Somewhere With You

166 7 8
                                    

*Kaylas POV*

After graduation, the boys and I immediately began packing for the beach. Cole's parents had a house on the gulf coast that they were going to let us use frequently throughout the summer.

Hayden had went home for a couple hours to spend time with his mom before we left. His bags had been packed for three days. His new found responsibility was just another reminder that he was grown up and leaving me.

I was folding my t-shirts and placing them in my suit case when there was a knock on my door.

"Come in," I said, praying that it wasn't one of the new guys.

Cole entered my room and sat down in front of me. He picked up a couple shirts and began to help me fold them.

"Thanks." I mumbled.

"Don't worry about it, how you holding up?" He asked me.

"Not good." I replied, laying the shirt that I had been folding down, and placing my head in my hands. "This sucks."

"I know, but you still have all summer, and he's going to come home for holidays." Cole tried to reason with me.

"Maybe I should just break up with him." I mumbled.

"Kayla, no. When you get two are apart, bad things happen." Cole said. I giggled because I thought he was joking, but when I met his eyes, he was dead serious.

"You're not kidding?" I asked him.

"No. Why would I joke about this?" Cole gave me a bewildered look.

"Well, I don't know, but it sounds absurd." I said as I stood up and moved to lay down on my bed.

"Yeah, but it's true. So, no breaking up with him, got it?" Cole said as he stood up and walked to my door.

"Yeah, yeah. Got it." I replied, and I heard his footsteps return downstairs.

It wasn't long before Hayden's footsteps replaced Cole's on the steps. His were heavier than the other boys and I could always tell the difference between him and someone else.

It was odd how we had grown to be more like family than a silly high school couple.

"Hey, gorgeous," he said as he walked through my door beaming at me.

"Hey," I said with a smile. He always made me feel better no matter how upset I had been.

"You're not done yet?" He groaned as he glanced at my half empty suitcase.

"No, you know I'm bad at this." I sighed as I went back to folding shirts and jean shorts.

Hayden went to my closet and pulled out all my bathing suits.

"Here," he said as he laid them out in front of me, "tell me which ones you want to bring and then I'll pack them."

I pointed to a few and he would fold them and place them in the side pocket of my suitcase. With him helping me and the little bit that Cole had done earlier, I finished packing much sooner than I had originally thought I would.

As soon as I was done, Hayden and I left to meet the rest of them at the beach house. Kade and Addy had left right after graduation ended, and they had planned on starting supper so that it would be ready when the rest of us got there.

Cole was now following behind Hayden and I, and the rest of the boys had left about a half hour before us.

"So, tell me what's been bothering you?" Hayden said, breaking the silence.

"I just know I'm going to miss you. I wish everything would just slow down, ya know?" I said quietly.

"Yeah, I get it. I don't want to leave you just as much as you don't want me to go." He replied.

I sighed, hoping that he would allow us to slip back into silence, but I wasn't that lucky.

"You're still okay with me going, right?" He questioned calmly.

"Yeah, of course." I said, but my brain was screaming no.

I wanted him to never leave my side, but that was crazy, I had to let him go at some point. I planned on going to college too. I just hadn't decided where yet.

This time he allowed the silence to grow, and it remained until we pulled into the driveway of the beach house.

Hayden opened my door for me and as I stepped out into the salty air, I took in a deep breath of freedom.

Maybe Hayden was right, we had the whole summer, surely that would sustain me for the first couple months of him being gone.

Hayden grabbed our bags out of his backseat before leading me to the door. Cole beat me to it, pulling it open to allow Hayden and I to walk through into the prettiest house I had ever seen.

The walls were wooden, and the floors were light, with rugs scattered everywhere.

"Hey, guys!" Kade called from the kitchen, and judging by the delicious smell filling the room, dinner was almost ready.

"Hey." I smiled at them as I turned the corner.

Kade and Addy were leaning against the counter of the bar in front of the stove. They looked so much older than they had only this morning.

"Y'all's room is the one at the end of the hall," Kade commented, mostly to Hayden who looked like he was getting annoyed with my ridiculous overstuffed suitcase.

I led him down the hallway to the door at the end where I pushed through to a beautiful master suite. It was stunning, clad in whites and the tones of the sea. I sighed and collapsed on to the king sized bed.

"This is amazing." Hayden said as he collapsed beside me.

I pulled him to me, and pulled myself up to give him a quick peck.

"Here's to an amazing summer." I said quietly to him, and for the first time, I actually meant it.

The stress of the last few weeks released from my shoulders. It was officially time to begin making lasting memories that I could hold on to when he left.

"I'm sorry, about today. About how I've been acting." I said quietly.

Hayden lifted my chin so he could look at me.

"It's okay. Don't worry about it." He said with a small smile.

A knock on the door caused us to pull apart and sit up.

"Hey guys, dinners ready." Cole said as he poked his head in the door.

"Be there in a minute," Hayden replied before getting up and helping me stand.

I smiled at him before letting him lead me to the door. This summer was going to be the best one yet. With Hayden by my side, what could go wrong?

———

Well guys, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

The Bad Boy Goes to CollegeWhere stories live. Discover now