“Really fucked,” I whisper through numb lips. I can’t be sure if the roar in my ears is coming from the ocean, or my thundering heart as what he’s saying sinks in.
“But maybe… maybe it doesn’t have to be. Maybe the only way of fixing it, is from the inside out,” he says tightly.
Some strong, unnamed emotion has me by the throat, holding my tongue hostage.
“I couldn’t save you,” he whispers, his words carrying on the faint ocean breeze. “I couldn’t save you, but maybe, maybe I can save some other little boy. Or girl.”
In the corner of my eye, I see him shake his head.
“Doesn’t matter. I just—” He gulps. “The system’s fucked and it’s not right.”
Another blink. Then another. And I’m pretty sure salt has sprayed into my eyes, because they’re burning, they’re burning, they’re burning so hotly.
And all I can think is,of course.
This is Will.Will.
Will No-Middle-Name Foster.
Mouthy, passionate, over-protective Will.
Of course,this is what he’s meant to do with his life. Of course. It’s so goddamn obvious, it’s laughable.
My lips start to rise just as he blurts, “Unless you think it’s stupid.”
I open my mouth to say something, but he doesn’t give me a chance.
He whips his head around to face me, eyes troubled. “I mean, I know it’s not as easy as it sounds, and I’m just getting ahead of myself. Hell, maybe this is actually a really, really bad idea for m—”
I shut him up with a hard, fierce kiss.
He stares at me wide-eyed and frozen as I pull back, clutch his cheeks and say, “It’s perfect.”
“Really?” He doesn’t sound convinced, but he does sound hopeful. He’s been thinking about this for a while. I just know it. I kind of want to slap him for not bringing it up sooner.
I nod. “If anyone could fuck shit up, it’s you.”
His lips rise into a wide grin. “Pretty sure that’s not—”
“Shut up,” I growl, slamming my mouth back on his.
Our kiss is hot and heavy, before tapering off into something soft and teasing.
“You’ve been thinking about this for a while, huh?” I say when we finally part.
His fingers play with my hair, and mine play with the collar of his shirt.
Shrugging, Will says, “Pretty much ever since I found out CPS failed you not once, but twice. The fact my parents tried, the fact teachers probably knew but were too scared to report it because of your dad’s position…”
A muscle thrums in his jaw and he shakes his head, looking down at some spot on my chest. “Hell, maybe my parents weren’t the only ones who called, which makes it even more fucked. It shouldn’t feel hopeless. It shouldn’tbehopeless.”
Throat dry, I can only nod.
Shifting, he turns to face the ocean once more, but this time our fingers are interlocked and his head’s on my shoulder. The sun is big and red-orange, lighting the sky up in swirls of pink as we watch it sink slowly into the horizon. Leaving behind an purplish haze on the sand and water as it disappears.
“Not quite a sunrise,” he whispers.
“No,” I say smiling into his blond hair, looking over his head into the distance. “Not quite.”