“And you will again,” she says as if it’s what I want to do. Ididn’twant to leave her when I ran. And I don’t want to leave her next month.
I reach out, clutching her face in my hands. “I didn’t leave because of you,” I tell her, needing her to understand that she was the only reason I stayed as long as I did. “And I’m not running from you.” Our eyes lock together, and I try to tell her everything I’m feeling with my eyes. “I’m here to stay for as long as you want me.” My heart picks up pace, and I brush my thumb over her cheek. “I’ve seen every part of you, and…” I pause, closing my eyes.I still love you.“And we spoke almost every day for the last four years,” I continue, snapping my eyes open. “That won’t change just because I go to school somewhere else.”
“Not every day.”
I frown. “What?”
“You said we spoke almost every day whilst you were gone,” she clarifies, shaking her head. “But after you left, you didn’t speak to me for almost two weeks.”
My jaw clenches, and I drop my hand. “That won’t happen this time,” I promise her.
She swallows. “How do I know that?” she asks. “I don’t think I can handle it if I lose you.”
Does she not understand that she’s attached to every fiber of my being? It doesn’t matter how much distance is between us. She’s a part of me. Always has been. “You won’t lose me,” I assure her. “Ever. And the reason I didn’t reach out had nothing to do with you. It was all my messed up issues.”
Her brows dip. “You really expect me to believe that?”
I search her eyes, hoping to find a flicker of recognition, that she remembers what happened that night, but her gaze remains blank. My shoulders slump with disappointment.
“Of course,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “It’s the truth.”
“We’re here,” Madeline says, breaking the moment as I lift my head to see the indoor go-karting arena through the window.
I glance back at Gabi, breathing out a sigh of relief when she gets out of the car. Following suit, I step out, hoping she believes me.
What happened that night had nothing to do with her. Sure, I was messed up over what went down between us, but I didn’t leave because of it.
It was everything that happened after that was the problem.
“Woah,” Rosie says, looking around the arena when we walk in.
It’s huge, dark, and filled with blue lights all around. My eyes drift to Gabi when she looks behind her shoulder at me. “You want to race me?”
I let out a laugh, loving her competitive side. “I thought that’s what we were doing.”
She shakes her head. “Only between us,” she says. “These guys will probably slow us down anyway.”
Grayson twists his head. “Did you forget I basically breathe cars? I’ve been driving longer than any of you.”
Gabi waves him off, turning her attention back to me. “So? What do you say?”
I grin. “You’re on.”
As we approach the go-karts, Grayson whistles in admiration. “Are you sure you want to do this, angel?” he asks Rosalie, securing a helmet on her head.
She beams, looking up at him. “Absolutely.”
“Can she even drive?” Aiden asks.
Grayson places his own helmet on, glancing at his best friend. “I’ve given her a few lessons in my car,” he replies with a shrug. “She’s not bad.”
Aiden’s eyebrows shoot up. “Damn. You must really love her. You don’t even let melookat your car for too long.”
He smiles, his eyes softening as he glances at Rosie. “Yeah. I really do.”
Once we’re given the rundown and set up in the go-karts, I glance over at Gabi. “First to the finish line when the time runs out…”
“Wins,” she finishes for me, her grin widening. “I can’t wait to beat you, in real life this time.”
