Page 105 of If You Stayed

“Can we stay here for a few minutes?” I asked. “Just thetwo of us on this back porch together? We don’t have to talk or anything… I’d just love a little more time to be here with you.”

He titled his head in my direction for a moment’s time. The sincerity of his stare made a wave of peace hit me as he nodded. “Yeah,” he said before staring back out toward the morning. “I’d love to be quiet with you.”

Who knew silence could be so loud and meaningful? Who knew comfort could come from the quiet moments of love?

After an hour or so of being still with each other, we headed to the front of the house and I kissed him goodbye at his screen door. As I began to walk away, he called after me.

“Hey, Penguin?” Gabriel asked, leaning against his doorframe, shirtless and perfect as he’d always been.

“Yes?”

“Will you come back tomorrow?”

A small smile spread across my lips. “Yes.”

“Okay.” He slid his hands into his sweatpants and rested his head against the doorframe. “Hey, Penguin?”

“Yes?”

“Will you come back the day after that?”

Butterflies. “Yes.”

“And the day after that?”

I nodded as I gnawed my bottom lip. “Uh-huh.”

“Hey, Penguin?”

“Yes?”

He raked his hand through his messy hair and walked over to me. He placed a finger beneath my chin and tilted my head up to meet his gaze. His mouth brushed against mine.“Promise…?”

“Promise.”

He kissed me slowly and I melted back into his arms as he whispered against my lips, “Good.”

26

Gabriel

Eighteen Years Old

I loved her.

A lot transpired before that fact and a lot happened afterward, but in that very moment I was in love with Kierra. And she didn’t even known it.

“Remember this very moment, will you?” she whispered, her lips turning up into a big smile that matched her mom’s. Kierra’s straight black hair was pulled into a high ponytail as she swung around in a circle in the tree house, showing off the gown she’d made herself. The gown had been so loved by a neighbor that they requested her to make them their own Kierra original. Also known as her first-ever official sale as an up-and-coming fashion designer.

Watching her dreams come true was something I was lucky to witness. Her goofy grin and squirrelly body movements made me want to hop up from the floor and pull her against my chest and kiss her. I hadn’t stopped thinking about giving her her first kiss all those months back. I wanted to give her her second kiss, too. And third, and fourth…

I knew that was a terrible idea because kissing your bestfriend was always a bad idea, but I couldn’t help it because I loved her.

Stupid love.

It showed up even when I told it to piss off.

“I’ll never forget it,” I told her, smiling at her joy.

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