Never as in Forever

Chapter 22

Tobin's POV

I get out of the shower, and something catches my eye. I look at the bottom of the door. There's a price of folded paper.

Someone is littering in my room.

I pick it up, and toss it in the wastebasket. I freeze. It has some writing on it.

I pick it out and open it, then read it.

Huh.

That's weird.

But I'll go anyway. Who knows. Maybe this person is hot, and maybe we could date or something. Maybe they can help me forget about Alex.

"Tobin?" Christen asked, and I wiped a tear away. Another memory of Alex just shot me.

"Sorry" I say, and get into bed.

"Tobin, you can talk to me" Christen says. "You know that"

I nod. "I have nothing to talk about"

"Pain changes people. It makes them trust less, overthink more, and shut people out" She says softly. That is very true.

"Some people are meant to fall in love with each other...but not meant to be together" I whisper, and silently cry.

I want it to be over.

It seems like every day, Alex and I are growing apart by the second.

---------------------------

Alex's POV

Today was the day I talk to Tobin.

I set out a blanket on the fields, and set out a dozen roses and then set candles out around the blanket. I'm wearing a red dress, and some flats, and my hair is down.

I don't know why I'm going to talk to her. We've been so spread out from each other, one wrong move can break the small string we have left for each other.

I wait. This is such a dumb idea, but I have no more ideas left.

I spot her walk onto the field, hesitate, then walk over.

"Hi" I smile.

"Hi" She says.

"These are for you" I say, handing her the roses. She smiles and accepts them.

"Thank you" she says.

"Sit down" I say, patting the spot next to me on the blanket.

She sits.

"I wasn't expecting you" She says.

"I know" I say.

"So what is it?" She asked, and I can only assume she's referring to the note.

"I didn't have you come out here so I can say that I can't live without you" I start. "I can live without you" I take a shaky breath. "I just don't want to"

"Alex.." She almost starts crying.

"I'm in love with you. And if you stay, I promise there's no safer place in the world than right here" I say. Tobin bites her lip.

"Do you know how long I've waited to hear that?" She whispers.

I shake my head no.

"Every single damn day" she says. "I cried myself to sleep. I lost you. And I thought I'd never get you back"

"Once you love someone, they stay in your heart forever" I say. "I couldn't forget you, and I didn't want to"

"You loved me?" Her voice cracked.

"I still love you" I say.

She starts to cry.

"I can't lose you. Because if I ever did, I'd have lost my best friend, my soul mate, my smile, my laugh, my everything" I begin to cry. "I was so close to losing you. I couldn't let you slip through my fingers"

"I want us" She says, and grabs my hand.

"Together?" I ask.

"Forever" she smiles.

Then we hug. I never thought I'd feel her body again. Her body against mine. I love her so much, and I didn't even realize it until I almost lost her.

"I won't love anyone like I love you" I whisper, and kiss her cheek. We sit there and cry tears of joy. I never thought I'd be happy ever again.

"What about Servando?" She asks.

"What about Moe?" I ask her.

"I'll leave Moe if you leave Servando. And I want to date you" She grins.

"I want to date you too. I can't risk letting myself give you up" I smile.

"I need to know that it's possible that two people can stay happy together forever" She whispers into my neck.

"I'll help you figure that out" I whisper back.