Page 72 of Undeniable

James and I had stayed out until nearly four thirty in the morning. We lay under the stars, touching and talking. There was an ache between my legs that I couldn’t ignore and it made me smile like an idiot even while I was frantically looking for the stupid gift.

Finally, I remembered that I’d set it on the table right beside my door so Iwouldn’tforget to grab it before I told him goodbye.

I lunged for it and flew out the door before I had a chance to catch my breath. I swung open the front door just in time to hear my father say, “I didn’t think she’d miss this.”

It was only six in the morning, the sun was just barely peeking over the horizon and all of us looked like we hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep.

“There she is!” my mom exclaimed, but I didn’t notice anyone else as I approached that faded-orange truck.

James was standing next to the driver’s side door, patting my brother on the back. The two of them exchanged a few more words as I not-so-patiently waited my turn. I kept the gift tight in my fist so no one else had the chance to glance at it.

James hugged Forrest one last time and then hugged Brendon. The two of them glanced at me warily as they passed.

I ignored them and walked toward James.

“Hey, Killer,” he said with a smile that didn’t meet his eyes.

“Hey,” I said and chastised myself because I didn’t have anything more interesting to add.

I had an idea that my mom knew something more was going on between us, and when she quickly ushered everyone away with some excuse I couldn’t hear, I knew I was right.

“I… umm… I have something for you.”

I stuck out my clenched hand, fingers down, and James held out his own underneath it. I dropped the necklace into his hands and his brow immediately furrowed. He shuffled on his feet as he picked up the thicker silver chain I’d bought to replace the dainty one and eyed the flower charm I’d worn around my neck for so many years.

“Ivy, you didn’t have to—”

I shook my head and shoved his hand away when he tried to give it back. “I know I didn’t have to, but I wanted you to have it.”

“I don’t—why this? You love this necklace.”

I looked up into that icy blue gaze and sighed. “I do love it, and that’s part of why I want you to have it. It’s like it’s a little part of me… you’ll carry a part of me with you.”

I hoped the words didn’t sound as dumb to him as they did to me, but I couldn’t think of a better way to explain it instead of outright saying,“I don’t want you to forget about me and the summer we spent together. So, maybe if I give this to you and you wear it, then it’ll be impossible.”

That sounded pathetic.

But I was relieved when he smiled and fastened the necklace around his neck. He fingered the charm, sliding it back and forth over the chain like I’d always done.

“I’m never taking it off,” he promised, and I believed him.

Damn everyone who was still likely watching. I didn’t care what they thought anymore. I flung my arms around his neck at the same time he wrapped his around my waist and swept my feet off the ground.

We stood there for so long, arms around each other, my feet dangling midair, that I thought someone was going to pull us apart. But no one did, and eventually, James let me down slowly. I slid down his body and tried not to cry all while my mind was screaming, “Kiss me!”

But we’d talked about it early that morning—that was a statement we didn’t really want to make to our families. Our last real kiss until we saw each other again was the one we shared through my window at four in the morning.

“Not goodbye,” I said, and my sad, unsure smile was reflected back to me as his lips tilted slowly upward.

“Not goodbye,” he parroted and then added, “Never goodbye.” He kissed my forehead, lingering for a second before he pulled back and I willed myself to step away.

I took several steps back until arms wrapped around me and stopped my retreat. Without looking, I knew it was Forrest. He hugged me and the threat of tears was imminent. I only hoped I could get back to my room with the door locked and under the guise of going back to bed before the waterworks started.

James waved to all of us, crowded on our lawn one last time, and opened the truck door. From the open window, his eyes settled on me and they didn’t waver until he had to follow his dad’s truck down the driveway.

Their trucks kicked up the dust from the gravel drive and it only settled once they were out of sight. I watched him go and the entire time, my body, my entire being, was screaming how wrong it was. I could feel it everywhere all at once. Like I was being torn apart and ripped wide open. Like my favorite part of my heart had left.

Forrest stood there with me until they’d turned the corner and even after that, he didn’t turn to go inside like everyone else.

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