Evelyn's Pendant

24.

I don't even know if he's working or not, but I need to take this chance to talk to him one way or another. Hannah and I drive to his apartment in town, near the club where I got attacked. I distinctly remember where it is.

    Hannah questions our relationship, so I tell her everything from the beginning when I met Theo to our last moments together at the hospital.

    "The way you talked about Chase made me realize something," I say.

    "You think he loves you?"

    I chuckle and warm up to the word. "I don't know. Only one way to find out."

    Is that something that I'm ready for, though?

    We reach his apartment building with almost no time to waste. Our plane leaves at noon. It's ten thirty in the morning now. Hannah rushes me out of the car and tells me that she'll wait for me, but will call me if I'm cutting it even closer.

    Shit. I don't know which number his apartment is.

    After multiple attempts of no answers or having to say, "Sorry, wrong button!" I eventually press number ten and wait anxiously. I don't know what to expect and it's killing me. I need to talk to him.

    His familiar voice booms loudly through the box on the wall: "Hello?"

    "Uhh..." I stutter. "Theo?"

    "Yes?"

    "It's... Lillian."

    The buzzer for the door immediately goes off and I run up to his apartment. Number ten I keep having to remind myself. Memories come rushing to me as I run down the familiar apartment hallway. I then see his face poke out of his door, written with confusion. I just keep running as fast as I can until I catch myself at the door with both hands, face to face with him.

    Winded, I say, "I didn't know if you would be home, but I needed to try, and I don't have much time." His dark eyebrows are lowered and squeeze together and lips downturned. Uh oh. Is he not happy to see me? "I do know where you live." I choke out. Ugh, kill me. A lopsided smile crosses his face, but he still says nothing. "I have a plane to catch in an hour, but I just wanted to tell you, thank you for everything. You were always there somehow when things went to shit," I still try to catch my breath. "It took me a long time, but I just realized how much you mean to me after having a talk with Hannah and I thought a lot -"

    He rushes towards me, grabs my cheeks and our lips collide. My eyes grow wide at first, but then slowly close as a wave of calmness consumes me. This isn't sparks and fireworks. This is real and beautiful; peaceful and homelike. Pure ecstasy.

    Theo keeps it simple and not rushed as he pulls away slowly and leans his forehead on mine. "I don't miss having to chase you at the facility, you're too fast," He chuckles. I let out a smile and take some deep breaths. He pulls away and studies me a little. "You look happier. And I love the new color," he smiles while playing with my hair. My phone starts vibrating in my pocket, I know it's Hannah.

"Shit. I have to go," I sigh and pull away. "Thank you, Theo."

    "For what?"

    "For the reassurance that I'm still not crazy."

    He grabs my wrist. "You were never crazy, and definitely aren't now. Go to school. Go finish that business you have waiting for you there and be safe."

    "I will," I say as he caresses my cheek and kisses me one more time. "I'll see you soon." I promise and quickly turn to leave. My legs shake from anxiety and feel like spaghetti as I descend down the stairs; I have to hold on to the wooden handrail for support and my cheeks hurt from smiling. Asher crosses my mind and I quickly dismiss him. I'm allowed to kiss Theo, as Asher made it very clear that him and I weren't exclusive.

    I slow down while going down the stairs in the apartment complex as I think back to the moments that Theo and I had while at the hospital. The disbelief I had when he first came into my room and forced me to wear my neck brace. I was a disaster then. I was in so much agony after seeing Evie and waking up in excruciating pain. But he was there, every step of the way through my recovery. From that moment, until one of our last - when we hugged after he told me that I deserve all the happiness that the world has to offer me. He then prompted to almost kiss me! I get more butterflies added to the mix when I think of those breathtaking eyes and lopsided grin.

I slow down as I exit the building, almost not wanting to leave. I want to run back up to his apartment and stay here with him - where I'm safe.

I don't have him to protect me back in Seattle.

    I realize how late I am and rush back to Hannah's car.

    "Well?" Hannah asks as she speeds out of the parking lot.

    "I think he likes me," I say with hot cheeks.

    She smirks. "It better have been worth being late for our flight."

    I give her a reassuring smile and say, "You have no idea."

    "You have so much to tell me about the two of you when we're on that plane."

We go into the airport after saying good-bye to our parents, hand-in-hand, ready for our second attempt at a new adventure together.

    After we take flight, I remind Hannah of how Theo saved me that night outside of the nightclub. She still blames herself for that night, but she then says, "I put you in fate's hands." We laugh about it now, because it all worked itself out. I'm okay and Hannah and I are okay. That's all that matters. Plus, I give her a break because I wouldn't have met Theo that night.

    I talk about how he took care of me while I was staying at the hospital and how he was ultimately the reason I got Evie's pendant back.

    "Wait, how?"

    I chuckle. "He forced me to go see my doctor because he thought I was being stupid for wanting to go back to school. He was planning on upping my meds."

    Hannah bursts out laughing, "I'm sorry - that's funny."

    "I know it is. But it wasn't then, I was so pissed at him. Anyways, my doctor believed my plan and gave me back my necklace. Also because I was showing a lot of signs of improvement."

    "I do see a change in you, Lil. I'm proud of you."

    "It's the meds," I wink and we both laugh.