Page 112 of Firsts

“I’m leaving in a little over a week,” she says in a low tone as if realizing only now.

“We’ll be all right,” I assure her. “We’ll call each other often. Text. Facetime. We won’t be that far apart, only an hour by plane. And we’ll spend summers and holidays together.”

She turns her head to look at me. “Forever. Right?”

“Forever.” I lean in for another kiss to seal the promise.

Vibrations resound from our pile on the ground.

I groan as Cassie breaks the kiss.

“That could be my parents,” she says, easing away to check. She rifles through our clothes and tells me, “It’s not mine.” A scowl forms as she looks at my phone screen. “Um, it’s Barry. A missed call and a text. He wants you to meet him.”

I sigh and flatten on my back.

Cassie sits beside me.

“I don’t know,” I grate, rubbing my forehead.

She touches my arm, making gentle circles with her thumb. “Whatever your heart is telling you, trust it. You’ll know what to do.”

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