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"What did you pick, Kota?" Dani excitedly asks as her and Relly fall into step next to me, the three of us sit down on one of the bleachers. We just completed our last final and my head wants to explode, it's been an intense couple of days, but now we have graduation to look forward to. Before we head home today, we have to pick a piece of paper from a bucket and the paper will say what we have to do before we end our high school career, like a dare. It's a tradition here at Hetdale High.

"I have to declare something at a social event," I say and scowl down at my paper. "I literally have nothing to declare and I won't attend any social events."

"Of course you will!" Relly says. "I have to get the contact info of someone I've had minimal interactions with, now that one is a hard one."

Nodding along with Dani, we chuckle lightly. Relly loves everyone, which also makes it difficult for her since she talks to everyone. It's a small high school and she made a point of knowing every single person here. Maybe she can ask one of the mathletes, they never really wanted to converse with her. 

"What about you, Dani?" I ask. 

She looks down at her paper in wonder, "Mine is to admit something significant to someone."

I've heard rumors that half of the seniors never complete their dares, that statistic makes it easier for me to disregard my own. Mine is pathetic either way, it won't really help the reputation I've grown for myself during this semester. Perhaps I should comment on that, but then again, that would be pathetic as fuck. 

"Hey," A deep voice says, looking up at his familiar green eyes I smile. He sits down next to me, his proximity creating a warm sensation in my lower stomach, the girls greet him in return and he smiles easily at them. 

Brock joins us as well and Dani jumps into his arms unexpectedly, "Brock, you have amazing abs!" 

His eyes widen at her declaration, "What's that all about?"

She shrugs her shoulders as we laugh, that was her significant declaration? Well, she just completed hers, I'll just scoop under her dare and that's that. Snuggling into Elijah's arms, the warmth his body emits forms a little smile on my face. 

Brock and Dani sit down in front of us, their smiles bigger than ever before. My eyes catch Brock's as he asks, "Where are all of you going to college?"

"I'm going to a smaller college two hours away from here, what about you?" I smile. 

"Cool! I'll attend Trolluy College, they accepted me for a scholarship."

"That is amazing, Brock!" Relly says in surprise. "Dani and I are attending Welston College together, which I'm sure will be an absolute blast."

They talk a bit about how his scholarship pays for his dorm and the fact that he already met his two roommates, he seems very happy. Him and Dani have decided to cut all ties for college, they don't want anything to distract them from having a great time. It saddens her, I can see it, but she also means it when she says she wants complete freedom. Her and Brock are such a good match though, it's very hard on them to stay away from each other for so long. 

Their agreement urged me to talk to Elijah about it and we officially had that conversation, no matter how much I want him, there is no part of me that wants any ties to Hetdale and where my mom is. Without saying the words officially both of us agreed to enjoy our time here and live on, the stone in my heart hasn't left since that day and I know it's because of the strong feelings I have for him. None of us really knew what to say and for some reason splitting just ended up being the conclusion.

"You do know that the principal will hate our assignment, right?" I ask Elijah with a small laugh. He shrugs indifferently and smirks at me, the sight enough to make me breathless.

"He will enjoy it, don't worry too much, love," As careless as always. "So, what did you really bring me out here for?"

"It's a nice place to think."

"To think about what?"

"I don't know," I state in a lie. "The future."

Elijah frowns slightly at me and tilts his head, "What is it about the future that has you so concerned?"

"I'm leaving for college," Stating the truth does hurt my heart, but the two of us need to have this conversation. "It will complicate things, you know?"

"Not if we don't allow it to," He explains. "But I understand where you're coming from and it doesn't have to interfere with what we have right at this very moment."

"I have to say it and both of us need to be in an agreement, Lij," The desperation is clear on my voice and I hate how obvious it is. I don't want to end things with him, fuck no, but having him here in Hetdale and having me away for college will mess with my emotions and I can't have that on top of everything else. "We can't keep it up and I have to say it, I need to tell you."

"Don't say it, love."

"Why not?" I whisper and grab his cold hand, clutching it in my own.

"Because I know what you mean and I can't handle hearing those words fall from your lips," The honesty shocks me slightly and he squeezes my hand, his intense stare holding my gaze. "We agree on this, can we leave it at that?"

Nodding my head, I decide to accept what he insinuates for now. With my dad fighting for his life and my mom slapping me I don't need this either, none of us need any of this shit, but having a long distance relationship will be the end of me and my college career. It will force me to visit Hetdale and therefore visit my mother and I don't want that. College isn't really my cup of tea, but it will offer me an excuse to move away from her as fast as possible.

Even if that means burning Elijah in the process, the one guy I've found myself fawning over and truly enjoying the company of. Hopefully, he can forgive me for this, if we ever meet after high school again.

"What did your dare say, love?" Elijah says, he has been awfully quiet. 

Smiling up at him, "To declare something at a social event, but I won't go through with it. What did yours say?" 

He smiles, focusing on my lips before his gaze falls on my eyes again, "Apparently I have to throw a graduation party."

"Oh!" I exclaim. "You got the official dare then?"

He nods, "Brock mentioned it, my dare is the only dare that entails a party so I have to go through with it, right?"

"Yes, that's going to be so much fun! I'm sure Papa Black would love to plan a party for a bunch of 18-year-olds."

Elijah laughs and I join in, his laugh provokes flutters in my chest. It's almost painful how attracted I am to him, leaving him surely will be the hardest thing. None of us want to face the truth, we're in a perfect little bubble with stolen kisses and smiles only for us. 

He tugs me in closer, the humor is clear in his green eyes, "I already called him, he's picking up decorations as we speak. And also, I'm 19 years old."

"Of course he is," I smile at the thought of his smaller frame frantically choosing between different themes for the party. He really is something else entirely. "Didn't know you had one year on me though."

"Yeah," He smiles. "I started a year later in middle school."

My mouth opens to answer him, but the buzzing in my pocket interrupts. Grabbing my phone, my mom's name flashes on the screen. She only calls me if the hospital called her about my dad, the nerves take control of my body as I leave my group of friends in a hurry. Accepting the call immediately after. 

"Hello."

"Dakota," She states, her voice gives nothing away. "The hospital called me about your dad, he has relapsed apparently, not that a relapse makes any sense in his situation. I mean, he has been dying for months now, that's not really a surprise to anyone."

"Mother!" I scold, not wanting to listen to her ignorance, she doesn't even know that her husband had an amazing period. "What happened to him?"

"Doctor Wilson told me it looks bad, they want to know if you can come down."

"Of course I will. Are you coming, too?"

"No," She scoffs by my suggestion. "The man I married has been gone for a while now."

Her words anger me, but I don't have the time to argue with her. My dad is in bad shape and he has to be my priority right now, he needs to be where my heart and mind is at. Hanging up on the phone, I run towards the bleachers again, my friends are gone when I return and the panic rises in my throat. 

"Dakota?" A familiar voice calls from a distance. In my desperate situation I hurry towards Elijah, his worried gaze makes it harder for me to keep it together. "What is going on?"

"Can you take me to hospital, please?"

He nods and grabs my hand immediately, leading me to his car. My mind isn't with him here, it's with my dad and his health. Graduation is tomorrow, I barely allowed myself to celebrate the fact that he could have seen me walk across the stage to get my diploma. He needs to stay strong for me. Worries choke me as Elijah speeds through traffic, trying to get me there as quickly as possible.