Page 123 of The Show

I’d wait forever if it meant I could have her forever.

Lowe was my one true love.

I drove past the heavy gates to my sister’s house and pulled up next to the other cars. One or two of the lights were still on, and I hoped that meant they were awake. I’d left New York without a plan, and so I’d travelled with nothing, therefore I needed to raid Decker’s closet before we went to sleep.

I found Dylan sitting on the stairs as I entered.

“Hey,” I kissed her cheek. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be in bed. Thanks for waiting up for me.”

“Just wanted to congratulate my little brother on scoring the sports coup of the century.” She playfully punched my arm, though it stung more than usual.

“Thanks,” I laughed, rubbing where my arm now throbbed. “You been working out?”

“Nope. Just been soft on you until now.”

“Have you? Well, I appreciate it.” I couldn’t hold back a wide yawn. “Dyl, I’m pretty beat. Is Decker still up? I’ve got nothing with me; I need to borrow some shorts.”

She stood up. “Yeah, I can find something for you. While I do that, there’s something out by the pool I want you to see.”

I groaned and started following her up the stairs. “I’ll go in the morning. I’m too tired to function or appreciate anything right now,”

“I think you’ll appreciate this,” she argued.

I took another step. “No, Dyl, I’m too tired. I want to go to bed.”

She spun round with a frustrated glare. “Penny! Just go out to the fucking pool, will you?!”

“For fuck’s sake! Fine.”

I stomped off. It was much darker than it had been a couple of weeks ago. That night the moon had been full, and Lowe had dangled her feet in the water as I swam, her white-blonde hair glistening like a halo.

Now, it was so dark, I was almost blindly walking down the path to the pool, cursing my sister for making me do this and muttering to myself about what the fuck could be so important at almost midnight.

Out of nowhere, my heart thudded hard, almost winding me.

Then it thudded again.

That scent. Limes and jasmine. It reminded me so strongly of Lowe my chest felt like it was caving in. So strongly that I must have hallucinated her, because as I came through the clearing to the pool, there she was, sitting with her feet dangling in the water, just like they had before.

“Hey,” my hallucination said, her eyes lighting up to a shade bluer than I’d ever seen on her before. In fact, my whole hallucination was more beautiful than I’d ever seen her in reality.

I rubbed at my chest. The pain was getting more acute with every breath I took.

Fuck, I missed Lowe.

I should never have run away.

I should never have lost my temper.

I should never have pushed a timeline on her.

I spun around, trying to ignore the pain. Where the fuck was Dylan with this thing she wanted me to see. The sooner I could get this over with, the sooner I could get back to Lowe.

In fact, if I left now, I’d be home by morning. I’d be home for when she woke up.

And I’d fix this fuckup I’d caused.

“Penn…”

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