Isla

Epilogue

e p i l o g u e

I SAT IN THE SAND, a breeze pushing past my skin and ruffling my loose curls. I shoved a hand through them, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees.

Waves bit at the shore with a deafening roar, pulling higher and higher at the sand as the moon lifted full in the sky. The sand was still warm from the long day, surprisingly warm for autumn.

Beside me, Sky had an arm tight around my waist, complaining to Connor and Austin about the latest onslaught of homework and assignments from school. But it was to be expected – it was our senior year, after all.

And in a few short months, we'd be graduates.

And then I'd be moving to Sydney with River. Sky had begun considering moving with us, and I was beyond excited at the prospect.

River had gone back down to Sydney months ago, though he'd popped back up here twice since. He had a habit of running away from home, skipping weeks of school at a time that I wondered how he was still passing his classes.

Laughter ripped through the rumble of the ocean – Austin and Connor chuckling at something Sky had said.

Stars dotted the dark sky above us, half covered by clouds and peppering bits of light onto our goose bump ridden skin. I tugged my hoodie tighter around myself – a grey sweatshirt that had long since lost Everett's smell.

My heart ached and I chewed at the inside of my cheek, my skin seemingly freezing without his burning fingers on them, my chest achingly empty without him beside me.

We video chatted every day: while I was studying, while he was working out, after I finally got my bike replaced, after he confronted his father, after his stepmom's wedding. Our sleep schedules were ruined with trying to find an hour or two each day to talk. But it wasn't enough.

I spent nights crying, holding his sweatshirt tight to my chest. He cried too, though he tried to hide it. I noticed the redness around his eyes and the shine of tears when he listened to me complain about missing him.

I wanted desperately to just lie in bed with him, run my fingers through his hair, feel him tug on my curl, brush his lips against my skin.

Sky's grip tightened around me, and I looked up to see her smiling sadly at me.

"You okay?" she asked, her voice small beneath the groan of waves, striking the shore.

I nodded quickly, though she saw right through it. She always did.

Austin, on my other side, threw an arm around my shoulder, pulling me and Sky closer into a side hug.

"I know," he murmured. "It hurts, huh?"

"So much," I managed weakly, trying to keep my voice steady.

"You'll be fine," Connor added, offering a bright smile, though it failed to reach his eyes. He leaned closer to Sky, pulling an arm around us and turning the whole thing into a silly group hug.

He pulled us threateningly close to the sand until we were teetering on the edge of the log we sat on, and I laughed, tugging at his arm.

He was always great at that – at cheering me up and making me laugh when I got upset about Everett being so far away.

A heaviness settled deep in my chest, and my friends' laughter managed to keep it at bay – light as the sea foam, kissing the shore. Because that was what they'd always been. Sea foam caught between the waves of the ocean and the warmth of the shore.

Not like me and Everett.

Everett and I were names, scribbled into the sand. Not permanent, but beautiful while it lasted. And when the sea dragged us out, we went together.

But it was okay, because in two weeks, he'd be here again.

And I would choose Everett every time.