Always With You - A Best Friends To Lovers Novel

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

River

We had one week left before classes started, and I was hoping to spend that whole week with Bowie. I missed her, and while she was still in Denver finishing High School, I was at Blue Oak, trying my best to push all those girls aside that wanted my attention.

I had given them enough of that in the past two years, and I enjoyed it, to be fair. But nothing made me happier than having Bowie close to me.

I missed our nights at her parent's house, watching a late-night movie and cuddling her. Bowie was the only girl I trusted, and with her not close to me, it was hard to find someone I could talk to whenever I needed to.

Luckily, I wasn't all alone. Aiden moved in with me two weeks after I furnished my apartment, and we've become good friends since. I was excited to introduce Bowie to him, knowing that he would like her. But then, Bowie was easy to like.

Since the first day we met, Bowie has always been the sweetest thing in the whole world. She cared about people, wanted everyone to be happy and safe. That's what I was when she and her parents let me into their home when I was a kid.

Even six years after Mom died, my father insisted that it was my fault she was dead. He had found me sitting next to her body after getting a call from my kindergarten teacher, saying that I didn't show up that morning.

He immediately left work to find me still in my pajamas, sitting next to Mom, who had passed in her sleep. Back then, I believed him when he said it was my fault she was gone. That I didn't pick up the phone as it rang continuously, and that I didn't call the cops or ambulance.

Him blaming me for her death led to daily beatings. It started out with simple slaps, but as I grew older, he started to use his fists more and more. I got used to the pain and the blood, but the more he punished me, the more I felt alone.

When I was ten, Dad got a new girlfriend who was too young for him. She was still in college, and I thought because of her age she would show more compassion with me when Dad hit me. She didn't. She just looked away and never really talked to me.

Meeting Bowie that afternoon at the park was still my favorite memory of her. Her bright red hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, and the little freckles on her nose fit perfectly with her pale skin.

She surprised me, being so straight forward with a kid she had never met, but I was glad she came to talk to me. I knew from that day on, that one day, I would be marrying her. She just didn't know it yet.

"Redhead and a blonde," Aiden said, pointing in a direction. I had told him to look out for Bowie and Whitley, but it turned out that at Blue Oak, there were more redheads with a blonde best friend than I thought.

"Not them," I said, looking around campus and hoping to get a glimpse of Bowie soon. I made her choose this college. I was selfish, and I wanted her close. Sure, the past two days we had spent apart mostly, but I didn't want her to move even further away.

We were standing close to the parking lot, but I wasn't sure if they would drive here. Their apartment wasn't too far, and with the number of students running around campus, it was easier for them to just walk here.

"Are we going to the frat party tonight? We should show them what they can expect from now on," Aiden said. I liked the parties on campus, and I frequently attended them, but I imagined going with Bowie would be more fun.

"If they're up for it, sure," I said, pulling out my cigarettes and lighting one. "They drove for six hours. They must be tired."

We waited another ten minutes, and I was already getting impatient. "Redhead and blonde," Aiden said again, and I turned to see Bowie and Whitley walk our direction. Bowie had a huge smile on her face the second she saw me, and I grinned at her, holding out my arms for her to run in to.

"Riv!" she squealed, running towards me. The yellow floral dress she was wearing fit her body perfectly, showing off every single curve. Her hair grew since the last time I saw her, and I missed digging my fingers through it. I did that a lot when we were younger. It calmed me at night, and it helped her fall asleep.

"Hey, gorgeous." I wrapped my arms around her body, lifting her up and holding her tightly against me. The smell of her was another thing I missed. She smelled of peaches and rain on a summer night.

As I let her back down, I cupped her face into my hands and kissed her cheek, close to the corner of her mouth. "God, I missed you so fucking much. You're finally here!" I announced, and she laughed, putting her hands on my wrists to keep cupping her face. "Are you happy?" I asked, wanting to hear it from her.

"'Course I am. I missed you too," she told me, hugging once more before turning to Aiden. "You must be Aiden," she said, then hugged him too.

"Nice to meet you," he said, then looked over at Whitley. I grinned at her, pulling her into a quick embrace.

"Hey, Whit."

"Jesus, how often do you work out?" Whitley asked amused. I did go to the gym more often than in my first year, but that had its reasons.

"I gotta look good for Bow," I said, winking at her. She laughed, shaking her head, and leaning against me. I put my arm around her shoulders, kissing the top of her head.

"Aiden, this is Whitley. My best friend," Bowie said, and they greeted each other with a hug.

They picked up a conversation about football quickly, and I had the time to have Bowie to myself for a second. I turned to her, brushing her hair back and tugging it behind her ears.

"You get prettier each damn day. Not sure I will like all these other boys eyeing you." She took that as a joke, but I was serious about it. I had a talk about us once. And after that talk, deciding to stay friends forever, we never spoke about it again. I was hoping to change that soon.

She smiled brightly at me, gripping my shirt, and tugging on it. She didn't take compliments well, just acknowledged them and moved on with the conversation. As always. "Mom and Dad said hi. They'll come visit tomorrow to bring the rest of my furniture," she told me, and I nodded.

"Can't wait to see them again. Something I can help you with? Did the mattress arrive already?" She had ordered a mattress so she wouldn't have to ship her whole bedroom to Durango. A simple bedframe was already in her apartment, left behind by the old renter.

"No..." she frowned, just now realizing that she didn't have a bed to sleep in tonight. "I'll just take the couch. God, you really put on some muscles," she said, running her hand over my stomach. It was still covered by my shirt, but I felt every single touch of hers.

"Stop teasing or I'll have to start feeling your body as well," I grinned, and she immediately pulled her hands back. As if she wouldn't want me to.

"We should show them our apartment. Now that we're practically four best friends...they should know where they can go to when they need something," Aiden suggested.

That was a great idea. I wanted Bowie to be able to see me whenever she wanted, and I wanted the same. I grabbed her hand, holding it with our fingers interlocked loosely as I did often back in High School. Kissing Bowie's temple, I turned to Aiden and nodded. "Let's go."