Come Back To Me

Chapter 3

Present…

“Reid, what are you doing here?” I whisper at him.

I quickly flick my light back off and lock my door.

“I told you I missed you.”

I can hear the smile in his voice.

“How’d you get back over here so quickly?”

“I ran. It’s not like you live very far away,” Reid snickers.

“Yeah but, wouldn’t your parents be wondering where you are? You’ll get into trouble.”

I walked the few steps across my bedroom and lay down next to him. He wraps his arm around me and holds me against him.

“Nah, the house was pitch black, everyone went to bed, they won’t even notice.”

I shouldn’t be surprised; he does this often, sneaking in through the bedroom window that I always leave unlocked for him.

“Okay, well, as long as my mom doesn’t decide to look in on me. I don’t think she will, though. She said she had too much wine with your mom,” I tell him; I feel his body shake with silent laughter.

“Yeah, those two seem to do that often. So Hadley, did you miss me?” Reid turns his body so that we are facing each other.

“Of course, Reid, I always miss you when we’re not together. If I could spend all day, every day with you, I would.”

I lean in and plant a small kiss on his soft lips.

“I feel the same way. Which is why I wanted to talk to you about something important.”

Reid shifts and sits up, so I sit up, and we sit cross-legged on my bed facing each other. Reid grabs both of my hands and holds them tightly in his.

“Can you turn on the lamp? I want to see your face,” he asks me quietly.

So I lean over and switch on the dim lamp that sits on the small end table next to my bed.

“What is it, Reid? You are beginning to worry me a little bit.”

I can’t help the lump that is starting to form in my throat, wondering what’s going on. Reid takes a deep breath before he begins.

“Okay. I have been thinking about this a lot lately, Hadley, and well, I know that I don’t plan on ever being with anyone else in my life. You are my life, so I was wondering if maybe once we graduate, you and I could get married?”

Reid’s green eyes search mine, waiting for my answer. When I don’t reply right away, he starts to look worried. I stare back at him, not believing my ears, did he seriously just propose to me?

“But…but we’re only seventeen,” is all I manage to choke out.

He surprises me by laughing.

“By graduation, we’ll be eighteen. Who cares how old we are anyway? I know what I want, and I hope you want it too, Hadley.”

“I do—but—but,” I stammer, my stomach doing little flip-flops.

I stare down at our entwined fingers. Say yes Hadley, you know this is what you want, this has always been the dream. Here is this beautiful boy whom you’ve loved for six years, who has loved you too, and has always been there no matter what, and he wants to continue to be there for the rest of your life, no matter what anyone says.

“You do want it, but what? Hadley, I love you. It will only always be you, come on, marry me.”

Reid grabs my face in his hands and forces me to look at him.

“Yes, Reid, I’ll marry you,” I whisper.

I feel the happy tears start to flow. I watch Reid’s expression turn to elation, and then his eyes become glassy, and a few happy tears escape from behind them. With my face still firmly in his hands, he pulls me forward and kisses me hard. I grab onto his shoulders and clutch him like my life depended on it. Reid’s kiss changes and it becomes urgent, more fevered, and he lowers me back until he’s lying on top of me. I grasp at the hem of his shirt and pull it off, running my hands up and down his warm, soft skin, feeling his lean muscles ripple underneath my fingers. Reid’s mouth moves from my mouth to my neck, and quickly he pulls off my shirt, tossing it aside, followed soon by my bra.

Reid sits up for a moment, straddling my legs, and he looks down at me with a look so hot and so full of reverence, as he unzips his jeans slowly. I look up at him and bite my lip, not believing the beauty that is Reid; he is so sexy, it hurts. I reach up and stroke the area of skin between his belly button and his jeans. I hear a low moan escape his lips as he lowers himself back down onto me.

“I want you to know that you are beautiful, Hadley,” he whispers as he brushes my hair away from my face.

“Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you’re anything less, because I think you’re amazing, always have. I know you find that hard to believe, but it’s true, and I will always be here to tell you that,” Reid says then kisses me gently.

“Thank you Reid,” I whisper, feeling a blush warm my cheeks at his beautiful words.

“You’re beautiful too, inside and out, and I can’t believe I’ve been so lucky to have a boyfriend—or fiancé like you. Thank you for being who you are.”

I feel more tears stream down the sides of my face, and Reid swipes them away before kissing me again.

“I’m the lucky one,” he replies.

Slowly and leisurely, we do away with the rest of our clothing, and Reid makes sweet, slow love to me in the dim light of my bedroom, surrounded by an air of complete and utter love and happiness.

