Molly laid in her bed that night for the last time. She looked out her window and tried memorizing the view of her short driveway and the tree that she and Liz had planted the first year they moved in.
She looked at her room, the desk she had worked at for hours, the clock Nick had bought her because she had been awful at keeping track of time while studying. There was a shoe mark by her closet when Liz had tried throwing Molly's shoe at a bee that had gotten into the house.
She looked up at her ceiling fan and laughed as she recalled her many attempts to get the thing to work on warm spring nights. She ended up buying a standing fan.
She felt like crying. She was excited to move in with Nick, and she was excited about the volunteer program, but she didn't want to move on from where she was now and essentially say goodbye to the moment she was currently living.
After that night, all that would be left would be the memories. She wondered how much of the moment she had enjoyed and how much was spent thinking about the future that arrived too quickly.
She tossed over and spent most of the night thinking and trying not to cry but failed a few times.
Morning came and Molly had her whole room to pack and move. She had refused to move anything until the last day because a half-empty room was depressing.
Liz was practically moved out. All she had left were a few boxes that would fit in her car.
"Mols, where are you?"
"In my room."
"Jeez, Mol. We're moving out today, are we not?"
"It's just a room and I'm moving up the street."
"Don't want to say goodbye yet."
Molly shook her head and started crying. Liz joined her.
"I'm going to miss living with you."
"Me too."
They hugged each other and cried together.
"You're coming to Nick's for a barbeque next weekend, right?"
"Right."
"It's not the same."
"I know."
"I'm sad."
"I know. Me too." She pulled away from her friend. "Let's put some music on and I'll help you pack, Mols."
"Yeah, alright."
Nick was supposed to come over to help but Molly told him that she and Liz had it under control. He came though once Liz was ready to leave and Molly was ready to pack everything into his truck.
Liz took care of giving the keys back and Molly spent the late afternoon unpacking her stuff into Nick's room, which was also now hers.
Nick was helping her hang up dresses when he turned to her. "Let's take a break."
"I'm almost finished. But you can take a break, hon. I'm fine here."
"We'll come back, but I want to sit out on the patio with you. I'll cut up some watermelon. Come on."
"Watermelon?"
"Yes. I got your attention now?"
"Yes."
He gave her his hand to help her up from the carpet where she had been folding clothes.
After finishing the bowl of watermelon, Molly was ready to go back in to continue organizing their room, but Nick insisted they sit outside as the sun was setting. So, they sat until Molly's phone rang and she ran inside to get it.
"Hey, mom." She walked back outside to the patio. "Yeah, we're all good. Nothing special."
She passed Nick, trying to return to the folding chair she had been sitting on, but he pulled her into his lap before she could escape.
She tried getting up but it only made him bring her closer.
"The Fourth?" Molly repeated part of her mother's question to refocus herself. She tried not to laugh as Nick ran his finger down her neck. "Um."
He moved his hand over her thigh and then up her shirt.
"What?" She tried pushing him away but was unsuccessful. "I'm not sure yet, mom."
"Are you with Nick right now, sweetheart?" her mother's question got her full attention.
She brought her hand to her forehead and shook it disapprovingly at Nick. "Yes, I am."
"No wonder I can't get an answer out of you. Give me a call later or tomorrow."
"Sorry, mom."
"No worries. Send my love."
Molly hung up the phone and turned to Nick who happened to have a wide grin across his face. She pushed his shoulder. "Not cool."
He held her by the waist. "I'm sorry."
She leaned her forehead down on his. "No, you're not," she whispered.
He laughed. "You're right, I'm not."
She kissed him. "I feel like I'm rewarding bad behavior."
"You didn't major in psych. There is no need to analyze this situation."
"No?"
"No." He pulled her hair out of its pony. "Kiss me, again."
She smiled and did.
"So, is this our summer?" she asked him.
"What?"
She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes. "Being together."
"Is that a bad thing?"
She shook her head. "No."
"What did your mom want?"
"To see if we wanted to come up for the Fourth."
"That's up to you."
"Do you want to go?"
"I think it could be nice."
"So why are you saying it like you don't want to go?"
"No, that's not what I meant. I meant it's up to you because I'm fine with going."
"Oh, well you have a weird way of saying things, hon."
"You don't understand me by now?"
"You would think I did. But something, you're just strange."
"Right back at ya."
She took his hand. "Here's the thing though..."
"Yeah?"
"No one knows we moved in together, and I think it'd be good that they didn't."
"I wasn't itching to tell anyone."
"Good. It's just my parents might have an issue. You know how they can be more conservative, especially my dad. If we tell any of my siblings, it will probably accidentally get to them."
He linked his fingers with hers. "I got you. Your first rebellious act."
She pushed his shoulder but said, "Thank you, honey."
He grinned and then hesitated for a moment. "I want tonight to be special. It being our first night living together."
She kissed him slowly. "It's going to be special."
YOU ARE READING
Only You
Romance"Oh my gosh, you scared me." Nick looked her up and down. She was in nothing but an oversized t-shirt and underwear. A bra was lacking too, revealing the natural shape of her breasts. "I thought you went to sleep," she said and casually dropped the...
