Page 54 of Cross My Heart

There’s not much to talk about. Same shit, different day. I go on a mission, come back and eat, then get some sleep. Somewhere in between waking and working, I go to the gym. Nothing crazy.

Thank you for the care package. I can’t wait for it to get here!

Miss you so much.

And I love you.

With love,

Noah.

Ismile as I read the email over and over.

Then I feel a pang of jealousy in my gut at the mention of Jeremiah.

I know I have no right to be, considering he’s allowed to be friends with whoever he wants, but I can’t help it. Knowing they’ve been together intimately makes my blood boil. Knowing that at one point Noah had feelings for him also hurts me. But I can’t deny I drove him to Jeremiah’s arms too, so this is partly my fault. Still, it hurts, no matter what.

But I don’t focus on my pain as I reply to him.

Instead, I focus on the happy times between us.

Chapter 29

NOAH

Dear Noah,

I will keep my promise. I already gave you my word, and I’m not taking it back. I’m not breaking your heart again. I refuse. As for Jeremiah, I can’t help but feel jealous. But that’s my problem, not your problem. I’m glad you have someone who supports you and values your friendship while overseas. I know you need that, and I don’t want you to feel lonely all the time.

My days are pretty much all the same too. I go to the bar and work, then come home and sleep. And then I repeat that over and over again. I hope time is going by faster for you than it is for me. The days are long, and there’s not enough sleep in one night. All I want to do is sleep lately. That means I’m one day closer to you coming home.

I love you too, Noah.

Always.

With love,

Ty.

Igrin as I close my laptop, setting it under my cot.

There’s suddenly an explosion, and the ground shakes with the force of it, making my teeth chatter and my body shake. My hands begin to sweat, and Jeremiah’s eyes widen from his cot right across from mine.

“It’s okay,” he says. “It’s far away.”

“Not far enough,” I whisper.

But I still lie down in the cot and close my eyes, hoping for sleep that never comes.

PART 3

NOW

Chapter 30

NOAH

The steady beeping of a machine pulls me out of a deep slumber, and I can immediately tell there’s someone in the room with me. I tense, my body screams in protest, and I slump back against the pillow. My head is throbbing to the beat of my heart, and my side aches like it never has before.

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