Page 76 of Lilly

"I haven't thought about it."

"You guys haven't talked about the future?"

"We have a little, but I usually stop him because I'm not ready for that."

"Ready for what?"

"To talk about getting engaged. Or married. We're too young. I can't believe you and Jade got married at my age. Why didn't you wait longer?"

"At the time, it just seemed like the right thing to do. But it's not right for everyone. You have to give up stuff when you get married that young."

"Like what?"

"Dating other people." He laughs. "I know it sounds funny when I say it like that, but it's important, especially if you haven't dated much. You can't really be sure of what you want in someone until you've had some dating experience, which I had plenty of before I got married."

"But Jade didn't."

"Yeah, but, come on." He points to himself, smiling. "Why would she need to date around when she already had this?"

I roll my eyes.

"Seriously, though," he says. "You also give up doing the stuff people your age normally do, like go to parties. Jade and I went to a few in college but they just aren't the same when you're married. And single people that age don't want to hang out with married people so you lose some friends when you get married that young."

"Well, I'm not planning on getting married anytime soon so I don't have to worry about that."

"But you and Reed have talked about marriage?"

I nod. "More than once."

"Is that what you want? To marry him someday?"

"Yes, but I'm not in any hurry."

"Because you're not sure he's the one or because you're just not ready for marriage?"

I lie back on my lounge chair, staring up at the sky. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Why won't you answer the question? Is it because you don't know the answer?"

I sigh. "I'm not ready for marriage. That's my answer."

"So Reed IS the one. You're sure of that?"

"Right now, I'm not sure of anything. I'm too young to plan out my whole future. But I know I love Reed and I can't imagine not having him in my life. So does that mean he's the one?"

"Is that rhetorical or are you asking me?"

"I'm asking you."

"Only you know the answer to that. I can't tell you if Reed's the one. But I can tell you that if you're not a hundred percent sure that he is, then he might not be."

I'm quiet after that, needing to think about what he said. Why did he even say it? I told him I wasn't getting married anytime soon so what is he so worried about? Why does he care if Reed is the one or not? And why is he making me question myself?

I think Reed is the one, but now Garret has me wondering if maybe he's not.

What am I saying? I know he's the one. I love Reed. He's my best friend and I love him more than anything. And when I think about my future, he's always in it. Just because I'm not ready to marry him doesn't mean he's not the one. So why is Garret making me question myself?

I feel like Garret is involved in whatever our parents were talking about, or at least knows about it, so why wouldn't he admit it? What is he hiding?

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