Summers without Her

0

2018

I pull out my iPhone 8 from my pocket for the fiftieth time.

9:34.

The last time I checked it was 9:33.

'Riley, where are you?'

I decide to stop pacing and sit down on the rustic wood flooring.

I look at my phone again. Still 9:34.

My heart jumps when I hear footsteps.

"Sorry I'm so late! I was wi—" The voice stops abruptly and I can tell that it's owner has stepped into the little room adorned with Christmas lights and a table set in the middle with two chairs placed besides it.

I brush off my suit as I stand up and nervously look Riley in the eyes.

She's shocked, that much I can tell. But there's one other emotion in her gaze that I can't pinpoint.

I take a few steps towards her and start to tell her what I've known from the day she splashed me on the beach 13 years ago. The script that I have been running through my head repeatedly for the past two hours.

Throughout it all, Riley never wavers her gaze from mine. She doesn't say a word as I remind her of all the good times we've had. But then once I start talking about how much she means to me, Riley glances away just before interrupting me.

"You can't feel that way."

I can see the hurt in her eyes, but that doesn't stop me. I've waited too long to tell her how I feel. "But Riley, I do." I take a few more steps forward, so we're not even two feet away now. I reach my hand out to grab her cheek, but she turns her head and I'm met with empty air.

"I'm sorry, I can't." With that, Riley turns her entire body away, and starts to leave. The Christmas lights reflect off of something on Riley's left hand, but I ignore it.

I scrap the script to get to the end of it. "Riley, I love you."

My words, however, are said to a retreating back and a pretty red head of hair that doesn't look back.

<3 ash | 8.4.16

Guuuyyyss, I spent a long time on making this chapter perfect just for you. Please let me know what you thought!

Note: the book is not over yet. The next chapter will start with 1, because it will be his first summer without her.