Left Behind (Completed) *editing*

Chapter Twenty-Two

Two weeks later

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Summer came sooner than I could possibly imagine. It pained me to think soon I'd be a senior in high school. I was still undecided on my plans for college but one thing was already set in stone. It was my last day here. Tomorrow morning, I would leave for Florida with Dylan. My body tingled with excitement and I longed to be alone with him.

My bags were packed and lined up by far corner of my room in the basement. My head craned to the top of the wooden stairwell as I heard the squeak of the door opening. I caught a glimpse of Dylan's blue Nike sneakers as he rushed down the stairs. A sigh of satisfaction breezed through me when my gorgeous boy came into full view. An iced coffee was in his hand and he stretched it towards me.

"For you, love," he offered. I seized the cold beverage and sipped from the straw.

"Delicious," I said with a grin. "I love you."

"I love you! Is this because I brought you coffee... Or?" Dylan retorted, his deep voice trailing off. His lips tightened together and he simpered as his eyes swept over my long body.

"Because I can't tell you enough," I responded. He seemed satisfied with this answer and leaned forward, loudly planted a kiss on my check.

Dylan's hands shot out, grabbing onto the pockets of my ripped jean shorts and pulling me close to him. I squealed in delight, wrapping one arm around him. I still had to be tender with him. His chest hasn't entirely healed and my understanding is that it wouldn't for several more weeks. This didn't deter him from wanting to leave. He had told me he wasn't waiting any longer to take me away.

My head tilted back and I savored the sensation of his lips trailing down my neck. He stopped too quick; his hot breath hitting my neck. I squirmed away from his teasing advances and took another sip of my coffee. Dylan still remained a gentleman, despite the stories I had heard. He refused to crack and insisted it would happen when the time was right.

"Are you positive... I mean 100% positive that you don't just want to leave today?" Dylan asked, pouting.

"I have plans," I informed him sternly.

His eyes ran over my ripped sea green t-shirt that had multi-colored paint splotches on it and back to my face. He cocked an eyebrow inquisitively. "Doing what?" He asked me.

"I promised to spend the day with Colin," I reminded him. I had told him last night but he was watching a baseball game with Austin.

"Riiight," he said, grimacing.

"What's wrong?" I begged.

"I kind of promised Gram we'd stop by for dinner?" He told me, phrasing it as more of a question.

The big meeting with his grandmother happened in the hospital. Dylan spent about four days there. I lived there during that time until the nurses kicked me out. Riley was out two days sooner than Dylan but we didn't speak much afterwards. The strangest occurrence happened between Riley and Colin. They became friends and hung out all of the time without me.

In my wildest dreams, I never thought I'd see the day. I chalked it up to the blood bond that they now shared. They really seemed to move on from the quarrels they previously had. It made me happy, I guess. Colin wouldn't commit to visiting me in Florida but at least I knew he'd be in good hands.

"Alright," I agreed. Dylan smiled.

"Can you be back by 5:30? I told her we could meet for 6," Dylan asked.

"I'll be back for at least 4:00. I'll need to shower," I informed him.

"Where are you going?" Dylan asked. His eyes moved to the large bag that I previously used for gym clothes and observed its contents.