Page 50 of Eleanor & Grey

“Always. Especially on the bad. When the hard things happen, we lean on each other. Okay?”

“Pinky promise?” I held out my hand.

He linked his pinky with mine. “Pinky promise.” He slipped his hands into his pockets and swayed. “I don’t know how to say goodbye to you, Ellie. I don’t know how to let you go.”

“No need to let go. I’m always here.”

He moved in closer and enveloped his arms around me. I fell into him the same way I always did—effortlessly. Our foreheads touched, and we took our breaths together. In that moment, our timing was right. He was there, and I was there, and we were one.

“I love you, Ellie,” he whispered as his lips hovered ever so close to mine. “I know it’s bad timing, and I know I probably shouldn’t say it, but I love you. I love everything about you, even the parts you think are too sad to be loved. I think those parts are the most beautiful. I think all the parts of you are perfect, and I just wanted you to know that you are the first person I’ve ever loved, and it’s easy to do it. It’s so easy to love you.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks and I smiled because I knew. “I love you, too, Greyson. Every single part of you.”

How could I not? He was him, and I was me, and we were us.

“Ellie?”

“Yes, Grey?”

“Would it make it harder to walk away if I kissed you?” he asked.

“Yes.” I moved in closer, so close that his lips were millimeters from mine, so close that his breaths out became my breaths in. We were so close that my mind had already decided it was going to be the best goodbye kiss of my life. “But do it anyway.”

And then he did.

19

Greyson

FROM: [email protected]

TO: [email protected]

DATE: September 24, 8:54 PM

SUBJECT: College

Hey Ellie,

Sorry it’s been a while. College is crazy, and there’s something going on every single day. Parties don’t only happen on the weekends. They’re on Tuesdays and Thursdays, too. Also on Mondays and Wednesdays. Every single day.

Classes are harder than high school. There are a lot of times I’m not even sure I can keep up with the work.

How are things going for you? And work? You started nannying for that new family, right?

You said you’re picking up a few night classes at a campus, right?

Did you hear about this new website called TheFacebook? It’s only for college students, but it’s kind of cool. It’s a new way to connect to people. You should get on it. I’ll make sure to be your first friendship over there.

I’m mostly on that now, instead of AOL instant messenger, but I still keep signing on to see if you’re around when I have free time. You never are. Night classes don’t help any. Let me know if you have any free time this week for a phone chat and maybe we can schedule it in?

-Grey

FROM: [email protected]

TO: [email protected]

DATE: September 26, 7:21am

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