Prologue – Chloe
My heart is pounding in my throat, my knees might as well be on a metronome because they are knocking together so loud with nerves. This is honestly the most anxious I have felt about anything in a long time. But it’s a good anxious. I am about to make my childhood best friend my boyfriend…
We grew up as next-door neighbors, best friends, lifelong confidants, and when we turned thirteen, we made a promise to one another. We vowed, in secret, that when we turned twenty five if we hadn't found anyone else, we would marry one another. Of course, back then being twenty-five felt like a million years away but now that we’re eighteen and graduated high school, it doesn’t seem that far away. But, I don’t want to wait.
It’s funny, because even though I know I am young, I am positive that Ted Landon is the one for me. I’ve known since the day I met him. And our years of friendship have only made that more clear to me.
He wants me as too, I can feel it. I don’t think that he really wants to wait either, but he feels like we need to. We made a promise to wait until we are twenty five and he probably assumes that’s a firm timeline, but today I am going to tell him that I don’t want to wait that long.
I’ve made this journey across our front yards a million times. Every day, at least once, but today is different and I can feel it. The anxiety coursing through my body is damn near paralyzing, but I don’t want to wait anymore.
“Come on, Chloe Smith,” I whisper to myself as I stand outside his door. “This is it.”
I dressed up in a nice black top and jeans. I’ve even curled my long blonde hair and put make up on to show him how serious I am. I really hope that Ted notices, I want him to want this too.
The thing with Ted is that I actually feel very comfortable around him. I know that he will be good to me. There is no fear of him hurting me because we have the best friendship ever, and from what I’ve read, that is the perfect place to start a relationship.
Yeah, I said I read about it. Lord knows I haven’t actually seen that firsthand. My mom isn’t exactly the beacon of an example when it comes to great relationships. She is a serial dater.…
My dad left when I was just a baby and she has tried to get into something serious ever since, but she doesn’t respect herself, so no one else does either. She’s a doormat. Definitely shows me what I don’t want in a relationship. Although this new English guy she likes seems to have promise…
Anyway, I am on my way next door. I can’t put it off any longer, so I bang on the door and in an instant, Ted is there and we’re walking to the garden to a place that we have been so many times, but there is a thickness to the atmosphere tonight. He must be able to feel it too. I wonder if he knows what I want to say.
“So, you said that you had something to talk to me about?” He takes a seat and cocks his head to the side with his gorgeous smile on his face. “Sounds important. I have a feeling that it’s going to be something college related…”
“Actually, it isn’t.” I shake my head although I suppose it will affect college, won’t it? We will need to work out how to be together if we go to different places. But we’re strong enough to make anything work, so I’m not worried. “It’s about me and you and our pact that we made.”
Redness floods my cheeks at the same moment all the color drains from his. “You’re calling it off?”
The fact that he doesn’t want me to end it is adorable and spells good news for what I have to say next. “No, not exactly. I just don’t want to wait. I don’t want to wait until we are twenty-five. Why couldn’t we just be together now.” Oh God, I can’t believe that I just said that aloud. “I love you, Ted Landon.”
What sounded so good in my head is now completely mortifying to hear out loud. I don’t know if I should have said it. Oh no, should I have said that? What if I ruined what we have? Why is be being so quiet? I’m freaking out.
“You… you love me?” I suppose there isn’t any point in denying it now. It’s out there. I nod.
Then he responds with the best sentence I’ve ever heard in my life. “I love you too.”
Before I can say anymore, he grabs my face and he crashes his mouth to mine. This is my first kiss with Ted, actually it’s my first kiss ever, and it’s absolutely mind blowing. It’s electric, I have fireworks exploding in the pit of my stomach… it’s everything that I wanted my first kiss to be and so much more.