Page 17 of #Lovestrong

Lena

"Lena, we have to go if we're going to get you to school on time," Grandma yells down the hall.

I stare at the bathroom mirror after changing clothes for the third time. I settled on a three-quarter sleeve green top and my black jeans. The last two weeks passed by in a blur. I called Declan four more times over those two weeks and each time, he came running. He's the closest thing I've had to a friend in a long time.

We spent a majority of the time sitting down by the lake talking or helping at the shop. He told me about his friends and sports and his twin sister. He seems not to care for her much, but I guess most siblings are like that when they're close in age. I've opened up a little to him, telling him about soccer back home and groups I was part of in school. I just didn't mention Camilla or Cameron by name. I'm not ready to talk about them directly, but it wasn't as hard if I did it in the abstract.

Maybe today will be easier since he said he'd help me find my way around school.

The nagging thought that it’s two months until the one-year anniversary of the shooting keeps distracting me. I can't help but wonder what today would be like if the shooting hadn't happened. Would Camilla and I ride to school together? Probably. She was about to finish Driver's Education when it all happened.

As I tighten my ponytail, I wish my hands would stop sweating.

Grandma leans around the corner, sticking her head in the bathroom. "Lena, we have to leave. Now, girl. Come on. You look beautiful."

I give her a small smile and roll my eyes. She and Grandpa didn't seem to mind Declan being around so much the last few weeks. It's obvious they know him really well. A few nights hanging out, he and Grandpa sat and chatted like old buddies. Clearly, they adore him, and surprisingly, for a seventeen-year-old guy, he seems to actually like hanging out with them.

Coming out of the bathroom, I swipe my phone off the nightstand, shove it in my back pocket, and grab my book bag off the bed. Grandpa locks the door and we chat, almost happily, as we walk downstairs to the parking lot. I look up and do a double-take, stopping dead in my tracks so suddenly Grandma walks into me.

"Lena, what in the he—" She looks up and chuckles. "Well, hello, Declan."

He's leaning against his black sports car. My jaw hangs open a little. He's wearing dark blue jeans and boots with a sleeveless, skin-tight muscle shirt.

Damn, he looks good.

"Close your mouth, dear, before you catch flies," Grandma whispers in my ear as she moves around me to give Declan a hug.

"Morning, Mrs. Deb. Mr. Gary," he says, letting go of her to shake my Grandpa's hand. "I was wondering if I could drive Lena to school today. I mean, if that's okay with her."

My grandparents turn and look at me with their eyebrows raised and smirks on their faces, waiting for me to say something.

I shake my head and walk forward. "Uh, sure."

As I stop in front of Declan, he reaches up and touches the hair from my ponytail. "You look beautiful."

My grandparents chuckle and I roll my eyes before I can stop myself. "Okay, that's enough out of you two. Goodbye, I'll see you after school."

Grandma smiles wide as she and Grandpa turn and head for the shop. "Have a good day, honey."

As Declan and I walk around to the passenger's side and he opens my door, he leans down, putting his lips right next to my ear. "You do look beautiful though."

His breath on my skins sends shivers down my spine and I bite my lip to stop from smiling. "Thank you." I slide into the car and he winks at me before closing the door and walking to hop in the driver's seat.

I take a deep breath and try to calm my racing heart. How am I supposed to keep him away when he's so perfect? When he's the first person to make me feel normal in almost a year?

Cameron would be so angry with me if he knew about Declan. It's not right for me to move on when he'll never get the chance to.