Three Years Later | ✓

《 Prologue 》

The sun's golden beams bounced off her tan skin, accentuating the highlight adorning her cheekbones.

"Where were you? You practically missed the entire ceremony," I asked amusedly.

"I got caught up in traffic. It's rush hour, and I live an hour away from here. How do you expect me to get here on time?" Ava responded. I rolled my eyes with the corner of my lip curling up at the rhetorical question.

Remembering my troubled expression from a minute ago, her expression morphed from a smile to a consoling one.

"You okay?" She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, it's just..." My voice trailed off as I looked back towards Milo's direction.

Ava followed my gaze and her eyes also landed on Milo, who still hadn't caught us staring. "Are you sure you want to do this, Hadley?"

I solemnly nodded. Plastering on a fake smile, I made my way towards Milo, Ava trailing behind.

"Congrats, Milo!" I pounced on him from behind with a floral lei made of plumerias, a known congratulatory tradition, slinging it around his neck. He spun around and a joyous smile tugged at his lips, which broke my heart even more.

"There you are, Hads!" Milo instantly snaked his arms around my waist and spun me around, burying his head in the crook of my neck. My arms wound around the back of his neck and I snuggled into his chest, savoring his comforting scent that I would miss, followed by a faint floral aroma.

He gently lowered me to the ground and excitement beamed brightly out of his entire being. A tendered look pooled in his eyes as he stared down at me.

Even though Milo and I had been a thing for a few months and had never really discussed what we were, I always felt a sense of comfort and security when I was near him or tucked snugly in his arms, something I'd never felt so immediate with someone.

I took in a deep breath as I attempted to regain control of the reins on my wild heart that was threatening to rip out of my chest.

"Milo, I need to tell you something," I said warily.

"Me too, but I want to reveal it to you later. My folks and I are gonna go and get some malasadas from Leonard's Bakery. You should come with us," Milo said energetically.

A bit of hesitation leaked onto my features, wanting to break the devastating news to him as quickly as possible before I could convince myself to rid of the idea.

But on the other hand, I really loved Leonard's malasadas. Malasadas were also Milo's favorite and would be the thing he'd miss most from our hometown on this little island, Oahu.

"I know you love their chocolate dobash malasadas!" He sang with a grin still spread across his lips. As I stared at those beautiful eyes with long, dark lashes, I knew I couldn't pass up his offer.

"Okay," I breathed with a soft smile.

∞

MILO GRABBED THE sugar-coated confection from the pink box using a napkin. After handing me a warm malasada, I took a bite and sighed with content as the dobash filling gushed out of the deep-fried ball of dough.

Sitting outside together on a white bench, Milo chuckle next to me. He had changed out of his graduation gown and into a plain white shirt that hugged his body in all the right places with a pair of faded black jeans.