***

All too soon, the morning light streams through my window, and the sounds of birds chirping coax me awake. Reid snores lightly next to me, and I’m suddenly aware that he’s spent the night. Usually, he sneaks out before dawn. Oh crap! What time is it? I glance at my clock, and it’s just after seven. If his parents notice him gone, or my mom finds him here, we’re in big trouble.

“Reid,” I whisper, shaking him lightly, “Reid, wake up!”

He groans and rolls over.

“Reid, wake up, it’s morning.”

I shake him a little harder.

“Okay, okay, I’m awake. Geez Hadley.”

He opens his sleepy eyes to look at me.

“Reid, if my mother catches you here, or your parents realize you’re gone, we’re in big trouble, so you better get home before that happens,” I tell him.

Then it clicks, and he sits up quickly and jumps out of my bed. I watch his cute naked derriere as he searches the floor for his clothes. He turns and catches me watching him, a slow smile spreading across his face.

“Enjoying the show Had?” he says as he spots his underwear and slips them on.

“Always,” I giggle.

A couple more seconds and Reid has found all of his clothes and is haphazardly dressed, looking quite rumpled— his hair sticking out in every direction. I smile at his appearance; he is just so incredibly adorable all the time.

“Okay, well, I guess I’ll be doing the walk of shame now.”

He smirks, and comes over to me and gives me a quick kiss.

“I’ll be back later Hadley, I have a few errands to run today, but it shouldn’t take too long. Maybe if we’re brave, we can tell our family the good news tonight,” he smiles broadly.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? They’ll tell us we’re too young, Reid.”

Reid comes back from the window and sits down on the bed next to me.

“You know, that’s a possibility, but my gut feeling is that they’re half expecting it to happen already, so maybe they’ll accept it and be happy for us, you never know. Don’t worry about it. Okay, I gotta go, love you, Had.”

He kisses me again and hops up. He walks over to my window and carefully opens it so that it doesn’t squeak, a move that he has perfected over the years.

“Love you too. I’ll see you later,” I smile at him as he climbs lithely out my window, and closes it behind him.

Feeling positively buoyant, I eventually hop out of bed and get dressed then make my way to the kitchen for some breakfast. I am surprised to find my mother already up and making some bacon and eggs.

“Good morning mom,” I greet her cheerfully.

“Good morning Hadley, is Reid not joining us for breakfast?” she asks me without turning around, and my jaw drops.

How the heck? OMG!

“Um, what are you talking about mom?”

I feign innocence and take a seat at the table. Mom grabs the food and brings it to the table, plopping it down between us and taking a seat across from me. I watch her nervously, waiting for the explosion, but she stares at me with a neutral expression on her face.

“Okay Hadley, you can cut the act, I’m a lot more astute than you think I am sometimes.”

She starts putting food on her plate, but I’m too shocked to move an inch as I stare at her with wide eyes.

“I know Reid stayed here last night, and I know it’s not the first time either. You guys think you’re so sneaky, but let me tell you, you’re really not. I was a teenager once too, and also, these walls are not very thick,” she says, then takes a sip of her coffee.

She’s acting so naturally like we’re talking about the weather or something that isn’t utterly humiliating for me.

“Um…” I choke out, still lost for words.

“Please, Hadley, talk to me about this sweetie. I’m your mother, and I want you to feel comfortable talking about this stuff with me. You guys are almost adults, and I know you two are practically attached at the hip, so I’m not under any preconceived notions that you two aren’t having sex.”

She stops and waits for me to respond in some way, shape or form.

“I um…I don’t know what to say, mom. Sorry?” my go-to answer. Her brow furrows.

“Now, don’t apologize because that’s not what I was looking for. What I want to know is, are you guys being safe? Taking precautions? Because I would hate for you to become pregnant so soon in life Hadley. I mean, I’m pretty sure you two are going to end up together anyway, no matter what happens, but still, that’s a lot of pressure on a young couple such as yourselves.”

The way she mentions that she thinks we’ll be together forever make me wonder if she heard Reid’s proposal, but I suspect not. It’s just like Red said about our families expecting that outcome, so maybe our news won’t be as shocking as I think it will be for them. I decide honesty is probably going to be the best policy in this situation; she knows more than I thought she did.

“I’m on the pill, and we always use condoms,” I admit, and she takes a deep breath and nods.

“Phew! Okay good. Now as much as I wish you guys had waited until you were older, I know that’s not the reality, but I’m glad you're careful. How long have you guys been doing it?”

I feel my face become flushed at this question, suddenly feeling extremely shy, but this is my mother.

“Since this past New Year,” I squeak.

