Page 82 of #Lovestrong

Declan

Ileave the beach and go right to her house. Her grandparents are working and she won’t answer the door. I've called a million times and left five or six voicemails. Speeding into town, I try her cell again, but it goes to voicemail again. I shoot her a text, begging her to pick up and just talk to me.

Jackson and Candice are at their favorite milkshake shop tonight and I need my best friend. I also need Candice to try and talk to Lena. My tires squeal as I whip into the parking lot and pull into a spot, barely missing the car next to me as I park, jerking everything forward when I slam on the brakes and shove the damn thing into park.

"Declan!" Jackson's voice is deep and panicked as I climb out of the car, tears rolling down my face. Candice is right next to him.

I stare at her, not bothering to try and hide the tears or the pain in my voice. "You have to talk to her." My voice is strangled and it hurts to breath as the reality of what Lena has done sets in.

Candice looks at me with confusion on her face. "Wait, slow down. Talk to who?"

I pull the promise ring out of my pocket and hold it up. Candice gasps and covers her mouth, shaking her head. "You have to talk to her."

As my hand starts to shake and I try to keep hold of the ring, Jackson reaches into his pocket and holds his keys out to Candice. "Go." She takes off and Jackson grabs me by the shoulder and hugs me. "It's gonna be alright, bro. God's got this."

Once I've calmed down, I slip the ring back into my pocket and Jackson holds his hands out. I willingly give him my keys. I'm not sure I'd be much of a driver right now anyway. It took all my focus and energy to get here, and even that wasn't without a few close calls.

"My house or yours, D?"

I stare at him. Crap. Jackson's house has spotty cell service and I don't want to miss a call or text from Lena. I'm praying Candice can talk some sense into her best friend and get her to call me. "Mine."

We both slide into my car and he gets us going without any small talk. As we pull up to my house, he pulls his cell out and stares at the screen. "Lena let Candice in. She said she'll text me later."

I take a deep breath for the first time as I get out and head into my house. If she let Candice in, then things might be okay. Walking into my house, loud voices assault my ears. Damn it, I forgot my entire family would be here.

"Declan," my father yells from the other room before I can get Jackson up the stairs.

I stop in the middle of the staircase and try to pull my emotions in. I love my family, but right now, I don't want them to be part of this. Several sets of footsteps echo from the kitchen and stop at the bottom of the steps.

"Where have you been, honey? We thought you and Lena were coming back here tonight? We've hardly seen you kids since you got back." My mom's ring taps against the banister.

"Jackson and I are just hanging out while the girls are at Lena's," I say, failing miserably to keep my voice steady and even. Damn it.

"Declan," my mom says as the click of one of her heels echoes a little closer.

Even with my back to her, I know she's slowly trying to move up the stairs, her brows probably pulled together in concern, causing her eyes to squint together.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I take a deep, shuddered breath. "Don't, Mom. Just don't." Without hesitation, I walk past Jackson and head to my room. Knowing him, he'll fill them in and keep them off my back.

I slam my bedroom door behind me and sit on the edge of my bed, going over every moment on that beach. Her exact words, each shift in her facial expression, her movements . . . everything. What the hell is she thinking? I won't believe, even for a second, Lena doesn't love me. I know we're young, but what we have is real.

Taking a deep breath, I glance over at my nightstand, and tears build in my eyes at the newest picture in my room. My mom put it in here while we were away. It's a framed photograph of Lena and I from her birthday party out on the boat. She's sitting in my lap, staring at my face with slightly red cheeks and a smile on her face.

She's the love of my life.

My door opens as I reach over to pick up the frame, holding it in both hands as I run my thumb over her face.

"Dec?" My sister's voice throws me and I look up. She's a few feet away and Jackson is a few feet behind her, leaning against my closed door.

"What do you want, Darcy?"

"I'm sorry about Lena. Hell, I'm sorry about everything." She rocks on her heels, and her voice is so soft and genuine, she sounds like the Darcy of five years ago— before she was all screwed up and vindictive.

The bed dips next to me as several large tears drip onto the picture of me and Lena. Darcy gently lays her hand on my back and my head drops forward as I squeeze my eyes shut. "I don't know what to do, Darc. I love her."

The tears fall without restraint again, and I hold her picture to my chest and silently pray as my sister wraps her arms around my shoulders and Jackson rests his hand on the back of my head.

Lena is the love of my life. She's my future, my destiny, my air.

How the hell am I supposed to breathe without my air?

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