I squeezed her hand and smiled. “And I already told you…I don’t want that either. I want you. Only you.”
The last of her uncertainty and fear melted away, and it was replaced by a strength and clarity that was breathtaking to witness. She studied me closely, her eyes taking in every inch of my face. Then she took a deep breath and said, “I love you too, Callan.”
The fireworks I had felt earlier were nothing compared to this. This was a supernova. An explosion of light and warmththat filled every dark corner of my soul. I couldn’t answer with words. Nothing I could’ve said would’ve been enough. Instead, I leaned in and covered her mouth with mine.
I kissed her slowly at first, and she leaned into me with a soft moan that sent a jolt through my body. I cupped her jaw and tilted her head to the side to deepen the kiss. She moved in closer, reaching up to grip my shirt, with her fingers curling into the fabric. I parted her lips with mine, sliding my tongue into her mouth as another moan escaped her. I moved my hand into her hair, fisting it gently as I curled my tongue around hers.
The longer I kissed her, the more I felt everything settle inside me. She was giving me all her trust, meeting me halfway without giving me an ultimatum. She was simply asking to be my only, and that alone made me proud to be loved by her. Hell, she could’ve chosen anybody, but even after everything she’s gone through because of me, she still chose me.
When I broke the kiss, she looked up at me with flushed cheeks and a shy smile. I admired her, taking in every inch of her face as I brushed my thumb along her cheekbone.
“I’m yours,” I told her. “Only yours.”
Epilog
Lana
3 years later
It was the perfect June day for graduation. The crowd around me was loud, with people congratulating and celebrating their friends and family. But with all these people around me, all I could focus on was the diploma in my hand and the tight embrace Holland was holding me in.
“We did it,” she yelled into my ear, her voice thick with emotion. “We actually did it.”
I squeezed her back and buried my face in her shoulder for a moment, taking in a deep breath to keep me steady. “We did it,” I repeated. My own voice came out shaky with happiness and relief.
When we finally pulled apart, she was grinning at me from ear to ear. “I can’t believe it’s over. No more studying. God, I won’t miss that part of college.”
I laughed. “What will you miss?”
“The parties.”
“Of course.”
“You. Us together in Hayes’ classes. Talking instead of writing down notes.”
I pursed my lips. “I always took notes. You were the only one talking.”
She waved a hand, dismissing the truth. “Whatever. I graduated even without paying attention to whatever Hayes or any other professor was saying.”
I laughed again with a shake of my head, reaching out my free hand to squeeze her arm. “I’m proud of you, Holls. I can’t wait to see what great things you’ll achieve.”
She smiled at me with a tilt of her head. “Me too. But I’m more excited about what you’ll do in the near future.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “My best friend is going to be famous.”
A new wave of excitement bubbled up inside me. All the emails and phone calls, the contract they had sent me to sign…it was all real. I was going to be a junior writer for a Hollywood production.
“Yeah, but what about you?” I said, my smile widening again. “You’re going to be the star of a horror movie. That’s literally the most fun thing ever.”
She rolled her eyes and waved her hand again, trying to act unfazed, but her grin told me just how excited she was. She changed her major before our sophomore year, and found that being in front of the camera was way more fun than being behind it. “Oh, that’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing, and you know it. You’ll have every director in Hollywood fight to get you cast in their movies.”
She smirked. “Oh, I’m ready for that. I just hope my IMDb page picture will look hot.”
We were still laughing when I saw Callan and Rocco pushing through the crowd. Rocco was in the lead, his tall frame easy to spot above the sea of graduates. He was grinning, his eyes scanning the mass until they landed on Holland. Hisexpression softened, and I watched as he closed the distance between them in a few long strides, pulling her into an embrace that lifted her feet right off the ground.
Callan moved with a confidence that made my knees weak. His eyes found mine instantly, and all the celebratory chaos faded into the background until there was only him. He was wearing a simple button-down shirt and slacks, his hair freshly buzzed. He had never looked more handsome. He stopped in front of me, his gaze taking me in from head to toe as a slow smile spread across his face. “Congratulations, screenwriter.”
I couldn’t form words. I just threw my arms around his neck, holding on as tight as I could. He caught me, his arms wrapping around my waist and lifting me up. I buried my face in his neck, breathing in his scent.
