His strong arms wrap around me and he holds me tight, both of us desperate not to let go. “I have to go,” he says though I’m not quite sure he believes himself.
Tears fall from my eyes as I look up at him. “It’s not fair,” I say, starting to get angry with him. “You made me love you and now you’re taking it away.”
“Don’t say that,” he begs, wiping the tears off my face. “If I thought I was right for you, I’d be here begging you to take me back. You’re my whole fucking world, Tora. I love you so goddamn much.”
“Then stay,” I tell him as I push up onto my tippy toes. “We’re right together. No matter what my father says or what grades I get. It’s you and me. I can’t breathe without you. I feel like I’ve been suffocating, Nate. I need you in my life.”
He pushes a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “I know,” he murmurs, dropping his forehead to mine. “I need you, too.”
I can’t take it any longer. I tilt my chin up and brush my lips over his and the second he catches them in his own, it’s like coming home. He kisses me deeply and I melt. As his kiss completely envelopes me, it takes away every ounce of pain and heartbreak while replacing it with nothing but pure love, telling me that no matter his reasonings, us being apart is a mistake.
All too soon, he pulls away and his walls slam back down.
Nate steps away from me and the movement has his arms falling away, ripping away every shred of hope that I had allowed to creep in over the last thirty seconds.
He backs up to the door with regret heavy in his eyes and shakes his head. “I love you, Tora,” he tells me and just like that, he’s gone.
My world crumbles for the millionth time in only a few weeks.
I collapse down onto my bed, not bothering to get dressed as I listen to the sound of him disappearing down the stairs and out the door. I squish my face into my pillow and will myself not to cry. How much longer is he going to have this effect over me?
I don’t know how long I’ve been laying here but when the sound of the front door reopening echoes through the house, I fly off my bed and pull my towel tighter around me as I hurry out of my bedroom.
I get to the top of the stairs and throw myself halfway down when I realize the person making his way up them, isn’t the guy I need to see. “What are you doing here?” I grunt, coming to a screeching halt and latching onto my towel with everything I’ve got.
Jackson’s head whips up in surprise as I continue to gawk at him. “Oh, hey,” he smiles as though he doesn’t have a care in the world. “What are you doing tonight?”
It takes me a moment to pull myself together before I sputter out my reply. “Um… nothing. I’m going to bed. Why are you in my house right now?”
“Well, I knocked and the door was open.”
“So, you just walked in?”
“I mean, I can walk straight back out, but I’d prefer not to,” he tells me. “I want to take you to a party.”
“A party?” I grunt, narrowing my eyes on him as I know the parties he usually attends aren’t exactly the same ones I like to go to. “What kind of party?”
His grin widens as his eyes drop to my towel. “A Haven Falls one.”
Shit. That is definitely not my scene, but then, maybe it’s exactly what I need. “Fine, but you’re driving. I need to drink.”
He brings up his hand and salutes me before winking. “Yes, ma’am,” he says. “Your wish is my command.”
“In that case, fuck off so I can get dressed in peace.”
His grin widens. “Tonight is going to be fun,” he says, turning on his heel and stalking back down the stairs. I wait until I hear him going through the fridge before heading back up the stairs and closing the door.
As I get myself dressed, something inside me tells me this is a bad idea, but I can’t help but go through with it. Haven Falls parties have a reputation for drawing a bad crowd. Rumors say that it’s excessive drinking with a mix of drugs and they get rowdy really quickly. It’s exactly the place a good girl like me shouldn’t be going. But then, I have Jackson with me, so I’ll be fine. I’m sure he’ll look out for me.
I pull a pair of ripped jeans and boots before rifling through my closet for my black top which falls off my shoulder. I guess I’m starting a new Friday night tradition, looking hot while doing something incredibly stupid. Reckless Tora is making a reappearance.