Page 175 of All at Once

Maybe you have missedsomechances. But it’s nothing compared to what’s ahead of you.

A few weeks ago, I wanted everything to change. And then it did.All at once. Now I don’t want anything to change.

Sadly, life doesn’t work like that. And more often than not, things will eventually change.

Maybe that’s agoodthing. That nothing awful or mundane will linger on forever even if it means something magical is also not guaranteed to last.

But one thing that has a chance of remaining the same is how true you decide to stay to yourself. No matter howpeculiarsomeone thinks you are for waiting to do something you’re not ready to do. For all the times you might have been ridiculed for liking that one pop song or that one “silly” show. But, really, who determines what’s foolish and what’s not? Someone who’s older than you who claims knows better? Or those younger than you who cannot possibly grasp that you too were their age at some point and shared the same aspirations and shiny dreams that they currently have?

Guess what? There willalwaysbe something to criticize in every single person.

For all the things that people who’ll never understand about you, who are notsupposedto understand, will try to convince you to change, you might just find that they’re the same qualities that make you thebestversion of yourself.

You’re told to believe something as you grow up because that’s what everyone’s been told.

The same way reality shapes our perspectives of what we accept is “normal” and “realistic,” imagining a different perspective is the only chance we have to accept something that’sbetter. Even when it feels like it’s taking years to come to fruition. Almost a decade for me to be exact. But that same decade would have felt like a century if it wasn’t for my creativity.

In many ways your imagination is there for you until your experiences get you to where you want to be.

So from one fool to another,stay foolish.

EPILOGUE

1 Year Later

“Mine (Taylor’s Version)” – Taylor Swift

“I THINK THERE’S SOME SAND still stuck in my ass,” I groan, wondering when my body will stop shaking from the cold.

“At least it didn’t get stuck in your ears.” Luca scratches his right ear as he opens the door to our apartment after coming back from the beach.

“Yeah I don’t get the hype around skinny dipping at all,” I admit.

“I told you,” he says as more sand continues to fall off his jacket while we both groan and laugh simultaneously.

Most of the evening included the two of us laughing at each other at the beach, reminding me that where we’re at or what activity we decide on doing isn’t all that important. If he’s there, chances are I’m going to have a good time.

As I continue shivering, Luca declares obnoxiously, “Let’s get you near warm water fast!” My giggling only increases when hepicks me up over his shoulders while resting his arms over my ass as my legs dangle below his grip.

And with that, enough heat returns back to me that I no longer need any assistance from the shower.

“How hot do you want it?” he asks so innocently as he puts me down once we’re in the bathroom.

I swear that he still makeseverythingsound dirty. And Istillact like I don’t love it.

“You already know the answer to that,” I confess through my scarlet cheeks as we strip down for the second time tonight.

As soon as he turns on the water, I immediately shudder from the heat. “Ahhmuchbetter.”

“This is basically like skinny dipping,” he jokes.

“But without all the shit that gets attached to your body,” I add.

“Precisely.” He grins into my lips, catching the first sigh I’ll exhale for the evening.

_________

When I walk into the kitchen afterward, Luca is already laying out our baking supplies, wearing his lime green apron. “What do you want to bake?” he asks.

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