Always There

Chapter Ninety-Three

Songs for this chapter:
• Teenager in Love - Madison Beer

Chapter Ninety-Three:

Lexi's POV

"Today has been so magical. I knew my birthday would be a wonderful day, but I didn't anticipate being quite this happy. I woke up in a good mood and everything that's happened today has been so amazing and it's just been such a great day. I hope the rest of the day will be this great, too," I say to Kennedy, unable to contain my excitement.

We're currently filing out the door of our last class of the day, and so I'm super thrilled to really start the birthday celebration now that school is over. Even though I've been trying super hard, it's honestly been really difficult to keep my mind off of Bryce today, and so I'm excited to get home so that I can get ready for dinner and distract myself from those lingering thoughts of Bryce.

When I glance up at Kennedy's face, I find that she's grinning at me.

And I get why she's smiling, but wow, she seems really excited about something.

Now that I think about it, she's been acting just a little bit suspicious today, almost as though she's keeping a secret from me.

All day she's been so incredibly kind and caring and happy for me, of course, and I can really tell that she's trying her best to make today as perfect for me as possible. She woke me up by climbing into bed with me this morning and giving me a massive hug, and since then, she's given me many hugs and smiles and has just been so very sweet.

I'm so thankful for her. I really am.

Despite the secretive smile on her face and the mischievous twinkle in her eyes, her words seem genuine enough when she says, "Oh, I'm sure the rest of the day will be even better. I promise. Just you wait."

I can't help but to raise an eyebrow at her.

Unfortunately, though, I'm not able to actually say anything before we make it out of the classroom, because as soon as we step through the doorway and into the hallway, I'm pulled into a shockingly tight hug.

"Happy birthday, Lexi," Knox says against my hair after he kisses me on the top of my head. He keeps his arms wrapped firmly around me and he squeezes me just a little bit tighter before kissing my hair again, and so I wrap my arms around him and squeeze him back.

"Thank you," I whisper quickly before burying my face into the soft fabric of Knox's knit sweater.

Even though he isn't Bryce, a hug from Knox is as close as I'll be able to get today. Because of this, I hold on impossibly tight to him even as he gently pulls me to the side so that we're no longer in the middle of the hallway and therefore. in the way of the other students hurrying to their next classes.

"You're nineteen. Wow. I can't believe you were still only seventeen when we met for the first time. It feels like we met just yesterday, but it was really more than a year ago. You've grown so much, Lexi, and I'm so proud of you," Knox whispers, his lips still pressed against my hair.

By some miracle, I'm able to squeeze him even tighter. "Thank you," I whisper back. "It really is crazy. Time flies so quickly sometimes. This past year has been so very wonderful, and you're one of the main reasons that it's been such a happy year."

Knox pulls away from our hug so that he can look directly into my eyes. He's wearing a massive smile on his face, and upon realising this, I also realise that I'm somehow smiling just as wide.