Last Kiss

Surprises and Secrets

"What are you doing here?" he asked me. We were in the back now, sitting on opposite sides on a round table.

"What are you doing here?" I countered.

Sammy looked away. I could feel the tension a mile away. "Hannah was here."

"I know. She's the one who told me to come," I said.

Sammy looked at me with surprise. "And you listened?"

"I'm not that same girl anymore. I've found happiness on my own. I've let go of my bitterness and anger."

"So then why are you back here, Stevie?" Sammy said, exasperated. "If you're happy, go be happy! Go be on the radio and on TV and find a good guy and just be happy!"

"I'm not done yet," I said, keeping my cool. It really broke my heart to see Sammy like this. "I need you to tell me the truth. The whole truth."

Sammy exhaled and began to laugh. "And where should I start, exactly?"

I crossed my arms and leaned back in my chair, "The beginning."

***

"Do you really have to leave, Sammy?" I whined, trying to pull him back to the couch. I looked up at him and gave him those puppy dog eyes that always got him.

"I hate you," he said, falling on top of me. He lowered his face to mine. "You got me whipped, girl."

"That's how I like it," I giggled as he kissed me. "Stay a little longer. Please?"

Sammy shrugged. "I'm sorry, Stevs. I have to go. The parentals need me back home." I groaned. "Hey, hey," he placed his hands behind my neck, lifting my face to his. "I love you."

"I know." Sammy and I have been together for what seemed like forever, but I couldn't help but feel my face get hot whenever he said those words. It scared me sometimes. We were just kids, but I couldn't even fathom how much I loved him.

"Walk me to my car?" Sammy said, slowly lifting himself up off me.

"Sure," I said, letting him pull me up. I clung to his arm as we drifted to the door and outside. It was dark and as I looked up, I could see the stars twinkling above us.

"I had fun today, Stevs," Sammy said, kissing my forehead when we got to his car.

"Me too," I paused. "Maybe we should just run away, Sammy. Leave this dumb place. Go to Hollywood or Nashville or, I don't know, the desert in Arizona."

Sammy cupped my face, "Girl, don't tempt me. I'll throw you in this car right now and we'll be gone."

"What's stopping you?" I said, giving him that coy smile of mine.

"Actually, I have a surprise for you. For tomorrow."

"Oh?" I traced his palm with my fingertips. "What kind of surprise?"

Sammy only shrugged, the classic mischeivious Sammy look on his face. "You'll just have to see." He looked away just then and got all serious. "Stevie, just... no matter what happens, I love you. Remember that, okay? Please?"

I thought nothing of it. "Of course, Sammy. I'll always know that."

I thought nothing of it.

***

"That year was the year we did all the open mics, remember? We would spend hours going from little restaurants to bars to coffee shops. just hoping we'd get a chance to sing. It was one of the restaurants where I met Grant. He was a executive producer of the show and he was just in the city visiting friends. He caught me on the way to the restroom and we started talking and next thing I know, he's handing me his card and telling me I need to audition for the show. I was awestruck because you know, we were going to be on TV. But then he told 'we' wouldn't be doing anything. That idiot didn't want you apparently. This freaked me out, I mean, we did everything together. I was so afraid to tell you at first because I thought you'd be upset.

"I talked about it with my parents and some of my really close boys and they convinced me to audition. When I asked them how and when I should tell you, they told me not to. They thought it would be this great idea to surprise you. Stevie, I knew it was a sketchy idea, to lie to you. But, I thought chances were I don't even make it past the first audition, so what's the point.

"But, I kept getting called back and next thing I know, I'm doing the televised executive audition. I was so estatic that suddenly it made sense to make this whole thing a surprise. Because I guess, you got me here so I would surprise you or something, I don't really know, it was stupid.

"The night before I left I was freaking out. I felt like something would go wrong or you'd hate me when you found out. I was so close to calling you just then to tell you, but my head spoke over my heart and told me not to. So, I allowed myself to be convinced that surprising you was the best option. I called your parents before I left and told them to make sure you watched tonight."

"I went out that night," I scoffed. "I remember now. Lindsey and some other friends wanted to go bowling. I was planning on calling you that night because you weren't at school. I thought bowling would be more fun. This all happened because I had to go bowling."

"That's not your fault, Stevie. I had a million chances to call you and I didn't. I just immeadiately assumed you didn't want anything to do with me. I mean, I hid this from you for weeks.

"But anyways, when I saw you again I didn't know what to do with myself. I just kept replaying that last conversation in my head over and over again. And, I'll be honest with you, Stevie. Hannah had been approaching me for a while then. The boys told me to go for it, too. I might have, but when I walked in and saw you, I couldn't see any other girl in the room. It was like you came to save me from myself, even when I didn't know I needed saving."

I didn't say anything. I just twindled my thumbs and fought the urge to not start chewing my nails. I always did when I started getting nervous or uneasy or really seventy-five percent of the time.

"Do you hate me?" his voice was soft and barely audible.

"No," I said. "I'm actually not mad at all."

"Wait, what?" Sammy looked at me like I was crazy.

I told Sammy what I told Lindsey, about how losing him helped me reinvent myself. How I knew who I was now. He looked at me in disbelief the whole time.

"Sammy, I came back because you lost yourself. I can't live with myself knowing you lost your path."

"Why?" Sammy's voice cracked. Sammy was a guy with emotions, but I only ever saw him cry a couple of time. Seeming him like this took me back. "Why can't you live with yourself?"

"Because," I said, almost laughing. "Because Sammy, it doesn't matter how I feel about you right now. We're soulmates. We're meant to be together, even if that means not right this second. So, yeah, I couldn't live with myself. I'm in love with you."

My tongue felt the salt and I realized I had been crying. "I'm not ready to be with you or forgive you for breaking my heart. But when I say I couldn't live with myself, I mean that I couldn't live without you."

Sammy began to stand up and before I could stop myself, I was throwing myself into his arms. I inhaled his cologne I loved so much and held on for my life. He buried his head in my hair and for that moment, there was no where I'd rather be.

***
hi all!!
it is so sad to say it, but our sweet story will be coming to an end very soon! :(
i want to thank you all so much for coming on this journey with me. this book has meant so much to me and honestly, I didn't even think I would get this far. also, we have just tipped over 1k reads which is astounding to me. I just want to say I love each and everyone of you who've taken the time to read this little story because it means so much to me!
and as sammy and stevie's story is coming to an end, enjoy the rest of Last Kiss.

love,
ally :)))

vibes I listened to:
ivy by frank ocean
thinkin bout you by frank ocean
bad idea by pxzvc
dream of me by vinyl theatre
losing by H.E.R
daughters by john mayer

Pm me if you want to listen to some my vibes!! (Apple Music)