The end of the day comes and I walk to the front of the school with Damien. The mob of high school students crowd the parking lot. There's no way I'll spot them.
I give up and open the door to Damien car. My eyes itch to look up just once more. Maybe he would be standing there looking for me too. Maybe his gold hair would be blowing in the summer breeze just like it did at the beach. Maybe his eyes would be dark and dreamy and directed straight at me. Maybe his strong arms would be held out as if calling me to safety.
But our little paradise is long gone and so is our love we left behind on that rocky cliff.
Damien drives me home a lot faster than the first time. The car is hushed in a silence that he must read as sorrow or exhaustion. But it's a deep thought that swallows me. A hope that grips my heart.
Once I'm home I walk to the park alone. The wooden picnic table is empty but I take a swing. I know, I'm a senior in high school, I should be over swings.
My emotions are caught in a storm of love and hope and hate and doubt. And I have the right to feel all of those feelings.
Suddenly my swing starts to move back and forth. A comforting hand on my back.
"It's okay, Damien," I sigh,"nothing's wrong I'm just tired."
"I thought the first thing you say to me could at least be to me," his soft voice pounds in my ears. Calling me back to the memories we left off with. Like returning to your favorite book.
I turn around to face him,"Just couldn't wait a year to see me again, huh?"
"Well, no I couldn't but sadly that's not why I'm here. I was going to tell you-"
"But that would require texting and you were just way too busy to let me know you still knew me," I cut him off with a sudden change of tone.
"No, El it's not like that!" He panics,"I can explain I swear!"
"Well I'd like to hear it."
"It's a long story but pretty much, Mirren, Dad, and I were driving on this bridge and suddenly another car slide in front of us and my dad tried to avoid it. So he jerked the wheel to the right but we went out of control and tumbled off of the bridge into the water. Mirren and I, being young and strong, managed to get out just in time. I swam down and tried to pull Dad out but he couldn't fight against the water and the pressure."
"Oh God I'm so sorry, Tyler," I say and hold his hand.
"The car was sinking too fast, there's wasn't enough time. my dad mouthed,'I love you,' right before I lost sight of his face," he looks away. It's the first time I've seen him break a little for reasons others than me.
"It's alright," I wrap my arms around his waist and stand up. I rest my head on his chest. A a part of me wants to pull away in fear of the wrong eyes watching us, that piece is a shrimp compared to the giant ocean in me that wants him to smile again."But what brings you here?"
"This is my mom's hometown, so she wanted to come back," he says.
"I'm glad you're here," I smile and pull away to face him. "Where's Mirren?"
"At home, do you want to see her?"
"Absolutely," I say and we hop into his grey truck and drive to his tiny home. It's a cozy tan color with a southern look to it despite its size. Sure enough, we open the door and Mirren is in the living room watching a show. Looks like Shadowhunters.
She looks up at the door and smiles. She's beautiful when she's genuinely happy, the boys are going to go crazy for her at school. She stands up and walks towards me. We let out a breath and melt into a hug.
It's joy, pure joy, to see them again. To feel the warmth of the Maldives in her arms. To see the reckless ocean in his eyes. Just being reunited with them turns my world of worry and shame around and around until all I can see and feel is wild colors and endless freedom.
"God I'm so glad you're here," I hold tighter then loosen my grip. My eyes ricochet between theirs, as if not looking into them for too long might make them disappear.
"So we're together again already,"Mirren smiles,"I missed us."
"Me too,"I say.
"Me too," Tyler walks into the room, although I didn't see him leave, with a glass of water.
"I'm so excited!" Mirren squeals,"Now we can go on crazy adventures everyday!"
"They're not going to be as fun here, just warning you," I reply.
"Trust me," Tyler laughs,"we can find an adventure anywhere."
And I believe him.
YOU ARE READING
Our Little Lie (Complete)
浪漫I told him what I thought I would never tell anyone. He knew I was a liar. So why did he care? I knew he would lie for me if he had to But how could I trust a stranger who may be a liar too? He says secrets never did anyone any good But neither do l...
