Page 99 of The Story Of Us

In our own ways, we’ve both documented the story of us. It’s one that started with two eleven-year-olds who were excited to share a birthday and grew into two seventeen-year-olds who couldn’t imagine a life without each other. I can’t wait for it to end with the two of us, old and grey, side by side until the very end.

39

ISAAC

3 WEEKS LATER

It doesn’t take long to put together something that shows both of our efforts, and after working on it for a few weeks straight, it’s ready to submit. We walk to the English classroom together, hand in hand, because we don’t care who knows anymore. When we told our friends, they were nothing but happy for us, as we hoped they would be. Even though a tiny part of me regrets hiding it for so long, another part of me is glad that we could reach this point where we’re comfortable and secure enough not to worry about anything breaking us apart.

When we enter the classroom, Mr. Hale is sitting at his desk, so completely focused on his computer that he doesn’t even notice we’ve walked in. I clear my throat to get his attention, and when he looks up at us, his eyes drop to where our hands are joined.

“Glad to see you’ve fixed it,” he says with a wry grin, and I just duck my head so that he can’t see the way my cheeks are turning red.

I’m so glad I fixed it, too.

“We just came to give you our project,” Violet says, stepping forward and reaching her hand out to pass the USB to him. “We had some technical difficulties, but we tried our best.”

“I’m sure whatever you’ve made will be wonderful,” he says, taking it from her. “I want to take this chance to tell you that teaching you both has been an absolute joy. I hope you’ll keep in touch. I can’t wait to see where you go from here, and I hope your talent and skill continue to bloom.”

I can’t see Violet’s face from how she’s standing in front of me, but I know she’s got a shy smile on her face, the kind that she always has whenever someone tries to compliment her. I make it one of my goals for our future to remind her every day how brilliant she is because even though I think it whenever I see her, I don’t tell her enough, and I know she needs to hear it.

“We will, Mr. Hale. Thank you for everything.” Violet steps backward, coming back to my side again, to the place she’s always belonged.

“It’s been my pleasure,” Mr. Hale says, turning his attention to me. “Isaac, I know it’s been a tough few months for you, but I’m confident that you will go on to do great things.”

I already am, I want to say. The greatest thing I’ll ever do in my life is to love Violet.

“Thank you.”

The words are simple, but I have too much to thank him for. If it hadn’t been for this project, I don’t even want to think about what would have happened to Violet and me in our relationship. Although we had a rocky start at the beginning of the year, the project was our saving grace.

“I know you’ll be studying a lot over Easter break, but make sure you take some time for yourselves, too. And remember, I’m always here if you need anything. Either myself or Mrs. Harper will let you know the winners at the end of the year.”

I don’t even care about the prize because I've already won with Violet by my side.

We both nod at him and say our goodbyes before leaving the classroom to head back to the dorms. Halfway down the hallway, Violet suddenly stops, throwing her head back and sighing.

“You okay?” I swing our arms, and she starts walking again, clutching onto my arm with her free hand before resting her head just below my shoulder.

“Just glad that it’s over now. As sad as I was about losing the other one, I’m happy that it ended like this.”

“You’re talking a lot about endings right now. Should I be worried?” I try to play it off as a joke, but a part of me is still worried about what will happen over the next few weeks. We’ll both be busy with exams, and then there’s the stress of waiting for results and finding out if we actually got into the universities we wanted. A lot of change is about to come, but I don’t want anything to change between us.

She tugs at my arm, and we both stop walking. I tilt my head down to look at her. Violet is staring up at me with so much love and hope in her eyes that I don’t know how I could think we’d ever be apart again.

“Nope, we’re just getting started.”

EPILOGUE

VIOLET - THREE YEARS LATER

“Violet, we’re going to be late,” Izzy yells at me from the living room of our two-bed apartment on the outskirts of London.

As soon as Isaac realised that we needed another room if Izzy was to leave home, our plans of living in central London were crushed, but neither of us minded too much. We managed to find somewhere that we could afford if we both used our student loans and worked part-time, and it worked out for the best. Once we’d settled ourselves in, Izzy slowly moved in, too, with her and Isaac making trips back to their parent’s house to collect her things.

Back then, I’d hoped that maybe his parents would see how well he was doing mentally and academically and apologise, but it never happened. And now, three years later, Isaac and Izzy are both happy enough without them that the thought of going back hasn’t ever crossed their minds.

A part of Isaac knew he’d been missing out on a softer relationship with his parents, but after spending that first summer break with Luke and his parents, he realised that family doesn’t have to mean blood. I’d like to think we’ve made our own little family of three now, too.

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