Page 137 of Don't Let Me Go (Don't Let Me 2)

“Miss what?” I ask, my voice still gritty from sleep.

“This.” She peeks up at me. “When you graduate this spring and leave me for the high life.”

“Who says I’m going anywhere?”

That same sad smile greets me. “Don’t tell me you’re sticking around after graduation. If you haven’t already gotten a shit ton of offers yet, they’re gonna come, Theo.”

She’s right. They’ve already come. So many it makes my head spin most days, but I haven’t signed any contracts yet. I haven’t been able to. I’ve been too focused on Blake. On us. On the future I want to build and how much it doesn’t align with the future I’ve been building since I was a kid.

It fucking sucks.

Dragging my finger against her bare arm, I murmur, “So, what?”

“So, I think it’s awesome, and I couldn’t be more excited for you. Doesn’t mean I don’t get to be sad every once in a while too.”

“You have nothing to be sad about, Blake.”

Her lips purse as if she wants to argue, but she only hums. “Hmm.”

“I’m serious. I’m in this for the long haul.”

“I know you are. And I am too. Trust me. I’ve literally never been happier. But…” She sighs and burrows into my chest a little more. “I’m also going to take advantage of soaking up every moment before you go.” Her hot breath tickles my bare peck as she rests her forehead against it, shielding her expression with her messy hair. “God, I don’t want you to go.”

“Blake––”

“Blah. Enough sad talk.”

“Blake,” I repeat. Tangling my fingers in her hair, I force her to look at me.

“I think your future’s awesome, Theo. Seriously, I couldn’t be happier––”

“Stop.”

She sucks her lips into her mouth but stays quiet, her bright green gaze hitting me like a sucker punch to the gut. The vulnerability. The sadness.

“I want it to be our future. You and me.”

A spark of hope ignites, but I can tell she’s fighting it. Fighting the idea of us being together long-term. Not because she doesn’t want it. But because she’s scared. Scared of letting me in. Scared of falling for me the same way I’ve already fallen for her. Especially when our future is so precarious, so unknown. I guess I don’t blame her. It’s why I haven’t signed any contracts. Why I haven’t asked if she’d be willing to move across the country for me. Why I haven’t asked if she’d even want to. The answer? It could break us.

“You want it to be our future?” she whispers.

“Yeah, Blake. I really do.”

She settles her head against my chest. Her breath tickles my bare chest as she lets out a soft sigh.

“Okay.”

45

BLAKELY

Things have been perfect lately. I go to Theo’s games. He volunteers at the charity whenever he has time. We meet up between classes for coffee and have sleepovers almost every night. Literally, it’s perfect with a capital P.

And since it’s my day off, and Theo doesn’t have any practice tonight, we’re snuggled on the couch at my place, watching Big Daddy when the front door opens with a quiet squeak. I glance over the edge of the couch and find Mia with a box tucked beneath her arm.

When she sees me, she pulls back, surprised. “Oh. Hey.”

“Hey,” I greet her.

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