Chapter Nineteen
Macallan
“You’ve really outdone yourself, Mais,” I speak into the crook of Maisie’s neck as she sways in my arms slowly, completely at odds with the heavy beat of the song currently playing.
“Have I?” She leans her head back to look up at me, a smile on her lips. Lips I can’t resist tasting as I dip my face to hers, pressing our lips together.
“No one’s ever done anything like this for me before.”
“I just... This is the last year you’ll be here, with all your friends and your teammates. I wanted to make it special.”
“You’re so convinced that I’m not going to get into UVA’s medical program?”
“Not convinced, just preparing for every outcome.”
“What if I told you Ididn’tget in?” I ask, working to keep my expression neutral, though that proves rather difficult given the way my head is swimming from all the shots that have been shoved in my hand all night.
Honestly, I’m pretty impressed that I’m still standing.
“You heard back?”
“I did.”
“And you didn’t get in?” She tries to hide her disappointment, but I still see it, etched into every line of her face.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You just said, and I quote,what if I told you I didn’t get in, end quote.”
“It was a hypothetical question.”
“Don’t do that. Did you get in or didn’t you?” She huffs, eyes searching mine for the answer.
I lean in close, keeping my voice at just above a whisper as my lips graze her ear.
“I got in.”
She pulls back so fast that I nearly topple forward, but then her hands are on my face as she’s searching my expression for any signs that I’m fucking with her, which I would never do. Not over something like this.
“You got in?” She practically sobs and my chest expands.
I knew she cared. I just didn’t know she cared this much. I feared that maybe I was inflating how she truly felt out of fear that she didn’t feel as strongly about me as I do about her, but I can now see just how wrong I was. And it fills me with a sort of relief that I couldn’t put into words if I tried.
“I got in.” I can’t help but laugh as she throws her arms around my neck and hugs me like I’m the only thing tethering her to the earth. A position I do not take lightly.
I hug her back just as intensely, burying my face into her neck as I lift her against me.
Tonight has been one of the best nights of my life. Being with all my friends, my teammates,her. Though, for asamazing as tonight has been, this right here is the highlight for me. The confirmation to something I didn’t realize how desperately I needed.
That she’s in this. That we both are. And thank fuck for it because I don’t think I could survive the alternative.
“I love you,” I speak against her skin.
“I love you, too.” She squeezes me harder. “So much.”
“As much as I’ve enjoyed this party”—I lower her to her feet—“what do you say we get out of here and celebrate properly?”
“You want to be one of the first to leave your own party?”
