✔️ | 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 ─ 𝒑𝒂𝒙𝒕𝒐𝒏 𝒉.𝒚

THIRTY-SEVEN

As promised, the boy stopped by Sharetea. He told the girl she can order whatever drink she wanted, with whatever toppings she wanted. It was all on him.

Carly was a basic bitch.

Her go to was alway a Jasmine Green Milk Tea with boba. She occasionally got fruit teas, but it was always too sweet no matter how much she lowered the sweetness level. 

They sat at an open table waiting for their drinks. Paxton was brave to sit next to the girl instead of across from her. He was making it his mission to to know Carly as Carly. Not Carly Tan, everyone knows at school.

"Can I ask you something?" Paxton says.

"Well that depends."

"I'm actually really scared."

"For what?"

"What happens when we graduate." Paxton confessed. He was taking Ben's advice and was praying it'll work. It worked in movies, it should work in real life right?

Carly sighed, locking her phone and setting it down in her lap. She turned to the boy who was staring intently at her. "It's normal. We've seen most of the people since elementary school. High school's really the last time where everyone's together until we all go our separate ways."

"Yeah. And I don't know. I'm excited for college but at the same time, change isn't something I'm good at. I like being comfortable. I'm used to seeing everything, knowing what I can expect out of every school day. College is an entirely different ball park."

Carly slowly smiled as she listened to the boy. Out of all the years she's known the boy, he rarely showed any emotion. This was nice. "At least in college, you can get up to go to the bathroom whenever you want."

Paxton chuckled. "And you can skip as much as you want without getting detention."

Carly chuckled. "True."

"Can I promise you one thing?"

"Shouldn't it be the other way around?"

Paxton shook his head. "No. I want to make this promise to you."

"Ok."

"I promise you, I'll never forget you. Wherever we end up going, no matter what, I'll always find my way back to you. Just like how John B and Sarah did with the Pogues."

Carly's eyes widened when she heard the boy say that. Was this really happening? Was this really happening in the middle of a boba shop? "You watched Outer Banks?"

Paxton nodded. "Yeah. It isn't too bad. Now I know what you mean when Sarah said to Topper, you love the idea of me you love being seen with me,"

"But you don't love me." The girl said with the boy as they both smiled. 

"And you were right. Rafe Cameron is hot as hell. Even more when he's angry. But JJ has my heart." 

As the girl stared into his brown eyes, she couldn't help but feel happy. Even if they were only friends, she can tell, when it's the right time, they'll be together again.

And this time, forever.