Forever Yours

chapter twenty-six

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Mia shouts from the other side of the parking lot. She comes running up and tackles me with a hug.

I laugh at her. Valentine's Day is Mia's favorite holiday because she says—and I quote— 'I just love love'.

"Happy Valentine's Day spaz."

She stands up on her tippy toes and kisses me on the side of my head. "Love you, Lo!"

I laugh at her once again and say, "Love you too Mia."

She tries to get me to skip with her the rest of the way up to school. But I tell her no because I don't think I've ever skipped in my life. She pouts for a second, but then we move on.

"Have you seen Joel?" I ask Mia once we're inside, grabbing books from our lockers. He's usually with us by now. Since our big fight, Joel and I are thankfully back to normal. Well for the most part. We still have to be cautious around our parents, who are still dating.

"No, I haven't. But I have seen Hank, and he looks delicious today. Do you think he'll send me a candy gram?" Candy grams happen every Valentine's Day. You pay a couple bucks to the school, and they'll send out a gram to whoever you choose. It includes a bag of chocolates, one red rose, a message, and of course a song of choice sung by the school's choir.

I've never gotten a candy gram. Joel said he would've sent one last year, but Valentine's Day had landed on a weekend.

I shake my head and laugh. "Maybe Mia."

"I'm sure Joel will send you one. You're so lucky."

Speaking of Joel, I still haven't seen him, and the bell is about to ring. I send him a couple of texts, asking where he is, but he doesn't answer. Weird.

The day goes by really slow, no sign of Joel at lunch. He better be in French class, or I might just freak out.

Mia and I make it to French class, but Joel isn't here either. Now I'm worried. I send him a couple more texts before class begins. In the middle of Ms. Windsor lecturing us, the choir comes in to do a candy gram. One of the choir girls' steps forward and lays the candy gram on my desk.

I'm really confused as I look over at Mia. She mouths Joel? but I just shrug because I have no idea what's going on.

The choir starts singing Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling in Love. I sit and listen, wondering if it's from Joel. I take a peek at the note and, sure enough, it says 'I love you. Forever Yours, Joel'. But where is he? Just as I think this, Joel bursts into the classroom and starts singing the chorus of the song with the choir. He stands up on a desk and belts out the lyrics of love to me. I can't help but smile at his grand gesture. They finish out the song and Joel hops down from the desk at the front of the room. The class applauds as the choir exits the room.

Joel makes it to my desk at the back of the room, and plants a kiss on me. "I can't help falling in love with you Lo," he whispers into my ear. Then he plops down in his desk next to me. Class continues and I'm giddy the rest of the day.

♥♥♥

I said I would never get up this early again, but here I am. I got up at 5:30 in the morning to be at school by six for the senior sunrise. I finish getting ready and then get a text from Joel saying he's here. Since our parents started dating, they insist we ride to school together since we just live a few streets away from each other. Joel and I take turns picking up one another.

I tiptoe downstairs not wanting to wake Dad, but he's already sitting at the kitchen table with a coffee. Dad looks up and smiles at me, "Joel's here?" I nod. "I'm glad you two are getting along so well. It means a lot to me, and I know it makes Connie happy."

"Yeah, I mean, Joel's great. He's like one of my best friends now, you know?"

Dad smiles again, but this time it doesn't seem genuine. "Yeah. But Willow, you don't have feelings for him, do you?"

Uh oh. This isn't good. I swallow but try to keep my composure. "No, why would you think that?" I almost laugh at his silly question, but I feel like that might give things away.

"Well, I just see the way you look at him sometimes, and how close you two got so fast. And he better not have feelings for you. That would make things really complicated Willow."

He seems a little angry now, so I try to calm him down. "I know Dad." I give him a quick kiss on the cheek and tell him I have to go. He doesn't say anything, just lets me go.

I get into Joel's Jeep, and he gives me a big smile, but I can't even try to smile. Dad thinks something is going on.

"What's wrong Lo?" Joel asks and lays a hand on my shoulder. I shy away from his touch. He gives me a weird look. I tell him to drive, and he does.

As we're driving, I finally tell him what's bothering me. "I think my dad is onto us."

Joel grows stiff next to me and keeps his eyes on the road. "What do you mean?"

I tell him about the conversation I had with my dad as we arrive at school.

"Oh my god," Joel says slowly. He doesn't look at me after we park.

We sit in silence looking out the windshield for a while before I say, "I know. I guess we just have to be more careful. I just don't understand where we went wrong. I think we've been pretty careful already."

"I know, me too." Joel says and we finally look at each other. "Let's not worry about that right now though. Okay?" I nod and he leans in for a kiss.

We get out of the car and head to the football field where the senior sunrise is held. We meet up with Mia and Hank who have already set up their blankets. We set up ours next to them. We all talk about graduation and how excited we are as we wait for the sun to rise. Our teachers come around and hand out hot chocolates.

I sit in between Joel's legs, nestled against his chest, and lay my head on his shoulder. My friends and I watch in awe as the sun comes up. I feel at peace with the people I love around me.

Despite the fear that my father may be onto Joel and me, I try not to think about it right now. And I try not to think about the fact that our parents are still happily dating and that maybe they will never stop. But in this moment right now, I think about how much happiness Joel and Mia, and now even Hank bring me. I'm so lucky to have these people in my life and to be graduating soon and going off to college with my favorite people. Things aren't perfect, but they sure as hell feel like it.