he has no clue that Ty and I are just stealing glances with each other.

Ty turns the car and parks into the usual parking lot for Melly's and it's quite empty. We all walk in and Melly comes out of the kitchen with a towel on her shoulder and her locks of grey hair in a hairnet. She looks up and her jaw drops.

"My babies!" she runs over to us and cups our faces, twirling the girls around. "You girls look so beautiful."

She turns to the boys and pats their faces gently. "You boys look spiffy in these suits," she gushes and she leads us over to the bigger round booths.

"Come sit, I'll get you guys some fries and drinks."

We all sit down in a huff, I'm in between Parker and Sierra as usual.

Parker clears her throat, "What do you think would happen if Melly's wasn't around anymore?"

Ty shakes her shoulder while rolling his eyes.