Forever Mine: G.D.

15

MILEY
two weeks had already passed and life in Jersey was already better than i had imagined.

Grayson and I got really close. we weren't dating, and there was still no sign that he likes me. but my love for him grew.

it was a Saturday, so Gray, Ethan, Angel, Missy, Kenzie, Mandy, and a few other of the twins' friends—Nate, Cameron, and Aaron— decided to go to the beach.

Ethan was surfing...or attempting to.
Angel and Missy were flirting with Cameron and Aaron and Nate was getting buried in the sand by Mandy.

Kenzie laid out to get a tan.

Grayson and I sat under the peer so no one could see us except for Ethan.

as i said, we had gotten really close and i felt safe when i was with him. he told me i was the coolest girl he's ever met and i was flattered.

i just wish he knew how i felt.

when i was with him, i felt as if nothing else mattered. his eyes had me under a trance.

and when i was away from him...it was as if he was the only thing that was on my mind.

GRAYSON
it was silent between us and i knew that someone had to speak. of coarse, it was Miley.

"have you ever been in love?" she asked me.

i drew a deep breath. "i don't know." was all i could think of saying.

"how could you not know?"

i hesitated, trying to think of what to say. "i dated a girl a few years back, and at the time, i knew i was in love. at least, that's what i told myself. but now, when i think back, im just...not sure anymore. i cared about her and i enjoyed spending time with her, but when we weren't together, i barely thought about her. we were together, but we weren't a couple, if that makes any sense."

she considered my answer but said nothing. in time, i turned toward her. "how about you? have you ever been in love?"

her face clouded. "no," she said.

"but you thought you were. like me, right?" when she inhaled sharply, i went on. "my instincts tell me there was a serious boyfriend in your past."

she smiled but there was something sad in it. "i knew you'd figure it out," she said in a subdued voice. "but to answer your question, yes, there was. during my 8th grade year. and yes, i did think i loved him."

"are you sure you didn't love him?"

it took her a long time to answer. "no," she murmured. "i'm not."

i stared at her. "you don't have to tell me—"

"it's okay," she said, raising her hand to cut me off. "but it's hard. i've tried to forget about it, and it's something that i've never told my parents. or anyone, for that matter. it's such a cliché, you know? small town girl goes to junior high and meets a handsome 9th grader who's also captain of the football team. he's popular and rich and charming, and the little 8th grader is awed that he could be interested in someone like her. he treats her like she's special, and despite the girls warning her of his tricks, she fell under his spell." Miley sighed. "it was the night of our first dance. i was only 13 years old and dumb enough to go to his house at the end of the night. who wants to go into detail, right?" she looked into my eyes as if trying to find the answer.

"sex." i stated. "that's all he wanted?"

she slowly looked away and nodded. "i left in time. ran all the way home. quarter of a mile." she continued to explain her thoughts at the time, the laughter and humiliation she received.