Page 159 of Time To Learn

“Laura…,” I start, but she silences my protest and puts her index finger over mylips.

“Please, baby.” It’s impossible to refuse her when she looks at me like that—those sad, grey eyes that always hold so many secrets from me are my downfall. “You’ll understand why I wrote it once you’ve read it. And…I hope you’ll understand why I can’t tell you my story in any other way. Before you decide to comeback…”

“My decision’s already made,” I interrupt.

She frames my face in her hands and I feel winded as if from a blow as her stare turns intense.

“Take some time to think about it,” she whispers softly. “Please do this forme?”

My frown deepens as I think about her request. The answer is obvious, of course. It always will be when it comes toher.

“Okay,” I nod. “But when I get back to you, we are going to have a fucking long chat about you not telling me things that I need to hear from your own lips. Give that to me, at least.”

She wipes her cheeks dry as I keep her eyes locked with mine, and I hold my breath as I wait for her to givein.

“Waiting,” I murmur as my lips pull up into a sad smile. “Always waiting. But do you want to know what I thought for a split second just before we kissed for the firsttime?”

She tilts her head at me, confusion taking the place of the sadness.

“What?”

“I thought that, for you, I’d wait for all eternity, sweetheart—no matter what. That hasn’t changed.”

Her jaw turns slack as her mouth forms an ‘O’, clearly surprised by my words. The taxi honks, interrupting our goodbye, and I take a deep breath.

“Kiss me,” I plead and thread my fingers through her soft hair. “Don’t deny methat.”

Slowly, she raises her arms and wraps them around my neck as she gets up on her toes. I bend my head and wait for her mouth to reach mine, needing her to make the first move just this once, and as soon as I feel her soft lips—and taste the sweetness of her—I sigh. Our mouths fuse together as we take our time and, heart pounding in my chest, I pour my love for her into our kiss, trying to show her the depth of my feelings.

But at some point, we have to stop, and when I feel her small hands twitch around my neck, I end ourkiss.

“I’ll text you when I land. No matter what your letter says, I’ll do that. I don’t want you to worry aboutme.”

“Thank you,” she whispers as her arms glide down my body. She takes a step back, and I sigh as I have to let go of her body until nothing but my fingertips touch the tip of her soft flannel shirt.

“Goodbye, baby,” she breathes, her eyes misting again. Before I start to bawl like a baby, I pick up my suitcase and back slowly away fromher.

“See you soon,” I call out as she turns away and goes back into the house.

She gives me one last, long, loving look before she pushes the door closed. On a soft click, she shuts it and the agony flares up in my chest.

Silently, I repeat my vow to her and Ailith in myhead.

I will comeback.

I reach the taxi driver and, still keeping my eyes on the house, wishing Laura would open the door again—knowing that she won’t—I hand him my suitcase when he gets out of the car. With a heavy heart, I finally turn around and get inside, slamming the door. I keep my head down as I slump in my seat, unable to avoid the sight of the letter Laura gave me. I clutch it in my right hand, simultaneously curious and repelled byit.

What secrets has Laura decided to reveal now we’ve run out oftime?

A sense of foreboding settles in my heart as I force my grip to relax, and while there’s no doubt in my heart that I won’t be gone for long, a shiver runs down my spine as I stare at Laura’s neat handwriting.

On my way to the airport, a small seed of doubt takes root in my gut and my mind runs wild as I imagine what the lettersays.

Maybe her love isn’t strong enough to withstand the time we’ll be apart?

Even thinking it makes my lungs contract painfully.

But then why does it feel like this is theend?