Don't Forget Me

Chapter Twelve.

I didn't see Colt at all today.

The whole afternoon was spent on the beach with my parents, stuck under a striped umbrella while they acted like teenagers again-laughing too loud, teasing each other, pretending they weren't sunburned. I smiled when I had to, listened when I was supposed to, but my mind wasn't really there. It was somewhere else.

More specifically-with someone else.

Colt and I never said we'd meet up again tonight, but we didn't need to. That part's always unspoken. Same time. Same place. Like our own little pattern we fell into without even realizing it.

I was halfway to the door, keycard in hand, ready to meet him like always-when the knock came.

Knock knock knock.

I paused, already knowing who it was before the door creaked open.

"Don't freak out," Lacey said, stepping into the room like she owned it. "I need advice."

I sighed, letting the door swing shut behind her. "What kind of advice?"

She flopped onto my bed, already annoyed. "Cruise-boyfriend drama."

I blinked. "You have a cruise boyfriend?"

She made a face. "No. I have a cruise hookup who apparently didn't get the memo. He's getting clingy."

"Clingy how?"

"Like... wants to be with me all the time. Every meal. Every second of the day. He's even talking about how we should 'stay in touch' after this ends. Like-dude, we've known each other for six days. We didn't even start talking until day five. What is he doing."

I tried not to laugh. "Sounds like he's into you."

"Exactly! And that is not what I signed up for."

I sat down across from her. "So... what do you want me to do?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. You've managed to keep your little friend from catching feelings, right?"

I froze.

"He hasn't gotten weird or clingy, hasn't tried to follow you around like a lost dog. What's your secret?"

I didn't answer.

Her eyebrows lifted slightly. "Wait... don't tell me-"

I looked down at the floor, quiet.

"Lux..." she said, softer this time. "Oh."

When I didn't say anything, she stood up and walked over to me.

"You like him." Not a question. Just her putting the pieces together.

I nodded, just barely.

She sat beside me, her voice quieter now. "How long have you known?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. A while. It just kind of... happened."

There was a pause. Then Lacey reached over and bumped her knee against mine. "Okay. That makes more sense now."

I looked at her, surprised. "You're not gonna tell me I'm being dumb?"

"No," she said. "I mean... yeah, it's gonna suck when the trip ends. But I'm not gonna tell you how to feel. If I actually liked this guy I've been seeing, I'd be a mess too."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Thanks."

She gave me a half-smile. "You really like him, huh?"

"Yeah."

She nodded. "Then maybe just... make the most of it. Even if there's only three days left."

I gave her a small smile in return, even though it felt shaky. "Tell your guy it's just a fling," I said. "Be honest. No mixed signals."

"Straight to the point. Got it."

She stood, walking to the door. But before she left, she paused and looked back at me.

"Lux?"

"Yeah?"

"If this guy really likes you-and not just for the cruise-you'll know. Don't let the end scare you out of enjoying the middle."

And then she left.

I sat there for a while, replaying her words in my head.

Three days.

That's it. That's all the time I have left with him. And then he's gone. I'm back in New York. He's back in California. And we're just... done.

No numbers. No promises. No anything.

The idea of him forgetting me-moving on like this never mattered-makes my stomach hurt.

But I don't want to waste what time we have left by spiraling about how it ends.

So I pull on a hoodie, grab my keycard, and go meet him.

When I reach our spot, he's already there-leaning against the railing like he always does, hoodie on, wind in his hair, like something out of a dream I don't want to wake up from.

He turns when he sees me and smiles.

"Hey," he says.

"Hey," I say back.

We don't stay outside long. It's colder than usual. So we head back to my room, no questions asked, just falling into the rhythm we've already created together.

He kicks his shoes off, drops onto the bed, and waits for me to settle in beside him before queuing up Supernatural. No words needed. He knows.

I curl up beside him, head on his chest, his arm around me.

We talk about nothing-jokes about the ship's awful wallpaper, which Winchester brother would survive a zombie apocalypse, how many tiny shampoo bottles we could realistically smuggle off this boat.

He says something dumb that makes me laugh until I snort, and I hit his arm like it's his fault.

That's when he says it.

"I love-"

"Zebras," I say quickly, cutting him off before he can finish.

He blinks. "Zebras?"

I nod, trying to play it cool. "Yeah. They're... cool. Stripes and all."

He looks at me for a long second before smiling.

"Right. Zebras."

There's a pause.

"I love zebras," he says again, quietly this time.

And I let it hang for a moment before whispering, "I love zebras too."

We don't say anything after that.

His hand finds mine beneath the blanket, and we just lay there-warm and quiet and wrapped up in something we're both too afraid to name.

And even though the end is coming, even though it's already creeping in around the edges, I let myself hold on to this moment a little longer.

Because right now, I have him.

And for right now, that's enough.