“Yes,” I whisper, smiling slightly. “I knew you’d be beating yourself up about it. For not being able to take care of me after… So I took the pills. And I’m fine. There’s no pain.”
A relieved breath escapes him. “Good girl.”
I shiver. “I love you.”
Another breath.
As his eyes flutter closed for a second. Like mine did when I wanted to absorb it all.
“You’re wearing a tie,” I point out the obvious with my own twitching lips.
He chuckles, his warm breath wafting over my mouth. “I am.”
“You hate ties.”
“Yeah.”
“You cut your hair.”
“I did.”
“And youshaved.”
“Didn’t wanna look like a criminal in front of your parents. Or at least, not again.”
“That was very cool.”
“What was?”
“That you gave my mom a flower.”
“It’s the least that I could’ve done. After what I was hoping that she’d do for me.”
“What?”
“You.” He presses my cheek. “Give me a chance to at least talk to you.”
My heart squeezes. “I love you, Reign.”
His jaw tightens up before he says, “I love you too. So fucking much, Echo.”
And then, we both make the move.
We both reach for each other and kiss.
We kiss and kiss and keep kissing.
Until it’s time for me to go.
He walks me back to my door and leaves me with my parents like he’d promised. He tells me that he’ll call me later. Because he’s my boyfriend now. And even though I don’t want him to leave, I still let him go and shut the door with a smile.
Because I’m his girlfriend now.
Finally.
After six long years.
EPILOGUE