After ✔

38

A/N : Last chapter guys!

Amelia hugs me like she hasn't seen me for years, much less a few months.

"MY BABY!" she shrieks. "YOU'VE GROWN SO THIN!"

"Ma," Dani chuckles behind her. "Leave the poor girl alone."

Dani gives me a long, hard look. It usually means we need to talk about something, but today, I'm not so sure.

"I actually just came to say goodbye." I tell Amelia.

Amelia's flight is a week from today, and this time, Dani will come with her instead. I know I'm going to miss him, but honestly, I'm not sure of where we stand anymore.

"I'm sorry." Says Amelia. "I've been so busy, but it's just--"

"You don't need to apologize, really." I tell her.

A few weeks in the state of Newyork has changed her. She has her hair up in a chignon, mascara on her lashes. She's wearing a business suit with a blazer, and she still manages to look approachable.

"Well, we'll make up for lost time when I come back." She laughs.

"Ma," Dani says urgently. One look at the clock tells him that there's not much time left, and if he needs to say something, he needs to say it soon. "Can I please talk to Valencia?"

"Sure, honey. But hurry up, Nate's already asking for the keys."

When she's gone, Dani leads me to the balcony, away from the noise of the house. It's a quiet night, filled with stars.

Yet there's no moon tonight. Not even a sliver.

He leans against the railing on his side. "How do you tell a girl you never wanna see her again?" He's joking, but the reality of his words hits me stronger now than ever.

He comes closer and raises his arm. He lays his hand on my cheek, and his touch is gentle and warm at the same time.

"I found that painting you made for me." He says.

"Two years later." I sigh.

"It was beautiful."

I frown. Really? I ask him silently.

He nods. "Well, the angles were a little off and..."

I roll my eyes.

"But it was really good."

"Thanks." I mutter.

Silence falls in between us.

"It's over, isn't it?" I whisper after a while. With every second, it's like my heart is sinking.

He purses his lips. "I love you, querida. You know that?"

Wordlessly, my eyes fall to the ground.

"And this is the farthest thing from what I want." He continues. "But if I die tomorrow--"

My head whips up towards him. I narrow my eyes, but he's amused. "I'm not saying I will. But it could happen, you know?"

Crickets chirp in the distance, which is the only sound for miles. The wind rustles the leaves of a nearby tree, and the stars glimmer like diamonds.

Without saying anything, I wrap my arms around his middle and lean my head against his chest. He doesn't make a move to stop me.

My cheek rests in the area where his heart is, and I swear I can feel it beating faster.

After everything we've gone through, is this how it ends?