Page 3

“Look. I don’t know what I want to do with my life yet, and until I do, I’m not making any decisions. I don’t care if my great-grandmother founded the community college, all right? That doesn’t mean I have to go there, and it doesn’t mean I need to figure out my entire life by the time I turn eighteen. I want to travel. I want to see the world. I don’t want to look back on my life with regrets for not doing things when I was younger, thinking I’d have time to do them later. Life is happening right now, Easton, and I don’t want to blink and miss it.”

Lennon is the fourth child out of five—and definitely the exception to the rule of the Riley children. Her siblings have all known what they wanted to pursue right after high school, as far as careers go. The problem is, the more it comes up for Lennon, the more she pushes back on it.

I shove the brochure back in my backpack and then fold my hands together over the table. “I get it. I guess I’m just wondering what you’re going to be up to when I’m gone.”

“Whatever I want,” she says with a smile on her lips. “I will miss you, though. I mean, who’s gonna drive out to the fields with me at night and watch the fireflies?” She reaches for my hand, sliding her palm against mine, and extends her index finger along my wrist as her eyes follow her movements.

I automatically know what’s coming next.

Circle, circle. Tap, tap.

My chest tightens as she continues that familiar pattern—a private signal we’ve had since that day in eighth grade when she cemented herself as another person in my life I would protect at all costs.

We’d been riding our bikes in her neighborhood when she crashed and broke her arm. I ran to the nearest house for help, then held her hand while we waited for her mom and dad to get there. Through her tears, she traced the pattern against my skin for the first time.

“Don’t let go of my hand, Easton,” she whispered as her index finger moved in circles, followed by two taps.

I repeated the movement back to her as I said, “I won’t, Lennon. I promise. I’ll keep you safe until we get you to the hospital.”

The memory makes me smile. “You can always call Elodie,” I say, picturing the two of them watching the fireflies together—a pastime Lennon and I adopted after my mom shared her theory with me.

I’ve never told Lennon, though. I didn’t want to jinx that our friendship would fade by the definition.

Lennon shakes her head. “I can’t. She’s going to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville now.”

That surprises me. “What? Since when?”

“Since her parents told her she has to go to college before she can pursue music. They’ve been putting money into an account for her since she was a baby, but it’s supposed to be for college. When she told them she wanted to use the money to move to L.A. and focus on music full-time, they said no. They said if she gets a degree first, then she can have whatever money is left.” Lennon shakes her head. “I just don’t get why parents feel the need to control their kids.”

“I don’t think it’s control. It’s them just wanting what’s best for us,” I say, thinking of my own mom. She left our drunk of a father with nothing but her car and what she could fill it with to give us a better life. And damn it, she’s done whatever she can to make sure that happened. It wasn’t without tears and hard work, though. Now, she and my brother run the Buckley Ranch together, and she’s happier than I’ve ever seen her.

“Yeah, that’s what they say, but there’s still an element of control underneath it, Easton.” She pops the last chip in her mouth before she tosses the bag in the trash. “I just wish they would leave us alone.”

I sigh, knowing that now is not the time to fight with her about this. “Yeah, I guess.”

The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch. Standing from the table, Lennon releases my hand, tosses the rest of her sandwich in the trash, and gathers her bag while I follow suit. “I’ll see you after school?”

“Yeah, see you then.”

She lifts up on her toes and plants a kiss on my cheek. “Have a good rest of your day.”

The warmth of her touch lingers on my cheek for so long I’m completely unaware that Elodie is standing beside me until she clears her throat, waiting for me to snap out of my haze.

“Are you ever going to ask her out?”

I turn to face her. “What?”

Rolling her eyes, she weaves her arm through mine and leads me out of the cafeteria to our class, since we have next period together. “Come on, Easton. You’re running out of time. You’re going to leave for lineman school right after we graduate, right? If you don’t put yourself out there, Lennon is going to end up with some other guy and you’re always going to wonder what if.”

I watch other students walk past us in the hall while I contemplate my reply. “It’s not that simple, Elodie.”

“I know, but…”

“I’m leaving soon and would hate to start something when I won’t be here.”

“Long distance is an option.”

“That’s no way to start a relationship. Plus, Lennon wants to travel too. I don’t want to hold her back.” Elodie hums, so I continue. “I’m not even sure that Lennon would be interested in me…or anyone for that matter…”