Page 1 of Forever My Boy

chapter 1

. . .

“I’m going to miss this,” Liam’s voice cracks as he inhales the scent of my hair. Last night, after I washed and dried it, I purposefully left it down for this reason. Feeling him nuzzle the side of my neck, his scruff gently scratching my skin, is something I don’t want to forget.

Every day, since Mason told Liam he wasn’t going to the University of Texas with him, I wake up and wish like hell Liam was staying here or I was going with him. I’m jealous of Katelyn, and I’m pissed off at Mason. If it wasn’t for Liam, Mason wouldn’t have had the offer to play at UT.And then he bails on Liam, like it’s no big deal. Did Mason even think about Liam and how he’d feel? How I’d feel?

I hold Liam tighter, not willing to let him go. He’s leaving a day early because he doesn’t want to be at the party tonight. Everyone is gathering at the water tower—Liam’s water tower—to say goodbye and what not. He’s afraid people will say shit about him and his football career. Mostly, even though he won’t say it aloud, he doesn’t want to see Mason, and I don’t blame him. I don’t either but he’s my best friend’s boyfriend and I have no choice unless I ditch Katelyn.

Without her, I’d have no one. I’d be all alone. I suppose this is what happens when you have a tight foursome and the future gets in the way. Once Liam leaves, I won’t see him until Thanksgiving at the earliest, but I’ll definitely see him at Christmas. The next five months are going to be hell. Tortuous. I don’t know how I’m going to survive. He’s been my life for the past couple of years, and now I won’t see or talk to him every day.

Liam doesn’t let me go.

Maybe I should’ve asked him to take me with him. Do to Katelyn what Mason did to Liam. I don’t care if men are supposed to be more resilient, stronger, and not as emotionally charged as women. Mason did his best friend dirty and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to forgive him.

I know Liam won’t.

“I wish things were different, Jojo.”

My fist grips his shirt tighter. Is he going to ask me to come with him? God, I hope so. All he has to do is ask and I’ll run home right now and grab my stuff. I don’t even care about school. I’ll get a job and work while he kicks ass as QB1. We could get an apartment off campus and live together and really be free to start our lives without his parents or mine being in the way. It could just be us and I know we’d be happy.

“How so?” I don’t try to look at him and keep my head on his shoulder and my lips near his neck because I know if I look into his eyes, I’ll be done for. I’ve already dampened his shirt with my tears and know they’ll come in full force if I chance a single look at the man I love.

“I wish you were going with me, or we had chosen a school together.”

“Me too,” I whisper as I pray with all my might that Liam asks me to go with him. Wishing and asking are two differentthings, though. You make a wish when you blow out your birthday candles, but when you want something, you ask.

Please ask me.

Liam adjusts and my head moves just enough for the sun to temporarily blind me. We’re parked at the water tower—the place where he told me he was going to marry me someday—and right now I wish someday was today and not in four or five years.

All night, our moods have been somber. It’s hard to be excited when you know you’re not going to see the love of your life for a while. Five months feels like five years, and I don’t even want to think about the exact number of days, hours, or seconds it will be until I’m in his arms again. Everything is marked on my calendar. Every moment we’ve shared together. I can’t wait for the day when my mom finds it and asks why there are hearts on certain days. I’ve practiced my answer so many times, “Those are the days Liam and I made love.” When I say it in my head, it’s cheesy. Do teens “make love” or do they bang, fuck, screw? Or maybe it’s just sex. To my mother, it’s sinful.

My parents don’t like Liam and for the life of me I can’t figure out why. He’s perfect in my eyes, and I know there are a lot worse out there. I think it’s because he’s rich. Well, his parents are. And we’re not. Maybe Sterling says things to my mom or dad if they ever run into him. Lord knows Bianca doesn’t speak. She’s drunk ninety-nine percent of the time. I suppose I would be too if I had to live with Sterling.

Liam’s parents are horrible. The worst of the worst. Who doesn’t show up for their son’s high school graduation because you don’t like the college he chose?

Sterling and Bianca Westbury—that’s who.

And then my father really drove the nail into the coffin when he didn’t invite Liam to dinner after grad. I’ll never forgive him for that.

I guess that’s three men on my shitlist: my dad, Mason, and Sterling.

With the sun coming up, it means I missed my curfew. Not that I care. What are my parents going to do, ground me? Tell me I can’t see Liam? There isn’t anything they can say or do at this point. I’m leaving for school soon anyway and with Liam gone, the only other thing I would even consider doing is going to Katelyn’s.

Liam turns the dial up on the radio. He’s playing one of the mix tapes he’s made for me. His thumb taps against the steering wheel, in beat with the song.

“Who’s singing?”

His arm wraps tighter around me, and he nuzzles my ear. “Me.”

Can’t take my eyes off of you

I’m a man that’s speakin’ the truth

This love could make mountains move

Hope you feel the same way I do

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