Page 114 of Glad You Exist

“Check your messages.”

I raise an eyebrow at her as I unlock my phone.

I skim through the latest messages from Dad, Olivia, and Dan. Some messages from Kyle and Kim, begging me to come to prom.

Oh… I glance at Summer who has her phone out, texting someone with an excited look on her face. Something is clearly up because Brad…

I have eighteen messages from him. Once every hour since midnight. The last one was sent just a few minutes ago. Like he meant to send a total of eighteen messages.

Eighteen like the years we’ve known each other. There is a purpose to it.

All saying the same thing except for the last one.

I’m sorry.

I miss you.

I love you.

For infinity and forever.

The last one reads:

My El, I miss you.

I love you.

Please forgive me.

Please come to prom.

With me.

Then a text comes in from Kim.

I open it. It’s a link to a website I’ve never heard of before. I blink and my eyes nearly bug out when I realize the website is calledbradleystevensloveselizabethjenkins.com.

With a hand over my heart in an attempt to calm my raging heartbeat, I click the link.

The website is bare. The only thing posted on it is a single video.

My jaw drops when I read the caption underneath. My heart is beating so loudly, my palms are sweaty, and I have to grip my phone with both hands to keep from dropping it.

El, you told me that sometimes forever isn't promised in love but in friendship.

That the darkness fades away when we’re together.

I told you to not be afraid to hurt me if that's what it takes to get through to me.

Well, guess what baby, I'm hurt... because I hurt the single most important person in my life and now, I'm fumbling in the dark trying to find my way back to you.

You took the light with you.

Do you know why? Because this whole time, you didn’t know you were the light.

Youarethe light.Mylight.

You are everything to me.

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