Across the divide

Chapter 13: The Next Step

After graduation, life shifted quickly for Liam and Mateo. They both had their sights set on college, though their paths would take them in different directions. Liam had been accepted to a prestigious engineering program across the state, while Mateo was staying closer to home on a soccer scholarship. As excited as they were about their futures, the looming separation cast a shadow over their final summer together.

One evening, as they sat on the hood of Mateo’s car under the stars, Mateo broke the silence. “It’s going to be weird without you around.”

Liam leaned back, staring at the sky. “Yeah. I’ve gotten used to you driving me crazy every day.”

Mateo laughed, but there was a bittersweet edge to it. “We’ll figure it out, right? Long-distance won’t be easy, but it’s not like we’re giving up.”

Liam turned to look at him, his heart tightening and his eyes watering and swelling up with tears. “I don’t want to give up either.”

They didn’t have all the answers, but one thing was very clear—they weren’t ready to let go of each other just because of their distance apart from each other.