The Secret

Chapter 40: first love...

Jules

~~~~~~~~

One month later...

"Bye Norah." I say as I hug her tightly.

"I'm gonna miss you." She says as she holds me.

"I'm gonna miss you more." I tell her.

We pull apart and I try my best to fight back my tears.

"Bye, sis." Brennen says as he hugs her.

"Bye, Brennen." She says as she hugs him back.

I smile as they pull apart.

"You will be good in school." He warns her.

"I will since Jules isn't there to influence me to do crazy shit." She says as she smiles at me.

"Whatever." I roll my eyes.

Brennen laughs as he throws his arm over my shoulder.

"My girl is going to college here, so I'll keep an eye on her." He says.

I smiled, and I decided to enroll in a community college right by his place. And me, Taylor, and Lily are planning on signing a lease on an apartment together next year.

Everything was looking up for me now, I didn't feel stuck anymore.

"Alright, well, I should get going or I'll miss my flight." Norah says.

I nod and sigh.

"Love you, Noarh." I say.

"Love you more." She smiles.

"Do you want me to help you take your stuff in?" Brennen asks her.

"Nah, I got it." She says as she grabs her suitcases.

"You take care of her, Brennnen. I swear if you don't." She warns.

"I will, jesus." He groans.

I laugh before she smiles.

"Bye, guys." She says before turning around and disappearing into the crowd of people who were walking into the airport.

My heart aches as I watch her leave.

"It'll be alright." Brennen says as he wraps his arms around me.

"I know." I say.

"Let's go home." He says.

I nod before we both get into his car and make our way to him. It was gonna be weird without Norah here, we've always been close to each other since we were teenagers, and now she's gonna be hours away from me. I hated the feeling it was giving me, but I knew we'd always be friends.

We get home and walk in, I see the rest of our friends watching TV. I smile as I sit down next to Taylor.

"How are you feeling?" She asks me.

"Been better." I say.

"It's okay, you have Brennen here for you, and all of us." She smiles.

"Thanks, Taylor." I say.

She nods.

Brennen sits down next to me and pulls me closer to him.

"Oh, hell no. He's gonna die!" Chris says as we watch the horror movie.

"He's so dumb!" Garrett yells.

"Bro, why are people in horror movies so fucking stupid?" Jake asks.

"If I was in a horror movie, I'd never die." Brennen says.

"Oh please, I bet I'd outlive you," Garrett says.

"You sure you wanna bet on that?" Brennen asks.

"How'd you even bet on that? You guys gonna chase down a demon to come haunt you?" Lily asks.

"Yes." Brennen and Garrett say.

Taylor laughs, "You guys are idiots." She says.

I laughed with her and looked at Brennen who was smiling at me.

"We're going to go upstairs." He says as he takes my hand and gets up.

"Oh yeah?" Chris mocks him.

Everyone laughs before me and Brennen make our way upstairs. We stumble into his room and I giggle as he pulls me to him.

"Hi." I whisper against his lips.

"I love you." He says.

"I love you more." I smile.

He kisses me passionately and I feel everything go quiet, I loved being in his presence.

We pull away and he looks at me.

"You taught me so much, Julianna," he says.

"Like what?" I ask.

"That fear is temporary, but memories are for a lifetime. All those times you snuck out from your parents just to see me, to make memories with me. That's how you showed me love, Jules. You didn't care how mad they would be but you still came for me. I will cherish every moment I've spent with you, Julianna. For the rest of my goodman life." He says.

I place my hands on either side of his face and smile.

"And I'll love you for the rest of my goddamn life." I say.

He chuckles before kissing me again.

He was my first ever love, the first boy I've ever kissed, the first boy I've ever cried over, the first boy I told my parents about, the first boy I slept with. And I wouldn't give a thing in the world to change any of it.