Page 69 of Rewriting the Story

I nod.

“Say it again, Amelia.”

“I love you, Henry Hayes, and I realized it in the middle of the fruit section of the grocery store,” I say as a laugh bubbles out of me.

And then he starts laughing, and the two of us are lovesick idiots in the middle of a parked car, admitting we love one another after floating around for months and months.

“In the fruit section?” he giggles. “Why?”

“Who the hell knows?” I say as I laugh, leaning into his shoulder as his arms come around me. I still feel like my stomach is going to fall through my feet, but as his arms swallow me into his body, I realize this is what love feels like.

It’s warm, inviting, and a little terrifying.

“Don’t ever let me go,” I whisper to him.

“I won’t.”

Then he kisses me, and it feels different from all the ones we’ve shared. It feels new. This man sitting in my passenger seat loves me, and I love him. We’re just two idiots in love.

I’ve read hundreds of romance books, swearing on my life that the feelings described in them weren't real. But here in this car, I’m surrounded by the love Henry has for me, and there aren't enough words in any language to describe what it feels like to love him.

No longer are there thoughts in my head of being unlovable, because Henry has proven all of those to be wrong. In fact, my head is quiet for the first time in a while, the only thoughts floating around of him. As I put the car in drive, his hand in mine, both of us smiling like idiots, the playlist I made playing softly in the background, I want to freeze this moment forever.

Henry loves me, and I love him back.

I’m not running from that for once.

24

Now

Speyside by Bon Iver

ThelastplaceIwant to be the night after a breakdown is an escape room, but here I am. The eight of us are signing all the paperwork in order to actually do it. I had no idea these places were so detailed, but I get it. These things are supposed to be a little scary, right?

It makes sense why Grant chose this as a group activity.

“So, which of you are doing theSawinspired one, and which of you are doing the asylum?” the guy at the counter asks us before Grant speaks up.

“I’ve got teams covered,” he says with a smile. “I put all of our names in a random generator, and thisis what popped out.”

“Oh, this ought to be good,” Oliver says as he hands his form in.

When the girls took one look at me coming out of my room this morning, I barely lasted two seconds before I burst into tears and told them how my talk with Henry went. They were sympathetic, of course, but I know Henry was right. I just can’t think about it anymore, and thankfully, they’ve done a good job of keeping the two of us separate for today.

“Okay, so, Leo, Hads, and Paige are with me in the asylum, and the rest of you are doing the other one.” Grant smiles, but I feel like my heart just fell to my feet. Henry and I are going to be trapped together in a small room with Ella and Oliver, and we’re all going to have to work together to get out.

Fuck my life.

“Did everyone hand in their forms?” Ella asks as she brings hers to the front.

The guy at the counter counts them all, and once he confirms we’re good, he puts on a video for us to watch about the rules, and after that’s done, we’re all good to go.

Except Grant failed to mention the theatrics of this before we got here—their group is getting fake handcuffed as they head to the room they have to escape from.

“Oh my gosh, Oliver, is this what you felt like when you got handcuffed?” Hads asks him with a fake smile as he flips her off.

“If anyone comes within five feet of me with those things, I will be screaming,” Ella says. “But I’m sure you're used to this.” She smacks Oliver on the arm, and he sighs heavily.

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