“Really? So, okay, good. I was a little worried that it had been sooner than that. So now that this is out in the open with us, doesn’t it feel better not to have that secret?” she asks me, sounding hopeful.

“Yeah, I guess so, but it’s still embarrassing. I am also mortified that you said the walls were thin, can you really hear what we’re um… doing?” I ask her, feeling a little ill at the prospect of my mother hearing us have s*x, gross!

She seems to realize what precisely I’m asking, and her eyes go wide.

“Oh, no, no, no! I haven’t heard anything like that, Hadley. Don’t worry, but sometimes I can hear you guy’s talking. Reid’s voice is a lot deeper than yours and therefore stands out a little, and you guys laugh a lot. I just pick up bits and pieces, but enough that I know he’s there and not on the phone.”

She raises an eyebrow at me, but smiles. Phew! What a relief. Surprisingly, I feel like a small weight has been lifted off of my shoulders, and I relax, knowing my mother isn’t angry. So I pile my plate with some breakfast and dig in.

After breakfast, I take a book and my phone outside to catch some sun on this warm August day. I sit on my front porch on one of the two big wicker chairs under the eave and open my book. I’m distracted, though, and can’t concentrate on it, so I grab my phone to text Reid.

*So you’ll never guess the conversation I just had with my mom. I am mortified!

A few seconds later, my phone buzzes.

*Did you tell her? I thought we’d tell her together?

*Oh no, I didn’t tell her that. This was much worse.

*Worse? It’s not like our news is bad news. But okay, what was it?

*She knew you were in my room last night and spent the night, and she knows it has happened a lot.

*What? Seriously? Haha!

*It’s not funny!

*It’s a little funny. So was she mad?

*No, she just wanted to know if we were being careful.

*That’s not so bad. So does this mean I can come in through the front door and not the window now? ;)

I make a face at my phone as I picture Reid walking through the front door, past my mom and into my room like, hey Cathy, just going to have s*x with your daughter now. I don’t think so!

*Um, I don’t think so, I’m sure she still appreciates our discretion. So what are you up to?

* Just have some running around to do that includes picking up an important piece of jewelry if you know what I mean.

I smile at this, an engagement ring? That would surely start the talk around school this year.

*You don’t have to do that Reid

*Yes I do, and I already have, it’s perfect for you. I want everyone to know that you are mine, and I am yours forever.

* xoxoxoxo :)

I can’t believe he’s already bought a ring.

*I can’t wait to see it! I love you!

I don’t get another response after that, so I guess he’s busy, and decide to leave him be for a little while.

By three o’clock, I start to worry when I haven’t heard from Reid yet. He never usually goes this long without texting me. So I decided to text him.

*Hey! Where are you? Are we still getting together tonight?

I wait five minutes, and there’s still no response.

*Reid? Are you okay? Getting worried.

Another five minutes go by and still no response from Reid. Maybe his phone died. Sometimes he forgets to plug it in. Don’t worry, Hadley; I’m sure he’s okay. He’ll get back to me as soon as he can. But I can’t keep this sick feeling that starts to form in the pit of my stomach. Even when Reid’s phone dies, he still always finds a way to contact me somehow. I find myself pacing in the kitchen, as my mom is busy, baking cookies.

“What is it, Hadley? You’re pacing so much you’re almost wearing a path into my floor.”

She turns away from the stove to look at me.

“It’s Reid. He said he’d see me tonight, but I haven’t heard from him since this morning. I’m getting a little worried.”

I frown at my phone, willing it to ring.

“I’m sure he’s fine and just busy, honey. You guys are so attached that neither of you can handle any distance, just take a breath and relax. Cookies will be ready in a minute.”

She turns back to her task.

I nearly jump out of my skin when there is a loud knock on the door. I quickly dart to the door, expecting to open it and find Reid, but I am disappointed when I open it to find Gavin instead.

“Hey Gavin, what are…”

My voice stops in its tracks when I take in Gavin’s face. His eyes are beet red and watery, and he’s shaking. I step out onto the porch where he stands, and his eyes follow me carefully.

“Gavin! What’s wrong?”

I feel myself starting to shake, and a knot begins to form in my stomach.

“Hadley…” he croaks.

“What! Tell me, Gavin!” I sound panicky.

“Its Reid, Hadley.”

Tears start streaming down his face.

“What’s wrong with Reid, Gavin?”

My voice turns into a whisper.

“Please don’t say what I think you are about to say to me, Gavin.”

“He got into a car accident,” he sobs, “Hadley, he died,” he chokes out.

My whole world is torn out from underneath me, and I go numb.