“Oh wow,” I gasp as we finally pull apart. He rests his forehead on mine and stares into my eyes. This is so intense. “Is this really going to happen?”
“I want it to,” he admits with a smile that warms my heart. “I’ve wanted to be with you for as long as I can remember. You are always going to be the one for me, Chloe Smith. I love you so much.”
I’m so glad that I came over now. This is the best night of my life….
At least that’s the way it seems until we hear the unmistakable roar of a motorcycle, which can only mean one thing. Ted’s cousin, Stix, is here. Bad news. Definitely not how I wanted to end our exchange before going inside.
I get why Ted leaps up to go and greet his cousin. Why he essentially leaves me sitting on my own at the bottom of his yard, it’s his family. I’ll never know the feeling because my situation is so different from his. But his family is tight, and they have the sort of bond where they will do anything for one another. Even if we all know that Ted’s uncle on his mom’s side of the family is into some sketchy stuff.
I don’t know what for sure, and I don’t ask. I’m not sure that Ted really does either. It isn’t something that he ever wants to be involved in. His uncle and cousin live in the city and run a ‘family business’. But still, Stix comes to visit every so often and it makes me uncomfortable. I don’t like him, he looks like trouble.
I suppose he is just one of those people that I will have to accept when Ted and I get married someday… because after tonight, I know that our pact wasn’t just some silly promise that we made when we were kids. We just said I love you, and we agreed to start a relationship tonight. My best friend is now my boyfriend. Man, that feels weird to think about. Better get used to it!
Oh God. As soon as I see Ted’s face as he comes back to join me, I can tell that it isn’t going to be good news. I rise to my feet automatically so I can meet him half way.
“I have to go for a bit,” he says casually, as if leaving me like this isn’t a shocking statement to make. “My uncle needs me.”
“Needs you? For what?” I snap back, hating Stix for interrupting the best night of my life. I knew that him turning up was going to ruin this. “For something to do with the sketchy “family business”? Because you know he’s bad news …”
Ted turns away from me, avoiding my eyes. “I have to help, Chloe. It’s family. Stix wouldn’t be here asking for me if he didn’t need me. I’m have to see what I can do. I won’t be gone for long.”
I reach out and grab his hand, determined not to let him go. “No, Ted, please…”
“I have to, Chloe. Seriously.” He’s snapping at me now, irritated by my lack of support. “You don’t understand…”
“But your mom,” I jump in quickly. “She isn’t going to want you to take off, right? She’s out at that thing tonight, isn’t she? So, you expect her to just come back and find you gone? She will be so pissed.”
What I really want to say is that I don’t want him going, even for a few days, but it’s too embarrassing.
“My mom would want me to help my family. She will understand how important this is.” He nods as if he is trying to convince himself more than me. “I’ll call her when I get there anyway. Or my uncle will.”
Like grains of sand, I can already feel him slipping through my fingers. I feel like whatever is going on is bigger that what he is telling me.
“Please, Ted. Don’t go.” I sound pathetic. “Don’t leave me like this. Wait until your mom comes home and talk to her about it. At least give it til morning? Whatever it is can’t be that serious that you have to go right now.”
“You don’t get it, Chloe.” He shakes his head sympathetically at me. Like I’m a child and he’s so much more grown up than I am. What the hell did Stix say to him? I feel like I’m not even talking to the same person I was ten minutes ago. “You don’t understand. I don’t have a choice. This is just what family does, Chloe. I have to go..”
“But what about us? We were just discussing our future. I thought that we were going to be together.”
“We can wait.” His words cut through me like a knife. I am no longer a priority to him. In an instant that has changed. “Just until I get back.