Before You | 18+ | ✓

17: marley

I try to make it a habit not to chew my nails in front of other people so I settle for chewing the inside of my lip. "Even if I wanted to know your last name?" I ask, tilting my head to look at his bright green eyes that are almost the same shade as the grass his head is resting on.

"Anything does include my last name if you want to know it."

"What's something you've never told someone before?" I ask, maintaining our eye contact.

"When I was younger, I think around four, my parents were inside feeding my older sister and my little brothers. We had a pool in our backyard and I really wanted to go swimming. I knew I wasn't allowed in the pool without my parents so I was waiting, but I dropped the toy I was playing with in the water. I tried to reach in to grab it, but I fell into the deep end." I inhale sharply, concerned about where this story is going. Obviously he didn't drown if he's in front of me, but I guess he could be a ghost for all I know.

I reach over and press my hand to his forehead, and to my relief, JJ feels real. Then I pinch myself and I can definitely feel it. I am for sure awake.

"What are you doing?" He asks, puzzled by what I'm doing.

"Making sure you're not a ghost and that I'm not dreaming."

JJ smiles widely, "No. I'm not a ghost and you're not dreaming."

I turn on my side to face him completely, "Then what happened next?"

"I didn't know how to swim but I remember this woman helping me. She helped me swim back to the surface before she lifted me onto the side of the pool. I felt a kiss on my forehead and she said goodbye. My parents came out and found me completely drenched, holding that toy in my hand next to the deep end. They asked what happened and I told them how I fell in but that Grandma Carly saved me." He says, a faint smile on his face.

"Wait—you knew the lady? And she just left you there after helping you out of the water?" I ask, astonished by the direction this has taken.

"I'm getting there," He says, laughing gently. "My parents looked at each other in shock because Grandma Carly, my dad's mother, died when he was three in a car crash with my grandpa. So while I'm not a ghost, I do believe they exist and you're the first person I've ever told that to. I know it probably makes me sound crazy."

It's the fact that the story is that realistic makes me believe him. I think if it were anyone else, I'd think he were lying. But I don't think JJ is.

"Your eyes are a remarkable shade of blue. Stunning." He says and my cheeks flush immediately. But doubt creeps into my mind.

"JJ, are you even real?"

He pinches himself, "Last time I checked."

"Guys don't say stuff like that! They don't lay in perfect picture meadows with a girl they hardly know and they really don't tell them that the girl is making them fall in love with her." I say, sitting up while feeling utterly ridiculous that I'm letting a cute boy play me. I stand, walking away quickly before I sink any further into this hole.

JJ's hand stops me by gently clasping my wrist, loose enough that I could pull away if wanted to.

"Marley, I promise I'm real. If I didn't want to be here, I wouldn't be. But for some unknown reason, I feel this connection with you and I..." He trails off, doubt seeping into his confidence for the first time all day.

"You what?" My tone softens and JJ drags his other hand through his hair.

"I like you. I can't explain it but there is something about you that draws me to you. Then I can't help but wonder if maybe there's a reason why. Maps don't just glitch, but yours did today at the same time I was sitting in that cafe. I'm sorry. This is all too weird," He says, shaking his head, dropping his hand from my wrist.

"Destiny," I whisper under my breath. All the dots are connecting in my brain.

"What?" JJ asks, but I don't have an answer for him. I don't even have an answer for myself. I step closer, pulling his head down to meet mine. The second our lips touch, lightning strikes. Nothing has ever felt more right than this. I can only assume that JJ feels the same as he pulls me closer to him.

"Second guessing it?"

I turn quickly, jolted out of my daydream to see my Aunt Tessa leaning against the doorframe.

She smiles apologetically, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just saw you there pulling at your hair."

"No, it's okay. I was just thinking about something."

Tessa walks up behind me and rests her hands on my shoulders. "Like?"

"Our trip to France two years ago." I briefly explain and confusion twists her face.

"Not that it wasn't a great trip, but why are you thinking about that now?" She asks, pulling a dress off the bed and holding it up. "This is really cute. Are you going to wear that tonight?"

I shrug, playing with the ends of my hair. "I don't know. I was thinking about it, but I'm not sure."

"The dress or the trip?" Aunt Tessa prods and I sit on the edge of the bed.

"Both? The trip just...I was reminded of it."

Her eyes narrow in scrutinization and I know I'm not being very believable. She one-hundred-percent knows that something is up with me right now.

"We'll have to go back. I love Italy with all my heart, but France is almost as beautiful. Especially the countryside. I bet I could get another commission from that artist. We can bring Bria with us," She smiles warmly at me, something that most who meet her don't receive. Aunt Tessa used to be a supermodel when she was younger, but due to abuse in the industry, she has no tolerance for most people outside of our family's inner circle. "Does this have something to do with the young man earlier that's coming to dinner? JJ?"

I look away to look at one of my favorite pieces of art hanging on my wall. I didn't want to leave it in my room at home so I made sure to bring it with me. It's a painting of the stars. Probably one of the least valuable pieces in my family's collection, but it means the world to me.

It reminds me of that night.

I've always loved the stars, but since then, they hold a special meaning.

No matter where I was in the world, I could look up and know that JJ would be seeing the same stars. It was comforting when I had no idea where he was or how he was doing.

"Everything has to do with him." I admit, my voice a whisper as I force the words to come out. "I don't know what I'm doing."

She rests her hand on mine. "None of us do. Sweetie, I've made so many mistakes in my life; some I wish I could take back and some I don't regret. But all of it has led me to where we are now. That's the beauty of life."

I inhale slowly and when I exhale, it's freeing. "You're right."

"Obviously." Aunt Tessa says, laughing quietly. "Do you feel better?"

"Kinda. I'm just a little nervous about how tonight is going to go. Do you think Dad is going to be nice to JJ?" I ask and she fully laughs this time.

"Oh hell no. He's going to give him the third degree and rake him over the coals, but after the bullshit your last boyfriend pulled, I think it's understandable." She says honestly.

"He's not my boyfriend," I insist quickly.

"Yet." Tessa corrects, "He wouldn't be subjecting himself to tonight it he didn't have feelings for you."