Page 111 of Missed Notes (Rixon High 5)

“That I can’t.” He shrugged, but I saw the flash of longing in his eyes.

“Cole, you should do it. If it’ll bring you happiness, you should do it.”

“Maybe.”

He got that far away look as if he could see his dreams in the distance but didn’t know how to reach them.

But then his eyes snapped to mine, filled with a strange kind of wonder. “You.” He laid his palm on my cheek. “You, Sofe. You make me happy.”

He leaned in, pressing the lightest kiss to my lips. A shiver ran down my spine, igniting a wildfire in my chest. It still took my breath away at how viscerally his touch affected me.

I’d never had that before.

That spark.

That connection.

I’d always wondered about Cole. About the heated stares we’d sometimes shared, the lingering glances. But he’d never crossed that line before, and I wasn’t going to chase a guy who would always be my brother’s best friend above all else.

But everything was different now.

Life was too short.

I anchored my arms around his neck and kissed him harder, pouring everything I felt into every slide of my lips and flick of my tongue.

I was terrified about what the future held. But Cole made it easier. He made me want to believe it would all be okay.

Because we deserved this, didn’t we?

We deserved our happy ending.

* * *

“Hey, sweetheart,”Dad said when I entered the kitchen. “How are you— Sofia, what’s wrong?”

“It’s just been a long day.”

“You know, we can talk to Principal Kiln about letting you have some time off. He understands—”

“Dad! It’s bad enough that he knows at all.” Mom had insisted we tell him.

“We’re worried about you, Sofia.” He stood and came toward me, wrapping me up in his strong arms.

“I’m trying, Dad. I’m really trying, but I’m scared, I’m so freaking scared.” Curling my hands into his shirt I buried my face there.

“Shh, sweetheart. I’m right here, I’m right here.”

He didn’t say anything, didn’t offer me any words of encouragement or empty promises. He simply held me and let me break.

My father, the man who had taught me what love looked like every single day I watched him dote on my mom. It was in every single smile they shared, the laughter they created, the way they still acted like lovesick teenagers.

My parents were the epitome of endgame, and of course, it was what I hoped to find one day. But I hadn’t built my hopes and dreams around it because a love like theirs was rare. Once in a lifetime.

“I love you, Dad.” I peeked up at him, wiping the tears away with the back of my hand.

“Oh, sweetheart, I love you too. So much. And I wish I could fix this for you, Sofia. I wish I could take your place.” He brushed my bangs out of my eyes. “But I have watched you grow into a strong, confident young woman, and you’ve got this, sweetheart. You can do this.”

I gave him a weak smile. “I hope so, Dad. I really hope so.”

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