Page 84 of The Boy I Once Loved

Chapter Seventeen

One month later.

I walk into the cafeteria with a smile on my face. Dylan is back in college today and I have been dying to see him all morning. I mean, I'd seen him all last night when I'd climbed up the side of his house and sneaked into his bedroom and he'd rocked my world all night. I grab a sandwich and a drink and clutching at my tray I make my way to the table where all our friends are. We've kept our new relationship quiet for the last few weeks, just wanting to live in our perfect little bubble, enjoying being together and making up for lost time. Dylan looks up as I near the table and a great big smile breaks across his face. I take the seat beside him and put my tray down, and he slings his arm over my shoulder.

“Hey gorgeous,” he says with that signature sexy smirk of his, before he presses his lips to mine and kisses me to within an inch of my life. I kiss him back just as eagerly, and when we pull apart, he grins away at me.

“What the fuck?” Caleb says, with a chip halfway to his mouth. “About fucking time!” he says, grinning. “Do you know how long we have had to put up with him pining for you, Ella?”

“Fuck off,” Dylan says with an easy smile, keeping his arm around me. I flush red in the cheeks as everyone at our table stares at us.

Aria grins like a Cheshire cat. “I knew it. I knew this was going to happen eventually. Congrats guys. I’m happy for you both.”

“Thanks,” we both say in stereo and we laugh at the fact we both said it at the same time. Connor has been quiet, and I look at him slightly anxious. Is he not pleased we finally got our act together? He places his fork down and he comes around the table and he places his arm around the both of us.

“I was always the third wheel when we were kids, but this makes me so fucking happy. My two best friends.” He leans over and kisses my cheek and then does the same to Dylan. Dylan playfully shoves him and wipes at his cheek.

“Too much Connor, too much. Go sit your arse down.”

Laughing, Connor retakes his seat next to Aria and casual conversation resumes around the table. Dylan pulls me in for a kiss. “My dad has invited me for tea tonight. If I go, would you come with me?”

Dylan and his dad had been slowly building bridges. I think Dylan’s accident made him realise that life is short, and he’s making steps to mend the relationship with his dad.

I nod my head. “Of course, I’ll come with you. You don’t even need to ask.”

Dylan smiles down at me and he hugs me to his side. All these years I'd worried that we couldn't move from friendship to a relationship, but honestly, it feels as natural as breathing. This boy knows me inside out, he knows all my insecurities and all my flaws, and still, he loves me. The anniversary of my brother's death is this weekend, but it's okay, I have my mum, Uncle Matt and Dylan and my friends to support me and help me through. We are having a barbecue at our house and we've bought some balloons to release in the garden, under the stars. Losing Liam almost broke me, grief almost swallowed me whole, and I nearly drowned, but with the love and support of my Uncle Matt, I made it one day at a time and slowly but surely; I'd begun to smile again and laugh again. Liam had left a huge hole in my heart when he passed, but I can't close myself off to love, too afraid of being hurt or left behind. Loving Dylan James gave me hope for the future, a future that hopefully, I would share with my best friend, the only boy I've ever loved.

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