Where the Skies are Blue

Chapter Sixty-Eight:

Henry was in the front row for graduation, and he followed through by setting off a loud confetti popper when my name was called. Having someone there to support me means more than he'll ever know. I love him like he's my dad, and that's all that matters.

After Wednesday and I get ready together in my room, we hurry down the stairs to meet Ender in his car. "Sam is going to be obsessed with you." I tell her.

"Is he hot?" She asks.

"He's definitely good looking, but he's shorter than you."

She shrugs. "Tall girls and short guys are so in right now."

I laugh and jump into the car. Ender looks amazing with his dark jeans, white surf shop t-shirt, and mess of dark curls. His olive skin is darker than I've ever seen it, as we spend most of our days lounging on the beach together, soaking up the summer sun.

I lean across the center console and smother him with happy kisses. He moves one hand through my hair and kisses me back with the same amount of eagerness.

"Who needs porn when I can just hang out with you two?" Wednesday jokes from the back.

I smile against Ender's lips before he begins to drive towards Pismo. We blast summer tunes the whole way with the windows rolled down and the breeze in our hair. I've never felt more alive.

"Okay, not to kill the mood, but did anyone else notice how strangely quiet Hunter's been lately? Like no mean comments, no glares, no shit talking from him or his friends? It just died."

"Maybe Ender's mean right hook scared him straight." I say and give Ender a wink.

He lifts his arm and flexes his muscles. "Ain't that the truth."

Wednesday leans forward, elbows on the console. "Okay, as much as I appreciate your muscles and the fact that you punched Hunter, do you really think that's what cured his assholeness?"

I shrug. "Does it matter? Things are finally good! All is well in the world. We'll never have to interact with him or his shitty followers again. The world awaits."

"Who swallowed Oprah this morning?" Wednesday laughs.

I wrap an arm around her neck and plant a kiss on her cheek. "Despite how shitty everything was, it led me to you two. I've got my bestie for life and a smokin' hot, amazing, supportive boyfriend who I don't know what I'd do without. I'd say life's pretty good."

Ender looks over at me, a smile tugging on his lips.

"We love you too." Wednesday snorts and leans back in her seat.

"I love you." Ender speaks softly to me and places his hand on my leg.

I give his hand a squeeze and turn up the radio.

***

Today couldn't have been better. I love Ender's friends. Ender's friends love me. They are very much in love with Wednesday, as they practically drool at her feet and follow her around like little puppy dogs.

Ender has his arm tossed around my shoulder as we share a chair that's perched around the fire we built on the beach. Sam is helplessly trying to make a move on Wednesday who I think is actually interested but is making Sam work for it.

"We made it." I say and lean my head on Ender's shoulder. "High school is officially over, and I couldn't have imagined starting off summer in a better way."

"You're it for me, Auden. You're my person. My best friend."

I look up at him. "I feel the same."

He tucks my hair behind my ears and plants a kiss on my lips. "Thank you for everything."

"I should've known from the beginning I'd never be able to resist your," I wave my hand around his face. "Just everything. I never stood a chance."

He laughs.

"Can I ask you something that's totally inappropriate?"

He gives me an uncertain look before nodding his head.

"You were the driver, weren't you?" I ask and nibble on my bottom lip.

His eyes look back and forth between mine, before he nods his head slowly.

"Ender, I'm so sorry."

"I wasn't supposed to be driving." He says, his eyes flickering over to the fire. "My dad and I didn't get along. At all. He made it known too. I wasn't part of the family when he was around. They would take family photos and leave me out of them or do stuff together as a family without including me. I wasn't wanted, and I felt it. Him and I just couldn't even have a conversation without butting heads." He sighs. "I was pissed at my mom for a while, especially after the accident. But I know now that she was just so happy and blinded by love. She finally had him back and the family she always wanted. I don't think she even realized what she was doing."

He pauses for a moment, his fingers twirling a strand of my jeans. "That day, my sisters needed to be picked up from a sleepover. My mom was working, and my dad was supposed to do it. I didn't have my license yet. I had barely gotten my permit a week before. When the time came for him to go, he just wouldn't do it. He was drinking and watching a game. We started arguing, and I got pissed and told him I'd do it. I took the keys and left the house. The drive wasn't even that far. I didn't even think it was a big deal."

I wrap my arms around his neck and listen closely to every word that comes out of his mouth.

"After I got my sisters from the sleepover, we were driving through a green light when someone ran a red light and hit us at full speed. Our car flipped and rolled a few times. We got stuck upside down and fell off into a ditch." The fire flickers in his eyes, which are growing misty with tears. His jaw ticks. "My youngest sister died on impact, and my other sister died in the hospital. I was in a coma for a few weeks, and when I woke up and heard the news, I wished I had died with them. I couldn't even fathom going through life knowing what I had done and that I had killed them. I blamed myself. I still do sometimes."

"Ender." I whisper.

"I was out of school for a long time. I was really angry and completely shut down. I barely ever spoke. I wanted to just disappear." He looks at me. "Then you showed up, and I started to talk again, and things started to get better." His hand rests on my cheek. "My dad blamed me for what happened. I don't see him anymore really, but when I do, it's awful. He can barely look at me."

"That's horrible of him to put that on you. He was never a father to you or ever showed you kindness. You don't deserve that. I feel sorry for him that he doesn't see the amazing person you actually are." I press my forehead against his. "It wasn't your fault, Ender. You were the best big brother they could've ever had."

He sucks in a shaky breath. I watch as a tear escapes from his eye. I kiss the tear before it falls off his cheek. "I love you, and I'll always be here for you." I whisper to him.

In an instant, his lips are on mine, and I kiss him like nobody else is around.