Page 59 of False Start

“Relax.” His hand smooths over my chest. “I talked to my counselor about how difficult it would be to change schools.”

It takes a minute for my mind to catch up, and I stare at him in shock. “What? You want to come here?”

He nods. “I do. It wouldn’t be this semester but next year. Turns out, it won’t be all that difficult. Pretty easy to switch, actually, and I think I’m going to do it.”

I want to scream with joy. Jump up and do a totally dorky happy dance, but I stop myself. Dread washes over me. I can’t let him change his whole life just for me. I’ve thought about giving up football and changing schools.

It would suck, and I’m not sure my grades will allow it, but I was going to try because the thought of another year without him on the same campus was too awful to bear. But him doing this for me? When he was the one who wanted to go to separate schools in the first place...

“But you didn’t want to go to this school.”

“They have a great business program. I was being a snob.”

I don’t want to let on just how excited I am because I need to know for sure he’s doing this for the right reason. Love isn’t selfish. I don’t know a lot of things, but I know that one.

“We could make long distance work until you graduate.” I would hate it, but we could do it. I’d do anything for him.

His hand brushes over my cheek, and he’s looking at me so fondly, my heart nearly cracks in half. “I don’t want distance from you, Vaughn. Not ever again. I was fooling myself. Desperately and pathetically in love with my best friend. I would have been, no matter where I moved to. It wasn’t going to just go away.”

“I’m glad it didn’t,” I say honestly, and he smiles, kissing my lips softly and then pulling back.

“Me too. I was an idiot. I was wrong, and I want to make it right.”

“You aren’t worried we’re too codependent?” I can hear our moms now, telling us to really think about it and telling us how young we are. That changing our lives for each other is reckless.

“Oh, we’re totally codependent, but I’m tired of not going after what I want. I thought for so long that Big Bend was the problem. That if I could get out of there, I’d be braver. Then it was State that was going to hold me back, but the truth is, I was just scared. You make me brave.”

“You’re brave all on your own. It has nothing to do with me.” I shake my head. “You went to a college where you knew no one, and you thrived. I don’t want you to leave it. You love it.”

“I love you.” He says it so firmly, I feel it everywhere. The words still make me tingle with happiness.

“I love you too, but you never have to give anything up for me. I’ll make it work however I need to.”

“You don’t need to. I want to do this. I’m filing the paperwork to transfer next week. My mind is made up. I just needed to hear that you love me one more time before I did.”

I laugh and then flip us, so his body is under mine and I’m hovering over him. “I love you.” I kiss him. “I love you.” I kiss down his neck. “I love you forever, no matter what city we’re in.”

He laughs and holds onto my bicep. “I love you too. I’m thinking about renting my own place here next year.”

My eyes light up. “Tell me you want a roommate.”

He laughs. “Pretty sure you have to live in the dorms if you’re playing football, and you better be playing.”

“Coach did talk about me starting next year.”

I can see he’s truly happy for me. “But I suppose you can stay the night at my place sometimes.”

“All the time,” I say as if I’m compromising.

He cackles at that until I lean down and kiss him stupid.

Next year, I’m going to have it all. Football. College. And my best friend in the world by my side.

I can’t wait.

AUSTIN

Ihop into Vaughn’s arms, being totally dramatic and carefree—which is so unlike me, but I really couldn’t care less that there are a lot of people around us right now.

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