Page 52 of Digging Deeper

I push his shoulder with a laugh. “Get out of here before they find out you snuck into my bed last night.”

“Pretty sure they already know… you were really loud last night.”

“Oh my god, I was not!” I laugh out, shaking my head. “If anyone’s loud, it’s you.”

He lifts a shoulder. “Fair.”

I snort and push him again. “Go before you get me in trouble.”

“Ha! You’re the angel-child, they wouldn’t even give you a slap on the wrist.”

“Whatever. Get out of my room.”

He laughs and presses a kiss to my forehead. “Until we meet again, brown eyes.”

I shake my head at him and pull down the blanket to watch him walk out even though I’ll see him at breakfast in ten minutes. He’s been saying that since we were kids, and even though I pretend to be put out when he does, I secretly love it.

“We’ll see you soon, sweetie,”Sarah says, pressing a kiss to my temple, and I nod.

“See ya.”

Alan asks, “Are you sure you can get there on your own?”

Taylor groans. “Dad, he’ll be fine.”

Alan rubs my hair on the way out the door, and I swat him away with a laugh.

“I’ll hurry, promise,” I say.

“You better.” Taylor smiles at me and presses a kiss to my forehead. “Until we meet again, brown eyes.”

With a snort and a wave, I shut the door behind them before heading upstairs to finish my paper.

“Hey,I’m just wondering where you guys are. I came by as soon as I finished my paper, and you’re not here. No one’s seen you, either. Can you call me back?” I hang up the phone after leaving Taylor a message and dial his mom’s phone. It goes straight to voicemail. “Hey, Sarah, it’s me. Where are you guys? Call me back please.” After I hang up, I call his dad’s, and that goes to voicemail, too. “I tried calling Tay and Sarah… um… you guys are kinda freaking me out, so call me back.”

I walk around Sarah and Alan’s friends’ house for a few minutes before I say goodbye and head out to the car. After a third set of calls, my phone finally rings in my hand and I answer without looking at the caller I.D. because I figure it’s one of them calling me back. “Hello?”

“Hello, I’m looking for a Gavin Carmichael?”

“This is he,” I say, confused about who it could be.

“My name is Victor Spade. I’m an officer for the Ithaca Police Department.” I’m seriously confused, but dread and fear fill my veins and I don’t know what to say. When I don’t respond, he continues, “I’m afraid there’s been an accident.”

“You promised me forever, Taylor,”I cry as I hold his hand. “You’re not allowed to go, Tay… you have to get better.” Tears fall down my cheeks, my chest constricting so much I can hardly breathe. “Please, Tay… I can’t do this by myself… I can’t… your mom and dad, they…” I can’t even finish the sentence as sobs rack my body.

“Until we meet again, brown eyes,”Taylor’s voice whispers in my mind, but his lips aren’t moving and his soft blue eyes look lifeless.

The machine beside the bed is loud and piercing, one long beep.

“No,” I whisper. “No, Taylor.”

I’m pushed out of the way by the nurses who start chest compressions.

“Please, Taylor… please,” I cry.

“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to—”

“No! I can’t leave him!” I push away from her, trying to see his face. “Come on, Taylor. Come on.”

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