When Old Dreams Fall Away

Up on the stage, the two of them finally spotted me.Mason waved hard and came jogging over, pushing the prize he'd won into my hands. A stuffed starfish."Lucas! Happy birthday. And don't you dare get jealous. The only reason I held my nose and played boyfriend with Avery was to win you this thing."For me. Again.I looked down at the toy. Its mouth was open in a grin, like it was laughing at how slow I'd been.They walked on side by side, leaving the space on Avery's left open for me, the way they always did.I caught the hem of her shirt. "Let's break up.""What?" She hadn't caught it. She bent down and turned her left ear toward my face."I said, let's break up!" I raised my voice.She still looked blank.I was about to say it a third time when Mason said, lightly, "Fireworks are about to start. We'll lose our spot if we're late."Avery straightened up instantly, took his hand, and ran.I was left standing there alone with the words stuck in my throat and nobody interes

It wasn't until the ticket confirmation came through that I could breathe again.I took a screenshot of the flight details, got up, and started packing.Passing the study, through the gap in the door, I saw Avery holding her phone up to her right ear with the speaker turned toward it, cupping it like something precious, terrified of missing a single word Mason said.There was a time I sent her a voice message because I was walking and couldn't type.It was the first time she ever lost her temper with me."Lucas, you know my hearing is bad. Why would you send me something I have to fight to hear? Could you think about how that feels for once?"She barely spoke to me for a week.I never sent her another one.And now she was playing Mason's, over and over."How's the ring? Did Lucas like it?""Told you. My finger's the same size as his. Nothing I put on my own hand first is going to be wrong.""So. How are you thanking me?"The teasing in his voice made her laugh, her eyes cre

"Lucas! Lucas, you're home—"She was across the room in three strides, and when she got the door open, the smile froze on her face.Mason was standing outside."What are you doing here?"She couldn't keep the disappointment out of it."Ave, my place has a leak. Can I hide out here for a while?"He blinked at her and didn't look away."Do whatever you want."She turned her back on him, deflated.He was barely through the door before he spotted the little ring in the entryway."Why is the ring here? Where's Lucas?"The question hit a bruise.She didn't answer. She picked up the glass in front of her and drank all of it.When nothing came back, Mason simply slid the ring onto his own finger and turned his hand this way and that, admiring it.He sat down close against her, reached up to touch her hair, and said, low and rough, "Ave. If Lucas is gone, I'll be your groom."Her whole body went stiff. "What did you say?"He thought she was overwhelmed. He leaned toward her righ

"Lucas! I'm here. I've come to take you home."Seeing Avery again, she'd lost a lot of weight. Her coat hung off her in wrinkles, her hair was a mess, and the shadows under her eyes were deep.Like she hadn't slept properly in a long time.When I didn't react to any of it, she started talking fast."Lucas, I'm sorry. Mason was a novelty. A thrill. I got distracted, that's all."I swear to God, from the beginning until now, the only person I've loved is you."She held her hand up like she was taking an oath, absolutely sure of herself.I didn't stop what I was doing. I kept working down the shelf and said, evenly, "Avery, we can't go back. Go home. Don't waste your energy."I said it quietly, and she caught every word.She still turned her right ear toward me without thinking, terrified of missing a syllable."Please, Lucas. Forgive me this once. Just this once. How can you throw away five years like it's nothing?"I laughed a little. "Avery. You're the one who threw it away