“I don’t know…” she trails off in a singsong voice.

“That’s it,” I growl and tackle her down to the dock and straddle her.

Lane squeals as I tickle her ribs and kiss her neck. “Stop! You’re going to make me pee.”

I laugh. “Never. Not until you tell me I’m the best.”

She tries to catch her breath. “A little conceited, aren’t we?”

“Only when it comes to you. I know I’m the best man for you.”

She adjusts her back against the wood and I smooth her hair back from her face. “You’ll get no argument from me.”

I grin and lean in and kiss her lips. “That’s good to know.”

As much as I want to take this to the next level I know I can’t. Her parents could be watching us out of their back window and that would be awkward for all of us. I pull back and push myself up so I can sit next to her.

After helping her back up to a sitting position, I grab my pole and begin to poke around in the tackle box for some plastic bait.

“How was band practice?” Lane asks.

I stiffen a bit, that this conversation will probably lead to an argument, and I hate when we fight. “Not good. The guys are both punking out on going on the road after graduation. Looks like it’ll just be me and you.” I cast my line into the water and I notice Lane fidget a bit. The best thing to do is get things out in the open. “Leon has this crazy idea that you don’t want to go either. He’s not right, is he?”

She doesn’t look at me as she cranks her reel. “I want to go with you. You know that. But, I think maybe going to college first is a pretty good idea.”

I roll my eyes. “Not you too. Come on, Lane. We’ve talked about this a million times. Don’t you want freedom? The chance to go on the open road together before we have to face all that grown-up shit that people always bitch about.”

Lane sighs. “It’s not that easy, Noel.”

“Yes it is, Lane. Do you want to be with me or not?”

Her head snaps in my direction. “Of course I do. Why would you even say something like that?”

“Because if you want to be with me, then we have to be together.”

“Then why don’t you enroll in a college with me.”

I shake my head. “You of all people know I can’t do that.”

“I’ll help you.” She places her hand on my thigh. “We can get through school together just like we do everything else.”

“Not college. I’m not cut out for it and I can’t go. Not even for you.” The words leave my mouth and I instantly regret them.

Lane’s face twists. “You’re an asshole.”

She shoves herself up from the dock and takes off, sprinting towards her house.

“Fuck,” I curse myself as I break into a full run to chase her down. She makes it halfway up the hill before I grab her from behind and spin her around in my arms. Her breath is ragged and her olive skin flushes. “I’m an idiot. I’m sorry. You know I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.”

A tear streams down her cheek. “I don’t get you, Noel. Is music so important to you that’d you’d throw everything we have away to get it?”

I shake my head, but I know it would be a difficult choice. “No. You’re all that matters to me.”

“Then show me,” she whispers.

I wipe away her tears with my thumbs before I press my lips to hers. “I will.”

One Year Later—Graduation Night…

NOEL

There are at least ten parties going on tonight and we’re going to make our rounds, but first, Lane wants me to meet her on the dock for a private celebration. I grin to myself knowing this will be the last night we have to hide in order to have sex. This time tomorrow Lane and I will be out on the open road, making our way with no solid plan, going in whatever direction the music takes us.

I know she has her doubts. She expresses them nearly everyday, but I know she doesn’t really mean them. Once I get her out on the road everything will be fine. I just have to prove it to her that I can make it as a musician. I want her to be proud of me.

She’s already waiting for me at the end of the dock. Her long brown hair falls in waves around her shoulders. The loose strands blow idly in the light breeze coming in off the lake. A tight jean skirt and cream colored shirt accentuates the deep tan she’s already gotten even though it’s only the beginning of summer. My girl is so damn beautiful. I’m a very lucky guy.

Excitement overtakes me and I rush down and scoop her up in my arms, lifting her off the ground. “We did it, babe. Can you believe it?”

She laughs in my arms. “I’m so proud of you, Noel.”

I nuzzle my nose into her hair. “Not as proud as I am of you. You aced every single test they threw at you. You’re a fucking genius. When I become a famous rock star, I’ll pay for your tuition—anywhere you want to go.”

“Noel—”

I cut her off, not allowing her a chance to argue with me. “Anywhere. I won’t take no for an answer.”

Lane frowns. “I can’t let you do that.”

I furrow my brow. “Of course you can. You’ll deserve it. It’ll make the little bit of struggle we have to go through at first totally worth it.”

“Noel—” I cut her off again while I go on about the fancy house and cars I’m going to buy her, and she pushes on my chest.

I frown and set her on her feet. “What’s wrong?”

Her delicate fingers rub her forehead before running through her hair. “I don’t know how to tell you this.”

I trail my hand up the bare skin on her arm and then stop when it reaches a strand of her hair. I wrap it around of my finger suddenly nervous about what she has to say. There’s a slight quiver in her voice, and that’s never a good sign. That only happens to her when she’s nervous, and there’s not one thing she should be nervous to tell me.

I lick my lips. “Whatever it is, just tell me. We’ll get through it together.”

Lane shakes her head. “This time we won’t.”

I take her face in my hands and force her to look into my eyes. “Lane, you’re not making any sense.”

She closes her eyes. “This is so hard.”

I feel her tense under my touch as a tear falls down her face and my heart falls to the pit of my stomach. Lane never cries and it’s something I can’t stand to see. “Please don’t cry. Baby, I’ll fix it. Whatever it is, I’ll fix it.”

She opens her green eyes and stares at me, her eyes searching my face for answers. “Don’t leave tomorrow.”

I flinch. “The way you just said that makes it sound like I’ll be leaving by my self.”

“You will be if you go,” she whispers.

I shake my head. “No. You promised you were going with me.”

“I can’t go with you, Noel.”

I drop my hands from her face. “What do you mean, you can’t? We talked about this since freshman year.”

“Exactly,” she cries. “We had no clue what we were talking about back then. Things change, Noel. I don’t know why this is such a huge shock to you. I’ve been telling you for the last year that I want to go to college.”

“I didn’t think you were serious. Damn, Lane. Why are you waiting until just now to tell me this? We had a plan.”

“You had a plan. Not me. Not one time have you asked me what I wanted!”

I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose. “Yes I have.”

“No. No you haven’t. Have you heard anything I said about going to college and living in a dorm?”

“I heard you. I just didn’t think you were serious.” I sigh. “I can’t believe you’d pick going to college over being with me.”

“That’s the same way I feel every time you pick music over me.”

“I never pick music over you!”

“No? If I won’t go with you, are you going to go anyway?” she challenges.

“Yes! Because that’s been our plan.” I raise my voice, completely frustrated by this blindside. “Music is my fucking life. You know that. It’s all I have.”

“You had me.” Lane bites her plump, bottom lip as forces a cry back. “This is the end for us.”