“Anyway,” Drew says as if exactly on cue, “let’s get these shots done so I can get home. I’ve got a date tonight.”

I freeze, my blood running cold. “A—a date?”

He laughs, clapping a hand against my shoulder. “Not that kind of date. I wouldn’t betray the Diary like that. Those comments are like the only way I get serotonin anymore.” Which makes me feel both better and worse at the same time. He stands up, a holding out a hand for me. “Some buddies are coming over for a D and D campaign, you know.”

Which, frankly, I know nothing about D&D, but that sounds a hell of a lot better than the idea of Drew wrapped up in somebody else. I push the thought out of my head, reminding myself that we aren’t actually dating and his loyalty to me is really all about the Diary anyway, but a part of me is still a little on edge, like I’d never considered the possibility of him moving on to something better, and now that it’s there, I have no way to escape it.

We pose the shot, one arm around his neck, and the other holding my phone up so I can actually take the picture. And then he presses his lips to mine, and as the camera flashes, I can pretend that this is all we’ll ever need, the two of us wrapped up in each other.

He pulls away almost immediately, asking me to pass the phone over so he can take a look. Then he laughs, throwing his head back. “You’re way too short to get a shot like this. Let me do it.”

So I agree because all this means is that we have to take the shot again, and this is a moment in time I have no problem reliving forever.

Step 8: The Fall

The moment love takes over.

Inbox (1,292)

Bbybby33 asked: Sup, Noah! Are you not answering asks anymore? I’ve been trying to reach you for weeks, and my friend told me she sent you an ask and never got a response either?

“Wait, what happened?”

I sigh. I’m trying to catch my mom up on what I’ve been doing for the past week, but she chose just about the worst possible time to call. Drew and I are at this little swim spot called Paradise Cove and between the loud-ass couple that finally seems to be packing up to go and the little rush of the springs through a break in the rock formation, it’s pretty loud out here.