Truly Free // COMPLETED

37. The Beginning

"Is this the last of your stuff?"

I whip my head around to face Gray as he brings in another box labeled BOOKS. He sets it down on the desk that's been provided for me and dusts his hands off on his shorts.

"Yeah, I think so. Thanks for bringing that in," I answer.

"It's so weird that you won't be living fifteen feet away anymore," he says as he crosses the room only to jump up on my bed. I stand in between his legs and place my hands on his knees as I look at him.

"Yeah but it's not like I'm going to school like at West Nebraska Tech or something," I laugh. "I'm in the same city, in the same state, only forty five minutes from you."

"Yeah I know," he smiles. "Now let's unpack all your crap."

"It is not crap," I scoff as I tear open the box full of books.

"I feel bad for your roommate," he says. "Where is she anyway?"

Almost as if on cue, a girl bursts through the door with a handful of snacks. She drops the pile on her bed on her fully decorated side of the small room before turning to look at me.

"Hey nice to meet you, I'm P- NO FREAKING WAY!"

"Is this a joke?" I ask.

"It's a sick one if it is," Paige answers.

Her parents get busy bringing in more boxes as she continues talking to me.

"This must be the boyfriend," she says. "I'm Paige."

"Gray, nice to meet you. Addy told me about you."

"I still can't believe we're rooming together! We were so meant to meet the other week," Paige says to me, eyes wide.

"Yeah, I guess so," I answer. "I'm excited to get to know you better."

*****

"Okay, kiddo, looks like you're all moved in," my dad says. "The room looks great."

"Thanks dad."

"Will you come home on the weekends?" Mom asks.

"Yes, mom."

"And make sure you come see me too," says Gray.

"You know you can come over here pretty much whenever you want right?" I ask.

"Yeah but my parents will miss you too."

"I can't believe our baby is going to college," my mom says, sitting down on the bed next to me. "But your roommate seems nice and this campus is safe and you're close so I won't worry."

"That's right, mom. Don't worry about me. You and Dad have some time for yourselves."

At the mention of alone time the room goes quiet as my parents process the fact that they're essentially living alone. I'm their last child to leave, and their only child remaining.

Andrew. Sweet Andrew would've been so proud of me, of Mom and Dad, of how far we've come since his accident. The thought of my brother brings tears to my eyes, threatening to fall if I don't pull myself together.

My parents and Gray seem to have similar thoughts as my dad's grip on my shoulder tightens and my mom sniffles a bit.

My dad is the first to suggest that they leave for the night. They leave the room and allow Gray and I some alone time.

"I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Of course," I answer.

He gives me a kiss that almost has a sense of finality to it. We pull away and he squeezes my hand, turning away to the door.

"I love you," he tells me.

"I love you more," I counter.

"I highly doubt that."

......
A/N: so that was the end.

epilogue soon

-K. x