Crossing hearts

Chapter 24

The sun shone brightly as Lily entered the campus, her heart fluttering with excitement. She felt lighter, the weight of her past fears lifting with every step she took toward her classes. Zane was by her side, their fingers intertwined, a clear declaration of their newfound relationship.

"Are you ready for this?" Zane asked, glancing at her with a mix of curiosity and concern.

Lily smiled, squeezing his hand. "I am. It's time everyone knows about us."

As they approached the cafeteria, Lily spotted Molly sitting at their usual table with Harper. They were deep in conversation, but when they saw Lily and Zane walking hand in hand, their eyes widened in surprise.

"Hey, guys!" Lily called out, her voice full of enthusiasm.

"Wow, look who it is!" Molly exclaimed, grinning widely. "You two look cozy!"

Lily felt her cheeks flush as she and Zane took a seat. "Well, we are official now," she announced, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Wait, are you serious?" Harper asked, her face lighting up with excitement. "This is amazing!"

"Yeah, I can't believe you finally made it happen!" Molly added, giving Lily an encouraging nod.

Lily couldn't help but laugh. "I'm really happy, you guys. Zane's incredible, and I feel like I've finally found someone who understands me."

As they celebrated the news, Zane watched Lily, admiration shining in his eyes. He had never seen her this radiant, and it made him grateful for every moment they had shared.

As they walked through the campus, Lily felt empowered. She wanted to share her happiness with her mother, too. Pulling out her phone, she dialed her mom's number, her heart racing with anticipation.

"Hey, Mom! It's me," Lily said when her mother picked up.

"Lily! How's everything?" her mother replied warmly.

"I'm really happy, Mom. I want you to know that I'm with Zane now, and he's amazing," she said, her voice filled with sincerity.

"That's wonderful, honey! I'm glad to hear you're happy," her mother responded, relief evident in her tone. "You deserve that."

"I think he might be the one for me," Lily confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's shown me so much, and I really care about him."

"I'm proud of you, sweetheart. Just make sure to communicate with him," her mother advised.

"I will, Mom. Thanks for always supporting me," Lily said, her heart swelling with gratitude.

A few days later, as the reality of her relationship settled in, Lily felt it was time to reach out to Collins. She gathered her courage and called him, knowing they had left things on a sour note.

"Hey, Collins. I just wanted to let you know that I'm with Zane now," she said, her voice steady but anxious.

"Wait, you love him?" Collins sounded surprised, and Lily could sense a mix of emotions behind his words.

"Yeah, I really do. It's something I can't explain," she confessed, her heart pounding.

"Well, I'm not thrilled about it, but if he makes you happy..." Collins said, his tone softening.

"Thank you for understanding. I really appreciate it," Lily replied, relieved to hear that he was at least trying to be amicable.

As they made their way back to Zane's house, Lily felt a nagging thought in the back of her mind. "Zane," she began cautiously, "have you thought about telling everyone the truth about what happened with your dad?"

Zane's expression darkened slightly. "I don't care what people think. They'll believe what they want," he replied, his tone defensive.

"But you're not a killer, Zane. You're a good person, and I wish everyone could see you the way I do," Lily urged gently.

Zane sighed, looking away for a moment. "As long as you know the truth, that's all that matters to me," he said softly, his gaze returning to hers.

"I just want you to know that you can share it if you ever want to. I'll always support you," she reassured him, squeezing his hand.

Zane smiled, grateful for her understanding. "I appreciate that, really. But for now, let's focus on us, okay? After all you're all I have."

"Okay," Lily agreed, feeling a sense of contentment wash over her.

As they settled onto the couch at Zane's house, they shared their dreams and hopes for the future, laughter filling the space between them. In that moment, everything felt right, and they both knew that they were embarking on a beautiful journey together.

The warmth of their connection enveloped them, solidifying the bond they had created through their struggles and triumphs. It was a new beginning, and they were ready to embrace whatever came next, together