Puddle Jumping(32)

His silence let me know he wanted me to explain further.

“Look,” I started, guarding my heart as best I could to not burst into tears, “tonight was special to me. And you weren’t here.”

“I was asked to stay late at work.”

I finally chanced a look into his eyes. “But you promised me first. Do you remember that? I specifically asked you if you wanted to go to prom with me and you said yes. You said yes, Colton.”

If ‘realization’ actually had a look, it would be the one that flashed across his face at that moment. “I see.”

“Do you see?” I shifted to sit and face him. “It was important to me because we haven’t seen each other very much lately because of your new job. It was important because we’re graduating soon. I wanted us to spend time together with our friends. Because friendship is important.”

“Friendship is important to me. You’re important to me.”

“And you’re important to me. So very important. I want to spend any little bit of time I can with you. I subjected myself to dressing up and doing my hair and, just, all of this damn effort . . .” Tears really were stinging my eyes by that point. Until his hand cupped my chin.

“It was unnecessary.”

“To you.” I looked at his eyes this time. “It was unnecessary to you. Not to me. This was important to me. And I need you . . . to make me important. To you.”

“You’ve always been important.”

“I’ve always been important here,” finger to his heart, “and here,” finger to his head. “But I need to be important all over. Not just when we’re alone. Not just when you feel like you have time. I am just as important as your job. And you made a promise to me you would be here at prom. I’ve overlooked other things, but tonight, I need you to understand that my feelings are hurt and I want your promises to me to be just as important as your promises to other people. If you say you’re going to do something with me, then do it.”

My chest felt tight.

“I understand.”

Just like that. It was said, so it must be done. I wasn’t forcing him to do anything other than keep his word.

And that’s when it happened.

“I love you, Colton. I do. And I want us to be together.”

His silence was piercing and my heartbeat in my ears was threatening to make me go deaf. But I had to give him the benefit.

“Don’t say it back, okay? I just want you to know that I . . . love you.”

Colton’s mouth started to open and then closed slowly, his hand taking mine in his as he stared down at it. I closed my eyes and willed my anxiety away, feeling his fingers trace over my skin. A pattern. Soft lines of his fingers playing over the top of my hand.

Like a paint brush stroking my skin.

I didn’t need him to say it out loud. He’d told me with his touch. His actions, over his words, solidified what I needed in my heart.





From that point on, Colton did what he said he would do. If we made plans, he kept them. His mom saw to it if it looked like he was going in another direction. And he put me first, which felt amazing. It wasn’t forced. I just had to set exact expectations. Say what I meant. Be literal.

We had a new understanding, and it worked.

The last three weeks of school flew by. Between studying for finals and actually taking them, my head was focused elsewhere. Colton and I studied together whenever we could; in person, on the computer, or on the phone.

I accepted our relationship for what it was: beautifully sweet. We were taking our time. It was based on more than sex, unlike other people we knew. Even if some of them were already doing more, it didn’t matter to me. My high school memories didn’t need to include that for me to be happy.

I did great on my finals.

Colton did, too, obviously.

He did not stay late at work the day of graduation. He was right there in the bleachers to accept his diploma. It was bittersweet to hug Quinn afterward. It was more so to be caught up in Sawyer’s arms as he swung me around like a rag doll, his graduation gown trapping me in the blinding red of the material.

Colton did not punch Sawyer. He trusted him. And he would miss them, too. I was sure of it.

Just like they’d miss us.

It was such an achievement and I could not have been more proud when I got to see my boyfriend accept his diploma in front of so many people and he didn’t have one of his ‘moments’.

It felt like everything was finally coming together.

The start of something new for all of us.

* * *

Longer days bring longer nights and with it there’s usually boredom. But not this time.

We were all so busy. It seemed like the months rushed by much faster than I could have imagined. Don’t get me wrong, it was good. It just backed up that old saying that time flies when you’re having fun.

Colton and I found a great little rhythm, and it seemed like he was less stressed without being in school. He was thriving at the museum, and focusing on his artwork, as well as spending time with our friends and me. But it was obvious our time alone was what he liked the most.

I had to agree.

When the weather would permit, we spent a lot of our time outside. Some of my best memories over the summer were of us in these secluded trees by the edge of a stream in the woods behind his house. A place where I could sit and read books while he painted.