never be the same | grayson dolan

sixty

-Six Years Later-

The darkness that is covering my eyes is the only thing I can see. I fully blame myself for getting Grayson into blindfolding me whenever he has a surprise. He didn't even need to tell me where we are going, I already know he's taking me home.

"You better not be peeking." I hear him say from the driver's seat.

"I'm not." I chuckle as I lean my head back to relax. Since we have been in the car for awhile, it is even more conformation of where he is taking me. My excitement slowly fades away as slight panic takes over my body.

There's been something I have been wanting to tell Grayson for about five weeks, but I'm scared of how he will react. We have been together for almost seven years now and have been through it all. We graduated college and moved into an apartment thirty minutes from Delray Beach.

I started my first job as a teacher's assistant in a high school. My goal is to work my way up to an actual English teacher. Since I am only twenty four, I'm hoping that will happen within the next few years. Grayson has been working at an auto body shop and is now an official mechanic. With his knowledge of business, he is in the process of opening up his own shop.

My father is selling our beach house so he can find something smaller. He has been dating a woman named Isobel for the past three years and I'm very happy for him. I'm glad he was finally able to meet somebody after being alone for so long.

Anthony continued his dream and became a police officer, he moved to Orlando and is training to become the head sheriff at his station. Things with Ava didn't necessarily work out, after dating for a year and a half they called it quits so she can pursue her career in becoming a nurse. I still talk to her everyday and she is really happy with where she is in life. Even though it's been awhile since they dated, she still has some unresolved feelings for Anthony. Grayson and I are hoping they somehow find their way back to each other.

Christopher ended up getting out of New York City. He moved to Chicago after graduating from Brown, where he is continuing on with law school.

I can feel the motion of the car stop as Grayson holds my hand. "Okay, we're here."

"Can I take off the blindfold now?" I laugh.

"Not yet." He gets out of the car and walks over to the passenger side door. I feel him open the it as he guides me a few steps.

He's holding onto my waist as we continue to walk forward. I suddenly feel myself step down onto something soft and mushy. Yup, I know exactly where we are. I can smell the salt water and hear the sound of waves crashing along the shore.

"Just a few more steps." He guides me.

My mind keeps racing at the thought of telling him what's been going on with me lately. He's suspected something has been off, but my fears get the best of me and I still haven't told him how I've been feeling. We suddenly stop walking and I can feel him place his hands on my shoulders. He removes the blindfold from my eyes and I look around.

"I knew it!" I happily exclaim as I look at the beach around us. My eyes dart back to my father's beach house in the distance. We are back in Delray Beach.

"Since today is a special day, I knew I had to take you here." He keeps his brown eyes steadily on mine as I stare up at him. He holds onto both of my hands and takes in a deep breath. "Seven years ago today I met the absolute love of my life and my life changed forever."

Oh God, I should definitely tell him now.

"It's been an amazing seven years." I sigh and look up at him. "But there's-"