“Then come back. I’ll be here.”
“You promise?” Her lip quivers.
“I cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye, step on a crack to break my mother’s back, pinkie promise.”
Auddie’s poetic laugh fills the space between us. “You’re weird, Noah Benson.”
“Yeah, some girls find it charming,” I reply with a wink.
Her lip twitches as she goes to move towards the airport. “Add me to the list, I guess.”
“Youarethe list.” I open the car door, knowing if I don’t leave now, I’ll get on the plane with her. She waves at us one last time before heading into the airport.
“You are the list? Seriously, are you trying to make me cry too?” Connor smirks from the driver’s seat, dramatically wiping a fake tear from his eye with a tissue.
“Shut up, man.” I give him a half smile, feeling like half my heart is suddenly ripped out of my chest … again. “Just drive.”
“She’s going to come back, you know,” Connor tells me.
I don’t respond, staring out the window as we drive through the city, knowing that if I try to speak, I’ll end up crying and force Connor to turn around.
It has to be her choice.
Eighteen: Audrey
Fingers Crossed - Lauren Spencer Smith
It's been raining the last few days since I got home, and I've been sheltered indoors with my thoughts. My days are spent reflecting on the contrast between Noah and Paul, and crocheting up a million lucky charms as a coping mechanism.
After last weekend, my brain has been consumed by Noah even more than it was before.
I know he told me to take some time and find myself, maybe date a guy or two, but I can’t bring myself to do that. He’s what I want—all I ever pictured when I thought of my future.
He feels like home to me.
Selena is sitting in my living room, staring at me with a knowing smile. “So, when are you moving?”
“I’m not moving!” I exclaim, confused.
“Why not?!Auds, nothing is keeping you here.” I open my mouth to answer her but she holds her hand up. “Nuh-uh. Fiona and I don’t count. You know we’d visityou biweekly, Connor would buy a private jet just for me. You know that, right? And, if Noah knew … that man would probably buy you an airport if it makes you happy.”
I roll my eyes at her. I don’t know how much money he or my brother actually have, neither of them live in excess, but I know they’d both drop anything and everything for me.
“Auds, you have the two most important people in your life in the same city, doing what they love, and that’s amazing. But imagine how happy they’d be havingyouthere too? Connor was so happy to have you at the game, the guy wouldn’t shut up about how nice it was to have his sister smiling again. I can only imagine how Noah felt.”
Running my finger along the rim of my glass, I consider my options.
“What if I go and we realize it was all just an idea our brains crafted? That we don’t actually like each other?Or, what if he’s a terrible kisser?”
Selena snickers, throwing a chip in my direction. “Oh, shut your face, that man probably rocks ateverything.”
I meet her eyes, a frown playing on my lips. “What if he and I don’t mesh … sexually?”
Because I lack experience.
“Do you really think that would be an issue?” Selena raises an eyebrow at me.
I fidget with the blanket on my lap. “I don’t know.”
