Daydream

Chapter Thirty-Two- Riley

I held Erin's hand as I walked to the sushi bar next to the movie theater. If these were our last summer days together, I wanted them to be great.

A month or so had passed since I had heard that Ethan and Kasey had broken up. I felt kinda bad for not being there for Ethan, especially since he had tried to contact me and say sorry. Guilt had overcome me anyways.

Erin smiled at me. "I'm so glad that you're coming to WSU with me," she leaned her head on my shoulder. "Thanks for taking me so many places."

I nodded. "No problem. I want to, anyway."

"I just feel so bad about ditching Kasey and Ethan," she said plaintively, "and then they break up... it's a lot of guilt."

"Oh." I felt my face turn red. "Is that my fault? I know that I blew up, but... is it my fault that they broke up?"

Erin frowned. "I don't think so," she said shakily, "but maybe."

I rounded my eyes. "Well..." I opened my phone and dialed Kasey. Instantly it went to voicemail.

"Hi, uh, Kasey. I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to make you and Ethan break up or anything like that."

I paused. I didn't know what to say.

"I just wanted to let you know that I wish you could come to college with me and I'm super sorry I can't stay, but... this is a big opportunity for me. My parents are already saying goodbye."

I hung up and hugged Erin. She led me into the sushi bar with a watery smile.

After we were absolutely stuffed full of raw tuna and salmon, we stumbled out of the restaurant.

"I love you, Erin." I sighed.

She kissed me, it now being dark out. "My sister says I can come stay with her," she said to me. She blinked.

"Really." My heart sank a little. I wanted to spend as much time as I could with her, even if in just a month or so we would be living together.

"Yup." She leaned her head on my shoulder. "I say we should stop by Kasey's house on the way back. Maybe invite Ethan with us." Her eyes flashed as we walked back to the car, and she looked so beautiful.

I kissed her, hard. She laughed as she almost fell backwards onto the pavement, so I pulled her back up into my hug. "Let's go find someplace." She seemed to understand and pulled me by my arm to the car with a grin.

We pulled up at the same hotel that she had taken me to all those months ago, after the Cat Café. She parked the car and chuckled a little as she leaned over to kiss me. She closed her blue eyes and then pulled away and opened her door.

We checked into our room and shut off the light. In the dark we undressed, laughing and talking.

I jumped into the bed with a small giggle and kissed her.