Not Another High School Love Story

40. To Those Who Wait

Well what can I say? After it's all said and done my life is turning out pretty good. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a perfect ending—my mom's still a stranger, Brent's dad is still a piece of shit, and so are Marcus and Madison—but not everything can be wrapped up with a neat little ribbon. On the bright side I'm young and my story's really just beginning, so who knows what might happen. I'm looking forward to starting college; I'm looking forward to the rest of my life, and I couldn't be happier with how things are already starting to shape up. I've got great friends, an amazing family, and a guy I love to keep me grounded. Our world is so full of color, there is no more grey.

Right now I should be getting ready for the move, but instead of helping I'm sitting on the edge of my bed, going through every last page of this year's yearbook. I think this is the best one I've ever done, it feels so much fuller, it has so much life. As for senior superlatives, you'll never guess who won cutest couple. Okay, so it's probably not that hard to guess, but I love that this picture of me and Brent will be immortalized forever. The message he wrote beneath it when he signed my yearbook makes me smile, and I continue skimming the pages to see the rest of the signatures from all the new and varied friends I made this year.

"Bitch, you better start helping, let's get a move on." Grace wrestles the yearbook from my clutches and tosses it down on the bed beside me, next to the box I'm supposed to be filling. After years of being ridiculously messy my room is finally clean—cleaner than it's ever been. It's naked and sparse, resembling only a memory of the boy who used to live here. Apparently I'm dwelling on it too much though, because she notices. "You okay?"

"It's just a lot to take in." Queen answers in my stead. "I was the same way when I packed all my stuff."

"Yeah, but you're moving all the way to New York, Jonah's just going across town." She rolls her eyes, which makes us laugh and helps break me from the spell. It's true, I'm not going far, but for some reason I'm still sad about it. I don't know, it's always hard to let go. I'm glad they agreed to help, I'm sure they know I could've done it on my own, but it's a convenient excuse to spend a little more time together. The last few weeks we had left of school were great, and the amazing summer we all spent together was great, but it's over now and we're all moving away.

"Don't remind me, this is going to be my first time flying and I'm super nervous." He feigns a sigh. Speaking of senior superlatives, it's no surprise that Queen and Grace were voted most dramatic. That's kind of what I love most about them though, and I'm already counting down the days until we'll see each other again. Grace moved into her dorm yesterday, and Queen leaves tomorrow. Today, well, today's about me.

"You'll be fine, call me before you go to the airport and I'll talk you through it." I chuckle as I stand and go to help him finish the box he's working on. For some reason it's easier than filling my own, and when I'm done I go to do the same with Grace. Other than the rough patch we just got over, I've never spent more than a few days away from her since we met. This'll be the first time I truly have to be without her. Obviously she sees right through me like always, because she reaches out to touch my cheek with a soft smile. I'd tell her I love her, but she already knows.

With both their boxes full they lug them out of the room, bickering the whole way down the stairs, and I'm left alone for a moment. It doesn't last long before I hear a different pair of voices coming up.

"I don't see what the big deal is, it's only a thirty minute drive, I told him he should just commute." My dad says, rambling. He comes through the door after Ms. Montgomery and continues telling her the story, glancing over at me with a playful grin when he comes to the parts he thinks are funny. He's a good dad, and he was true to his word, I loved getting to build a real relationship with him these past few months. The summer wasn't enough for him either, but he pretends like he was only joking when he suggested I keep living here instead of on campus. "We agreed he'd come home to visit every weekend at least."