Page 1 of Until We Fall

1

all

of these

beautiful

things

sunlight,

goodness,

stars,

you

-butterflies rising

It’sall over after this.

One last spring break trip with the guys before we graduate. It’s the end of an era. Everything is about to change.

And I’m not ready.

The plane banks right, sunlight streaming through the tiny window to my left, and I shift, trying to keep my knees from knocking into the seat in front of me. It’s not possible. I’m too big for these seats.

My best friend, Rory, is sitting next to me. He’s got his eReader in his hands, his dark red hair swept back, glasses slipping down his freckled nose. He’s completely entranced by whatever he’s reading, probably some complicated mathematical or scientific theory.

And I just keepthinkingabout how shit’s gonna change after this trip. I kinda want to talk to him about all this ‘it’s all over’ stuff, but I don’t want to bother him. I bother him too much, I think. I’m always talking. It’s even worse when we’re studying together. I sit there with my knee bouncing and about a trillion thoughts in my head that have nothing to do with the books in front of us.

No studying on this trip though. I should be happy about that, but honestly, hanging out with Rory on my bed with books all spread around us and his glasses sliding to the tip of his freckled nose is usually the best part of my day.

But after this trip, the four of us go back to IFU, and then we graduate, and head off in four different directions to jobs and bills and shit I don’t want to contemplate yet.

Do college friendships always end? I don’t want them to.

I inwardly sigh and glance out the window. The sky’s slowly shifting from brilliant blue into a deep, burnt orange.

It’s really fucking beautiful out there. Where we’re heading is supposed to be beautiful too. Clua—a tiny island off the coast of Mexico. Five days of beaches, sand, and sunsets like this one. Brilliant blue ocean and palm trees and bright, tropical flowers. Warm nights and maybe a bonfire or something? I don’t know. But we’ll play volleyball and drink too much and laugh our asses off. Honestly, I don’t care what we do. I just want to do it.

I draw the shade down so the sun doesn’t bother Rory and then swipe off my IFU beanie. My hair is warm with perspiration, the curls no doubt sticking out. I smooth them back and shove my hat in the seat pocket in front of me. Myknee bounces, my jeans sticking to my thighs. I shouldn’t have dressed so warmly, but it was snowing in Colorado when we left.

And… I want to talk.

About anything and everything.

Past Rory, Theo and Carter are chatting across the aisle, deep in conversation. I guess I could stand up and go talk with them, but I want to talk to Rory. He always has interesting things to say, and he’ll probably give me a new perspective on this it’s-all-over thing that I haven’t thought about yet.

I clasp my hands in my lap, trying to stop fidgeting. Fuck. I’m fit to pop here. Maybe I’ll just ask Rory what he’s reading? Just one quick question. Then I’ll leave him alone.

I shift as subtly as I can, leaning just a little closer to him. Thirty seconds of conversation, and then we can go back to sil?—

His reader tilts away from me.

I straighten. Is that tilt intentional?

No, it can’t be. It’s not like he’s paying attention to me.

---