STEPHANIE
...

The first thing I see when I step out of the cab is the school's parking lot packed to the brim with families, students in caps and gowns, and a whole lot of noise.

The second thing I see is Mel.

She's standing off to the side with her mom, Marco and Jeremiah, shifting from foot to foot, hugging herself like she doesn't know what to do with her hands.

Her hair's longer than the last time I saw her, tied up in a way that makes her look older, more put together. But her face is the same.

Same sharp, eyes that somehow go soft when she looks at the people she loves. Same lips she always chews on when she's nervous, like right now.

I was planning to wait. To let her finish up with her family, ease into the moment. But then her mom hugs her, whispering something in her ear, and Mel's face breaks. Her chin wobbles. Her eyes go glassy.

And suddenly, I can't wait another second.

I move before I can breathe.

I weave through the crowd, my heartbeat in my throat. I don't call her name, don't do anything dramatic. I just walk, quick and determined, straight to her.

When I'm close enough, I say, "Hey, stranger."

She turns, ready to give some polite, dismissive response-until she actually sees me.

Her breath catches.

Her whole body goes still.

"Steph?" Her voice is barely above a whisper, like she thinks I might disappear if she says it too loud.

I smile, shrugging one shoulder. "Surprise?"

Her lips part, but no sound comes out. Her hands lift, like she's about to reach for me, but then she drops them, fingers trembling.

I take the last step between us. "You gonna hug me, or are you just gonna stand there looking pretty?"

That snaps her out of it.

She lunges.

Her arms wrap around my neck, her body pressing into mine so fast, so tight, I actually stumble back a step. But I don't care. I hold on just as hard.

She smells the same. Feels the same. Warm, solid, home.

Her breath shakes against my neck.

"You said you couldn't come," she whispers, voice wrecked.

"I lied," I murmur, tightening my grip.

And then, just like that, she starts crying.

Not big, ugly sobs. Not dramatic, wailing tears. Just quiet, raw ones that shake her shoulders and leave damp trails down my neck.

I close my eyes and hold her through it.

She pulls herself together after a few minutes. At least, enough to pull back and glare at me, sniffling. "I hate you."

I grin. "No, you don't."

She groans, wiping her face. "You--God, Steph. I wasn't ready for this. I wasn't emotionally prepared."

"Good," I tease. "Keeps things interesting."

Her glare doesn't last. Her lips twitch, and then she's laughing, shaking her head like she can't believe me. Like she can't believe I'm here.

Jeremiah, who has been watching this whole thing unfold like it's the most interesting movie he's ever seen, claps me on the back. "Well played, Steph. Didn't think you had it in you."

I smirk. "I contain multitudes."

Mel's mom watches us with a soft smile, arms crossed. "I knew you'd show up," she says simply.

Mel whips around. "What?"

Her mom just shrugs. "I had a feeling." Then she pats Mel's cheek, her expression turning fond. "Go enjoy your night, sweetheart. You earned it."

Mel huffs, but she can't quite hide the pleased flush on her cheeks.

Marco tosses me his keys. "You're driving. Balls is a mess."

"I'm fine," Mel grumbles.

I snatch the keys before she can fight me on it, grinning. "Shotgun it is, then."

***

We end up at the lake.

It wasn't part of the plan, but when I ask her where she wants to go, she just looks out the window for a long moment before saying, "Drive me somewhere quiet."

So I do.

It's late by the time we park, and the sky is nothing but deep navy and scattered stars. The air smells like pine and water, crisp and clean in a way that makes me miss this place more than I want to admit even if I've been here only once.

Mel gets out first, heading toward the dock. I follow.

She sits, legs crossed, fingers playing with the hem of her gown. I settle beside her, nudging her knee with mine. "Penny for your thoughts, Balls?"

She exhales, staring out at the water. "This doesn't feel real."

I wait.

She glances at me. "Not just you being here. All of it. Graduation. Moving on. I spent so much time thinking about leaving this town, and now that I actually can..." She trails off, shaking her head.

I study her face, searching for the right words. "You don't have to have everything figured out tonight, you know."

"I know." She picks at a loose thread on her sleeve. "But it's weird, right? Like, this thing I've been waiting for my whole life is here, and instead of feeling ready, I just feel... unsteady."

I nudge her again. "That's just because you're you."

She snorts. "Wow. So helpful."

I smirk. "I mean it. You like to plan, Mel. You like to know exactly what's coming next. And right now, you don't know. That's scary. But it's also exciting."

She exhales, leaning back on her hands. "You always make things sound so simple."

"They are simple. You just overthink them."

She rolls her eyes, but she's smiling.

We sit like that for a while, letting the quiet settle around us. I watch the way the moon reflects off the lake, how the water ripples in slow, gentle waves. I could sit here forever. Just be with her.

Eventually, she shifts closer, until our shoulders touch. "I missed you," she murmurs.

I lace my fingers with hers. "Missed you too."

She turns to face me, eyes searching. "How long are you staying?"

I hesitate. "A couple days. Work's tight right now."

Her face flickers with something unreadable, something I don't love. I tilt my head. "What?"

She looks away. "Nothing."

I squeeze her hand. "Mel."

She sighs. "It's just--sometimes I hate that you're always the one making the trips."

I blink. "What?"

"You're always the one visiting. You plan around me, my schedule, my life. I love you for it, but... I hate it too. I hate that it's always on you."

I frown. "You're busy. I get it."

"I know, but still." She looks down, her grip tightening around my fingers. "I just don't want you to feel like you're the only one holding us together."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Because I hadn't even thought about it like that.

I squeeze her hand back. "Mel, we're both holding us together."

She looks up, wary.

I reach for her face, brushing my thumb over her cheek.

"Yeah, I visit more. But you show up for me in a million other ways. You make space for me even when your plate is full. You make time even when you don't have any. You love me in a way that matters."

Her lips tremble, just a little. "Yeah?"

I smile. "Yeah."

She exhales, leaning into my palm. "I love you, Steph."

God I've waited months to hear tse words leave her lips.

Long distance hasn't been easy, it's always facetime and texting for over two months and now that I'm here and she is saying that. I think it was all worth it.

I close the space between us. "I love you too."

And then I kiss her.

It's soft, slow, and a little desperate. Like she's trying to pull me in and keep me there. Like she's afraid I'll disappear.

I won't.

We pull back, foreheads touching, breaths mingling.

"I don't want to lose this," she whispers.

I cup the back of her neck. "You won't."

She takes a deep breath, nodding.

I don't know if she believes me but I believe it.

***

We drive back when the stars start to fade, fingers interlaced over the console.

The roads are empty, the town quiet only a few inhouse bashes for the graduates.

She falls asleep somewhere between one stoplight and the next, her head tilted toward me, her breathing steady.

I smile to myself.

She has no idea, but I'd drive across the country a thousand times just for this.

For her.

And I'd do it again in a fucking heartbeat.

Who fucking knew this obnoxious teenager would have me this hooked?