There was no other person in the world like Isabella, and I felt like the luckiest man in the world. Go-cart racing was a riot and, although she won almost every race, I tried to tease her that it was only because I let her. I knew we would come back here again since it was clearly our favorite new activity, but I was ready for some alone time with Isabella.
As the cool night air hit us, I slipped my hand into my date’s and whispered, “I was going to take you for a fancy dessert, but how would you feel about skipping it and just going back to my place? I really can’t think of anything I want to do more than just relax with you in my arms.”
Isabella smiled and brushed her lips against mine.
“Sounds perfect.”
Once we arrived back at my house, I pulled her into my arms. She melted against me and pulled my lips to hers as if we hadn’t kissed in years. Kissing her now made me wonder how we had taken so long to find a spark. Our lips were perfect together. Breaking the kiss, I took out my phone and set an alarm. Isabella looked at me, amused, but I locked my fingers with hers and tugged her toward my bed.
Isabella blushed but settled onto it with me. As she sank against the pillows, I shifted her beneath me and captured her lips again. Our kiss was slow and passionate. I loved this woman more than anything in the world, and I kissed her with every ounce of my heart.
We had both let go of our past finally, and all I could think about was our future. The one that we would share. It seemed impossible to imagine one day without Isabella now, and she made it clear she felt the same way about me.
Our kiss was filled with emotion and love and soon our desire was too overwhelming to deny. I lifted my head briefly, questioning her with my eyes. I didn’t want her to feel rushed or pressured, but when her eyes locked with mine, I knew she wanted to continue as much as I did.
Time was lost as we got lost in each other. I had never felt so happy and loved in my whole life. Once our need for each other was satisfied, Isabella rested her head against my bare chest, my hand gliding over her back as she sighed contently.
She pressed a kiss against my neck and whispered, “I’ve never been so happy, Liam.”
“Nor have I, Bella.”
She looked up at me then and trailed her finger down my jaw.
“Ti amo.”
“I love you more.”
Isabella kissed me softly before settling back in my arms. As I tightened my hold on her, I smiled and realized, for the first time, I no longer needed to weigh what something was going to cost. Having Isabella changed me. Had changed my view on life. I was a better man to have her in my world, a world where things weren’t measured by the price you had to pay for them but by the joy and happiness they gave you.
Epilogue
Mrs.Roger’sclassroom–An hour before presentation
Isabella
Liam meant the world to me. It occurred to me that I couldn’t do this presentation. How could I explain the man he was without including what he had gone through? He had come to Truman High for a fresh start, and I was going to make sure he got one.
“Isabella, if you don’t do the presentation, I will have no choice but to give you a failing grade. It would not be fair to all the other students.”
I met her gaze.
“I just thought… maybe we could work something out. I don’t need a passing grade, but would you consider giving me an incomplete? It won’t hurt my grade point average and I am more than willing to do a private presentation just to you about Liam. So, you know I did the assignment. Also, I will still do a presentation for the rest of the juniors. It will just be something different.”
Mrs. Rogers looked to me for a moment and sighed.
“Explain.”
After the most amazing night of my life, I woke up and suddenly saw the future that was ahead of me. I found something to be passionate about. Not only just for myself but for Liam. I had actually called him at six in the morning, demanding he take me to breakfast to explain to him. It was still all so new, but I knew we could do it.
“Liam and I are going to start a new foundation. A nonprofit that we are hoping to start right here at Truman High. We want to start a group that will help kids who are bullied at school. A safe place where they can go to share their stories with other people who have been bullied as well. Kids their own age. Sort of like an AA group, only for victims of bullying. It’s such an issue these days and kids need to know they aren’t alone.”
Mrs. Rogers looked at me, surprised.
“Is this what you want to present?”
I nodded.
“I mean, we are just getting it started and there is a lot of work we have to do. Liam is going to fund it, and I’m reaching out to local mental health providers to get volunteers to assist with the group meetings. But we want students to know that it’s coming, and Liam and I can still help guide anyone who needs it right now, find a place to go to talk.”
