Page 64 of Strange Love

“Corey, I can’t just go to Boston.”

I rise to meet her, my heart racing with desperation.

“Why not? You have just as much chance of discovering who you are there as you do here.”

Her hesitant expression gives way to one of contemplation, and for a moment, hope flickers in my chest like a well-lit candle.

“I can’t go to Boston, Corey. That’s your dream." Ivy’s voice trembles with emotion as she looks into my eyes, sending my hope plummeting toward the Earth at light speed.

“But my dream is also to be with you,” I confess, my heart racing with the weight of my words and the fear of rejection.

“It’s been a dream being with you,” Ivy says, her fingers intertwined with mine, “But we always knew you were meant for more than this town.”

“I don’t know what my future holds,” I admit as my gaze searches Ivy’s face for any sign of doubt or hesitation.

“I’m not ready to uproot my life and move to a new city. You’ll be busy with classes and hockey, and I don’t want to hold you back.”

“That’s not how it would be,” I insist, brushing a strand of hair from Ivy’s face. “It would be us together, facing whatever comes our way.”

Ivy shakes her head, conflicted, “I just don’t know, Corey. This is all so new and overwhelming for me.”

My heart races as I gather the courage to tell her everything. The weight of my words feels heavy on my shoulders, but I know I need to do this.

“I understand it’s a lot,” I finally say, my voice trembling. “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time.” I pause, taking in a deep breath before continuing. “I was scared to tell you because I didn’t want to lose you.” My words spill out in a rush, fear, and uncertainty, making them stumble over each other. I look at her with pleading eyes, hoping she will understand. She meets my gaze, her own eyes glassy with unshed tears. “Will you at least consider it?” I ask, hoping against hope that she will say yes.

She doesn’t respond momentarily, and I feel like I can’t breathe. Then, with a small smile, she says, “I will consider it.”

Relief floods through me as I wrap her in my arms. We stand there momentarily, clinging to each other, until I feel brave enough to twirl her around in a circle. She lets out one of those cute squeaking noises that I have always loved, and it feels like the weight of the world has lifted off my shoulders.

“I love you, Ivy,” I whisper into her ear, my voice full of emotion.

She pulls back slightly and looks up at me with tears in her eyes.

“I love you too, Corey,” she says, her voice thick with emotion. “And I’m so proud of you.” Her words are like music to my ears, and I hold her even tighter, ingraining this moment into my very being.

Chapter 37

“And We Danced”

Ivy - Age 18, 1989

My hair is curled and swept to one side, held in place with too many pins to count and a lot of hair spray. My makeup’s in place, more dramatic than normal, thanks to Natalie’s encouragement and a how-to guide from the latest issue of Mademoiselle magazine. My nails are painted with a delicate French manicure. I’ve managed to get myself into my strapless bra/corset and dress without pulling a muscle.

We decided to gather at my house and have the limousine pick us up. Some of our parents will be present, orchestrating the traditional pre-prom photo session in all the usual poses. I still have about twenty minutes until everyone arrives, so I walk around with my arms in the air, trying to keep my dress from getting armpit stains. Why am I sweating so much?

Nerves and anticipation kept me awake last night, causing me to barely get any sleep. The fact that Corey is leaving in a few weeks has been looming over us, as is his insistence on me coming with him. The thought of him leaving without me makes my chest ache in a way that reminds me of the lonely nights I spent crying myself to sleep at The Station. However, the idea of going with him scares me in a completely different way. I’m torn about the right decision, so for now, I push it out of my mind and try to focus on the present moment, which is challenging, given that the immediate future is all everyone can talk about right now.

Corey’s signing day was a momentous occasion at school, with the local paper even sending a reporter to cover it. The article they published did a good job of capturing his excitement and plans to attend school in Boston.

As for Taz, he also has a couple of offers on the table, but he’s remained tight-lipped about them. I can’t blame him. Choosing a college is a big decision, especially since he also has to consider where he wants to continue to play hockey.

Landry appears content to stay put and continue playing for the Mavericks for now, and he may or may not take some classes at the local college.

My friends are making strides towards their future goals as well. Sascha has chosen a college just two hours away, close enough for us to visit each other often. She’s undecided on her major, but she will do great in whatever she decides to do.

Kerri, on the other hand, is a lot like Corey. She knows exactly what she wants - to become a large animal veterinarian. She’s been accepted into a prestigious university six hours away.

Sarah is planning on going to nursing school in Virginia, so my group of friends will be scattered across different cities and states soon, and the thought of it is like sinking into quicksand, an overwhelming sense of being pulled in multiple directions at once. It’s not as if I didn’t see this coming. Everyone sent out college applications months ago, but the reality is starting to sink in.