I looked up at Miles. And suddenly it was like I was transported back in time when he first held my hand in his tree house. When he first kissed me on my grandmother’s roof. There weren’t any lies between us like when we danced in central park. Or when we made love under the stars. I was Summer Brooks again. And he was Miles Young.
My heart stammered as he moved a fraction of an inch closer.
“Don’t give up on me this time,” he whispered. “Promise me you won’t give up on me.”
“I will never give up on you, Miles.” We weren’t kids anymore. I could keep a promise. And I knew I’d keep this one until my dying breath. I would never let him go again.
His lips softly brushed against mine. It was like I could hear the summer cicadas and feel the hot breeze on my grandmother’s roof again. But the memory disappeared when he pulled me closer. I parted my lips for him as he buried his fingers in my hair.
I stood up on my tiptoes, deepening our kiss. It was better than a memory. Better than a dream. Better than all the stars in the sky. It felt like he stole my soul in that kiss. Even though he already had it.
And I knew in that second that I had never loved Eli like this. Never like this. Not even close. How could I? Miles had always been the one for me.
“Ow, ow!” Kins yelled.
Miles pulled back far too soon, but I held him close and whispered in his ear.
“I’ve never loved anyone like I love you. I swear to you. My heart has always belonged to you, Miles. Always.”
He pressed his forehead against mine and took a deep breath. It was like he was breathing me in. “I’ve missed you so damn much.”
I knew exactly what he meant. Our time apart had almost killed me. He had said it right before. I didn’t know how to breathe without him. And it felt so good to finally be living again.
Chapter 42
Wednesday
I grabbed another slice of pizza. There really wasn’t much strategizing going on. Liza had gone over the plan several times already. We had it down. Now we were just suffering through an awkward group date. Or really, the interrogation of V. The rapid-fire questions seemed endless.
I glanced over at Eli and Liza. They seemed cozy. His arm was draped behind her chair. He wasn’t touching her, but they were clearly an item now. I was happy for him. For both of them.
Patrick and Kins seemed happier than I had last seen them too. Although, they were fighting the last time I had seen them, so anything would have been better. His arm was wrapped tightly around Kins’ shoulders and he kept giving Miles dirty looks. I guess he was probably aware of Kins’ crush on Miles last semester.
And then there was Miles and me. Miles and me. I smiled to myself. I had waited a lifetime for us to be an us.
“So why did you go by V?” Patrick asked as he took another sip of his drink.
“A V looks like the point of an arrow,” Miles said.
“Okay…”
“Like your tattoo?” Kins asked.
Patrick stared at her.
She nudged his shoulder. “He was walking around without a shirt earlier. I wasn’t checking him out or anything.”
“Yup, like my tattoo.” Miles looked so uncomfortable. He had tried to dismiss himself from dinner a few times now. I understood why. The more questions they asked, the more uncomfortable I got too.
“Like an arrow and like your tattoo,” Patrick said. “What significance does it have though?”
Miles looked over at me. “The arrow isn’t the significance. It’s the constellation it represents. Sagitta.”
My heart melted.
“Summer used to wear an arrow pendant too,” Eli said.
Used to. Miles smiled at me. There wasn’t anger in his eyes. Our talk earlier had really helped. It was true, I had stopped wearing it when I was with Eli. I was wearing it again now though. It was back where it belonged, right next to my heart.