Page 54 of From the Ashes
The horn blasted again and he let out a long sigh.
“I-I've gotta go,” he finished, his smile fading. “I have to be in Portland for a book signing early tomorrow morning. The publisher will never forgive me if I don't go.”
“I understand.”
“I'm sorry. I really want to stay here and catch up with you.”
I held up a hand. “It's alright, Nix. Really. I need some time to think about all this, anyway. It's… a lot.”
He nodded. “I get it. I really do.” Stepping over to the door, he turned back one last time. “Can I write to you?”
“Yeah,” I replied, my cheeks burning. The idea of getting letters from Nix made my heart do a backflip on my chest. “That's fine.”
“And, if you're feeling up to it, maybe we can talk on the phone sometime?”
“Okay.” I couldn't help the smile spreading over my face. It felt alien and a little silly to be this excited about something so simple.
“I'm glad we ran into each other. Even if it caught you off guard.”
Nix pulled the door open and stepped onto the front stoop before he turned back and rushed toward me. I barely had time to react beforehis arms were around me once more. Usually I'd pull away, but with Nix, I just melted into him.
“I could never think less of you,” he said, his voice muffled by my hoodie. “I wanted you to know that.”
It was such a simple statement, but it made my heart soar. I nodded, squeezing him tighter.
“Well,” he said, pulling away at last. “I'll see you later, okay?”
“Okay.”
With one last wave, Nix jogged down the street, hugged his parents, got on the bus, and drove out of town. All the while I stood there in my doorway, watching him go. And for the first time in forever, the sun on my skin feltgood.
CHAPTER 24
Phoenix
“There's something different about you,” Tony said out of the blue.
I looked up from my notebook where I'd been drafting my fifth letter in three weeks. It seemed Charlie and I had a lot to catch up on. Or at least I did. My letters were always long and meandering while Charlie's were more to the point. He wasn't prone to flowery prose like I was, but what he lacked in that department, he made up for in careful attention. His letters were thorough, and I always knew he'd read mine carefully, making sure to comment on every part.
“What do you mean?” I asked, lifting an eyebrow in his direction.
“You seem…happier.”
“I'm sorry?” I huffed, putting my pen down. “Do you want me to be more miserable or something?”
“No,” he said, giving me a wave of dismissal. “It’s nice not to hear you bitch constantly.”
I scoffed as he got up from the couch and stretched, walking up to the front of the bus to check on the driver. Going back to my letter, I tried to figure out where I’d left off. I’d barely put the pen back to the paper when I heard a voice in my ear.
“Who’s Charlie?”
“Fucking hell, Tony!” I said, jumping so hard my pen went flying. I rushed to close my notebook. “None of your fucking business, okay?”
“Is he your high school bully?” Tony teased. “The one you went out to fuck that night while we were in your hometown?”
“What? No! Jordan was my bully, not Charlie.” I turned away, trying to hide the sudden rush of heat to my cheeks. “Charlie would never do that.”
“Oh… so who’s this Charlie guy then?” He gave me a nudge. “Seems like you’re sweet on him already.”