Page 44 of #Lovestrong

Lena

It's the first time I've willingly listened to music since the shooting. Candice, who isn't a fan of country music, puts on Ed Sheeran and drags me to the houseboat’s back patio area to dance. Thirty minutes into it, I'm lost in the music, dancing and laughing with the closest thing I've had to a best friend in a long time. Jackson is behind Candice and they're so glued together, I can't tell where one ends and the other begins.

I laugh loudly. "Y'all get any more down and dirty and she's gonna end up pregnant. No shame dancing like that, either of you."

They both stop moving and double over in a fit of laughter. A warm breath of air on my neck makes me shiver and Declan wraps his arm around my waist from behind me, matching my sway to the music. I close my eyes and fall into the music with him. As the tracks switch, a ballad gently comes through the speakers, and he spins me around to face him. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I stare up into his face. He's so handsome . . . and just . . . good.

I honestly can't believe how lucky I am, that coming here gave me this, gave me him, at a time when I didn't think I deserved even the slightest bit of happiness.

"Baby," he says quietly, his voice low and husky, sending chills across my body. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." I grin at him, basking in the way he looks at me. He makes me feel again, like I'm beautiful and worthy. God did something special when he created Declan Harp.

"Will you go to Homecoming with me in October?"

My heartbeat quickens, but my entire body freezes. Homecoming? I don't know what my face looks like, but his brows furrow together and he places both his hands on either side of my face, bending down slightly so we're almost eye-to-eye.

"Baby? Hey, it's okay if you don't want to go. We can stay home. I didn't mean to upset you, baby. I'm sorry." With his thumbs, he wipes under my eyes.

I didn't even realize I'm crying. Reaching up, I cup the side of his face and take a deep breath. "No, no, you didn't. I'm sorry. I just . . . I didn't even realize Homecoming was coming up."

"Lena, I mean it, we don't have to go. If it's too much for you, we can stay home. Watch movies or just go to dinner or something."

"Yeah, Mags," Jackson says as he and Candice move next to us. "It's just a school dance. We can find something way better to get into that night."

I look at their faces and am overwhelmed with the acceptance and love that shines there. These guys are so awesome, and I don't deserve such good friends. Taking a deep breath, I shake my head and look back at Declan. "No. I want to go. Yes, I'll go with you. Of course, I will."

His smile is blinding and he leans in to kiss me, my body melting into him like it's meant to be there. Being with Declan feels more at home than anything else has in a long time. He's become my best friend, and I can't picture my life without him at this point.

I've got something important to do tomorrow morning, and it's going to be the first real choice I've made for my future in forever, but for once, I finally feel like I have a future. Like it's okay to have one.

My father's ringtone blares from the cabin of the boat, snapping me out of the bliss that is kissing Declan. Gently, I pull away from him, smiling as I head inside to answer it.

As I answer the phone, I think I'm ready to come clean with him too and tell him my plans for whatever future I'm going to have.