I sigh as I shift against Colton. For some reason, we fell asleep in the room with the twin bed so we're pressed together and I'm not mad. I've been up for two minutes and I want to lay in Colton's arms for the rest of the day.

I don't know if he's awake or sleeping, but I can feel his chest rising and falling evenly against my back. His arms are draped around me and everything feels so peaceful right now. Sunlight is streaming in through the blinds and it seems like early in the morning

I feel so content with Colton holding me. It feels like there's not a single thing wrong in the world. It feels like there's nothing wrong with us and all that's left is this moment. It's like all that's left is Colton and me.

And it feels so good. The only thing that I want is Colton and I have him. And he's holding me. Colton is mine and I can kiss him whenever I want and I can hug him like I'm never going to let go.

But it's really the things he does to me that make my heart flutter. It's the way Colton stares down at me and touches my face gently. And the way he hugs me like he never wants to let go. But the thing I never want to stop is how Colton is always touching me. Like how he brushes his hand against my arm or keeps his arm draped around my shoulders or how he presses as close as he can when he's kissing me.

I just feel so utterly loved by Colton. There's no other way to describe it.

Colton shifts against me and I sigh as I relax into him. I put my hand over his and my eyes flutter shut. Colton seems like he's sleeping soundly and for some reason, a wave of comfort washes over me and I'm drifting asleep.

****************************

I jerk awake when I feel something on my hips. "What the fuck..." I mutter as my eyes fly open. The first thing I see is Colton's grinning face. He grabs my hips again and starts tickling me. I jerk away from him again. "Colton, you asshole—"

"Morning," he says while he's still grabbing my hips. I'm on my knees straining towards the end of the bed and I can't stop laughing.

"Seriously, stop it," I tell him. I look back and he's grinning as he grabs me and pulls me on top of him. "You're so immature."

"I know," Colton says as he grins. His hands are on my stomach now and I'm straddling him.

"Stop it," I tell him. I squirm and smile even though I didn't want to.

"Never," Colton says. I grab his hands and his green eyes are twinking. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"I'll punch you—"

Colton laughs. "Really? You always threaten to do that but you never do."

"Shut up," I mutter as I try to move his hands from my waist. "Colton."

He grins and I'm able to pin his arms above his head. "Good job," Colton tells me. His eyes twinkle again before he kisses me. My eyes widen before closing as I kiss him back. He laces his hand with mine even though I'm trying to pin him. I feel his tongue brush my lips and I pull away.

"Colton, are you seriously going to french kiss me right now? I haven't even brushed my teeth yet—"I start but he cuts me off by kissing me again. I smile against his lips and pull my hands away from his so I can cup his face. I feel his hands on my hips and I'm about to twitch away from him because I know he's going to tickle me, but he doesn't. He rubs his fingers against my skin instead and I shiver.

I hear my phone buzzing on the nightstand and I sigh as I pull away. I keep my forehead resting against his. "Are you sure you have to get that?" he asks.

"No," I murmur. But then it starts ringing again."Fuck," I mutter.

"You should get it," Colton says reluctantly. I climb off his lap and stand up. I almost drop my phone.

"It's three in the afternoon?" I ask as I look at him. Colton shrugs. He's leaning lazily against the headboard without a shirt on. I get distracted for a second but then I look at my phone. I have four missed calls from Tasha. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You were sleeping hard," Colton tells me. "I wanted to let you keep sleeping. We always go to bed late and you get up early. I figured you needed the rest."

I smile as I shake my head. "Thanks."

Colton grins. "And I did wake you up."

"Don't fucking tickle me again," I tell him as I start walking towards the door. "I will actually punch you."

"I'll be waiting here shirtless," he tells me. I turn around to look at him and he's grinning. "I saw you staring."

"Shut up," I mutter as I walk out of the room. I stand by the kitchen window and call Tasha back. "Hey," I say.

"Andy, where the fuck have you been? What's going on?" she asks and my face pales. "You were supposed to get back like four or five days ago."

"Oh, fuck," I say. "Fuck. Tasha, I'm so sorry."

"Girl, where the fuck are you?" she says.

"I'm in Washington," I tell her. "Shit, I can't believe I forgot to tell you. I can explain."

"I'm listening," Tasha says.

"I'm with Colton," I start. "Something happened in Florida and I can't tell you what right now, but it's...fuck. I don't know. It's life-changing. I'm with Colton right now and I have been for the past few days."

"Are you okay?" she asks.

I nod even though she can't see me. "I am," I tell her. I bite my lip. "But he isn't."

Tasha pauses. "And you can't tell me why?"

"Yeah." I look down the hall to where Colton is. "We're happy though. He makes me really fucking happy."

"Do you know when you're coming back?" she asks. "You're missing class, Andy."

"Oh, fuck," falls out of my mouth before I can stop it. I completely forgot about school. Fuck.

"Yeah," she says. "And Bobbe misses you."

"Fuck," I mutter. I glance down the hallway again. "I miss you guys too, but I can't..."

School seems so unimportant right now. I haven't even thought about it in days. I didn't even realize that I was missing it. But I can't leave Colton and I won't. He's the most important thing in my life. I have the rest of my life to go to college and I'll never get my time with him back.

I won't leave Colton. I can't.

"Andy?" Tasha asks.

"I...I can't leave, Tasha," I tell her. "I'll figure out school. I can email professors."

"How long are you going to be gone for?" Tasha asks. "We're in the middle of a semester."

"I don't know." It could be four months or two months or weeks. Or a year. "Probably the rest of the semester at least," I tell her.

"Andy, what's going on? You're okay, right?" she asks.

"Yeah. I'm okay. Colton and I have to talk about some things, but I can explain later," I say.

"Are you gonna come here to get your stuff?"

I sigh. "I don't think so. I have some stuff in my suitcases and stuff from my dad's house."

"Okay." Tasha sighs. "I have to go, but call me later. I mean it."

"I will. Say hi to Bobbe."

She ends the phone call and I set my phone down. I rub my neck as I stare out the window. Reality is catching up too fast but I can't seem to care. Nothing seems as important as Colton.

I leave my phone on the kitchen table and walk back to the bedroom. Colton smiles when he sees me. I smile back and climb up on the bed. He's still leaning against the headboard so I sit in between his legs with my back against his chest. Colton drapes his arms around me and I sigh contently as I lean against him.

"How was your call?" Colton murmurs.

"It was okay," I tell him as I run my fingers along his palm. "I wish we could stay like this forever."

"Me too," Colton says. "Are you sure your phone call was okay? You seem tense."

I sigh. He knows me too well. "Can we talk about it later?"

"Of course," Colton murmurs as he pulls his hands out of mine. I'm about to ask him what he's doing but I feel his fingers rubbing my temples gently.

"Fuck, that feels so good," I mutter. I can't see him but I'm guessing Colton's smiling. He doesn't say anything for a few minutes.

"Thank you," he says.

I smile. "For what?"

"Being with me," Colton says.

"There's no else I'd want to be with," I tell him. "I'll always be with you even if you get sick of me. And I'll never leave even if we're an old married couple who can't stop bickering."

"Promise?"

I smile. "Definitely." He keeps rubbing my temples gently  and it's like I'm melting against him. It feels so good. There's no doubt in my mind that this is exactly where I should be. School can wait.

But Colton can't and I won't make him.