Page 60 of Beyond the Fame

He pauses and I say nothing because I know he has more to say.

“Tomorrow is not guaranteed. You should be living every day like it’s your last.”

I groan.

“I know how cliché that sounds, but Becca, you have to promise me. Promise me you won’t waste one second of your life once I’m gone. Promise me you’ll follow your dreams, no matter how silly you think they are.”

“I promise,” I whisper.

He holds out his pinky, and I latch it with mine.

“Pinky swear, because I know you’ve stopped letting yourself imagine. You’ve stopped writing. You used to love writing stories. They were wonderful. I loved reading them, but you stopped writing because you let the popular girls at school judge you. I get it. Really, I do. I was the popular guy too. You just want to fit in, but at what cost?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re changing yourself to become someone I no longer recognize. You’re becoming someone who’s not real. A version meant to please others. I'm worried the real you, the one who dreams, will get lost and you’ll never get her back. Promise me you won’t let her get lost.”

I’m crying and shaking my head because something about making this promise feels final. A goodbye. I’m not ready to say goodbye. I never will be.

“Tyler,” I cry. He lets go of my pinky and opens his arms. I fall into them, crushing myself to his chest. He kisses the top of my head and rubs my arm.

“I love you, Becca Bear, and I just want you to be happy. I want you to live your life, not someone else's. You just have to find like-minded people. Friends who want to cosplay in parks or watch sci-fi movies or read fantasy books about hidden kingdoms and magical powers. And don’t settle. One day you’ll meet someone who will support you and challenge you and bring out your inner child. You'll feel so comfortable around them that you’ll drop this mask you’re so determined to wear and no one else will matter. Only they will.”

“My own Lana Banana?”

“Exactly. And when you find this person. Never let them go.”

Chapter 15 – Jensen

Present Day

I've never seen Rebecca Taylor so... animated. She holds my hand and skips down to the beach under the dark of night. There are tiki lamps lit throughout, but they thin out the closer we get to the water.

I scan the beach for any signs of paparazzi or people who might recognize us. Thankfully, only a few people are out: a couple walking along the beach hand in hand, three men stumbling back inside the resort after a night of drinking, and a resort worker cleaning up.

Rebecca slips off her sandals, approaches the water’s edge, and sticks her feet in the crashing waves. She has a drawstring bag on her back that she said is to hold our suits when we take them off in the water.

“It’s warm.” She looks at me, a huge smile plastered on her face.

I can’t help myself and tug her against me, kissing her deeply. As deep as the lowest parts of the ocean.

“Ready?” she asks, her grin never faltering.

I squeeze her hand and nod. “Ready.”

We enter the water slowly, watching our step since it’s pitch dark out. We go in far enough that the water reaches our chests, and we can still touch the ocean floor. Any further out would be too dangerous. Hell, we’re probably dumb for going this far at night.

Rebecca removes her bathing suit first and puts it in the bag. I strip my tank and swim shorts and stick them on top. She draws the strings shut and puts the bag on her back.

“We’re skinny dipping,” she beams.

“We’re so fucking naked,” I say, beaming back at her.

She wraps her arms around my neck and brings me in for a kiss. Her legs fold around my waist and my hands find her ass, squeezing the cheeks. She gasps, obviously still sore from my earlier lashings. My dick is already getting hard, poking at her entrance. One thrust and I would be inside her.

“Fuck me, Jensen,” she murmurs against my mouth as if reading my mind.

Oh shit. I freeze. She continues kissing me but stops when she realizes I'm not kissing her back.

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