“You there?” Luke asks. I pull him out from the pocket ofthe hoodie and prop him against one wall, leaning back against another.
“Yeah, I made it. It’stiny.”
“We were tiny,” he says.
“Minuscule,” I joke.
“Sera, you’re keeping me hanging here. What’s the news?!”
“Oh, right. Sorry. Well, it’s twofold. First, I got into the fellowship!”
Luke grins, looking proud but not surprised. “I knew you would.”
“I have to reply by October if I’m going.” Luke’s face falls. We’ve been avoiding all reminders of my ticking clock, and talking about specific dates in the future always brings it up. “But I heard from my doctor last night, and I’ve moved up the list. It might not be by October, but there’s a better chance now.” My heart flutters with nerves.
“Really?” Luke says. The hope in his voice brings tears to my eyes.
“Yes. Really.” I suddenly want to hug him so badly. I wrap my arms around myself, the smell of his hoodie enough for now. “I wish you were here.”
“I’ll be back soon.”
“Maybe, when I’m better, we can go to one of those fancy Airbnb tree houses,” I say.
“That’d be fun.” He yawns.
“You’re tired. How was the party?”
He shrugs. “Fine, same as all parties. Though I wasn’t the only one not drinking, which was a nice change.”
“Hey, I never drink.”
He laughs. “Yeah, but you don’t like those parties anyway.”
“True. Bad music.”
“Don’t let Cam hear you say that. I think he played a house party in Falmouth last night.”
“Oops.” I laugh.
“Are our oaths still there?” Luke asks, leaning forward so more of his face takes up the screen.
“Our oaths?”
“Yeah, in the back corner, closest to the trunk.”
I shuffle over and move the beanbag Oliver and Adam have stored up here and find the scratched-in words Luke is talking about.
“I forgot about these.” My voice is a whisper.
I run my finger over the words there and read them aloud.
I, Luke Tisdale,
will always be there for Sera Watkins,
who saved my life.
I, Sera Watkins,
