When the Heart Falls

Still, I wouldn’t wish myself anywhere else. Winter stays up with me on all those late nights, helping me conjugate verbs, quizzing me in basic grammar, laughing with me as I distract her with kisses and… other things.

She wears our key on her charm necklace and fiddles with it subconsciously. It feels real, significant, this commitment we’ve made. It’s not an engagement, but it might as well be. We are together, and neither of us can stand being apart for long. I don’t know what we’re going to do at the end of summer, but we’ll figure it out. We have no choice. We need each other too much.

The day of the final exam I’m trembling and sweating like a meth addict going through withdrawal. It’s bad, and nothing Winter says or does calms me down. I just need to get it over with.

We’re all together for this final exam, so Winter sits next to me as we wait for Monsieur Bellugue to show up and pass out the test. She leans in to kiss me. “Good luck. You’re going to do great. I believe in you.”

I wish I had her confidence, but I missed too many classes, and I had little chance of passing even before that.

When we get our exams, I flip through the pages hoping it’s easy, but it’s not. Half of the words look alien to me, and I can’t make sense of them.

I meticulously fill out every answer, doing my best on questions I don’t know.

Winter is done first, and she has no choice but to turn her test in and leave. I know she’ll be waiting outside for me, but I can’t think about her now.

I’m the last one to finish, and I’m barely done when Monsieur Bellugue calls time.

I know it’s not going to be enough, but I turn it in.

Monsieur Bellugue takes my exam. "How did you do?"

"I did my best."

"That’s all anyone can ask."

A burden has lifted from my shoulders. Come what may, it’s over. Whatever happens next, we’ll find a way to make it work for us.

I leave the classroom for the last time and find Winter on the steps outside the gate as expected. She’s reading something on her eReader, but looks up when I approach and smiles. “We’re done! Want to go celebrate?”

I kiss her cheek. “Not yet. There’s something I want to do first.”

I step away from a group of students leaving and take out my cell phone. I dial the familiar number and listen as it rings until she picks up. "Hey, Mom.”

"My baby, you called.” She sounds so happy, and I’m glad I made the effort.

"Not often enough, but that will change.” A lot of things will be changing now. I tell her about my day, about the stress of the test, and about Winter.





WINTER DEVEAUX

CHAPTER 38





VINCENT'S IS CROWDED this afternoon, but he saved the table I requested by the window. Jenifer likes people-watching as we eat. My taste buds started working again when Cade returned, which is a good thing as now I can fully appreciate the tasty garlic and cheese bread. I’m surprised I haven’t packed on weight with all these carbs this summer, but all the walking must offset my gorging.

Jenifer returns from the bathroom and sinks into her chair with her usual flair, draping one long leg over the other as her too short skirt rides up her thigh. “Where’s Cade?”

“He’s working on a design for a contest.” I don’t even try to hide the pride in my voice.

"Wow. Good for him. That architecture stuff is hard.” She squishes her face up. “Too much math and straight lines for me."

I laugh. “Me too. But he’s a genius with it. His designs are amazing, and I’ve learned so much from him.”

Jenifer sips her café latte. “You’re so in love it’s disgusting.” But she smiles, and I know she’s happy for me.

“Can’t argue there. How’d your French exam go?” I know this language doesn’t come as easily to my friends as it does to me, though they each shine in their own way.

She shrugs and flips a long strand of blond hair off her exposed shoulders. “I’ll pass. Only 'cause of you, though. Your tutoring saved my ass.”

"You’ve been holding your own for a while now. It’s all you."

"Only 'cause you taught me so well."

"True."

Vincent brings us our food himself and smiles brightly at Jenifer. “Enjoy your meal, ladies.”

“Merci,” we both say as we dig into our chicken dishes.

Jenifer bites into a breadstick, frowning as she chews, a contemplative look on her face. "Remember back in elementary school, when that Trevor kid used to pick on me?"

"And you actually focused on school instead of boys? Yeah, I remember." I take a bite of the chicken and the flavors explode in my mouth. Le sigh. I’m going to miss this food when I leave Paris.

She wipes her mouth. "I got him really angry that one time. I told him we weren't going to be friends any longer."

"When were you ever friends?" I ask in between bites.

"He thought we were. Even as he kicked me under the tables and put gum in my hair, he thought we were friends. Maybe that was friendship to him. Maybe that's all he knew."

"We were all stupid back then," I remind her.

"Not you," Jenifer says, pointing her fork at me. "You got the best grades."

"You got second best."