Never In A Million Years

Chapter Thirty-Two

Everything that's happened has finally set in. And I can feel the weight of it on my shoulders now. Brendan hates me. Caleb ruined everything. Shelby's my least favorite person I've ever met on this planet.

'I heard what happened. I'm so sorry. Brendan's a freaking idiot.' -Danny

'It's okay I guess. I'm okay...'

'You don't have to be okay all the time, Lili.' -Danny

'You're right. I'm really not okay. Nothing's okay.'

'Do you want me to come over there?' -Danny

'No. Really, it's okay, you don't have to.'

A few minutes pass before I get the next message.

'I'm on my way.' -Danny

The knock on my door comes about five minutes later. I groan, trying to sit up from the couch. I decide not to get up because I don't feel like it.

"Come in," I yell.

The front door opens and Danny enters. He smiles as he closes the door.

"Hey," he says.

"Hi," I reply. "Thanks for coming over."

"Anytime," he says, then he sits down on the couch beside me. "I figured you could use a friend."

"Thank you," I say again. And I mean it. He's right. I really do need a friend. And having him here right now is wonderful.

"So," he says. "We're graduating in a month."

"That's so weird," I sigh.

"Yeah," he nods. "Sure is."

"Do you know what you're gonna go to college for?" I ask.

"I want to be a pilot," he replies with a smile. "I've applied a few places, but I don't really know where I'm going for sure yet."

"That's so cool," I reply. A pilot. I'd be too scared out of my mind to do that.

"Yeah," he smiles. "How about you?"

I let out a sigh. "I really just want to be an artist. Lame, I know. But that's what I want to do. Besides that, I really want to be a stay-at-home mom."

"No," he replies. "I think that's awesome. Really."

"Thanks," I say, for the third time in about two minutes.

"Can I see some of your artwork?" He asks.

"Sure," I shrug.

Then I lead him up my stairs and into my bedroom. My paintings and drawings all hang around my walls. I gesture to the room around me with a smile.

"This is it."

"Wow," he says, examining all of them. "These are amazing."

He continues to the next wall, shaking his head in disbelief.

"You're so talented," he says, turning to me.

I smile and my cheeks tint pink.

"Thank you." Four times.

*•*•*

"Lili?" Drew asks, walking into my bedroom.

"What?"

"What are you doing?" He asks, raising his eyebrows.

"Is it illegal to take a nap?" I ask.

"No," he says. "I just... Did you not get my text?"