The Truth About Forever

by Sarah Dessen

As they called his flight and he disappeared down the hallway to the plane, I stood with the Talbots and watched him go, feeling a tug in my chest.

Accurate feeling at airport

was about to tell him yes. Then I looked down at the towel and the box with all the other crap in it, and remembered how excited my dad was when each of them arrived, how I could always hear him coming down the hallway, pausing by the dining room, the den, the kitchen, just looking for someone to share his new discovery with. I was always so happy when it was me.

By noon, I’d answered only one question, and it concerned the location of the bathroom. (So it wasn’t just in my house. Anywhere, I looked like I knew about the toilet, if nothing else.)

Bert, hardly bothered by this or any of her other remarks, glanced down at his shirt, brushing a hand over the front pocket. ‘Poly-blend,’ he said. ‘Ladies like a well-dressed man.’ Kristy just rolled her eyes, while Wes ran a hand over his face. Monica, from behind me, said, ‘Donneven.’

Hahq

‘Just get in, will you?’ Bert snapped. ‘My birthday is ticking away. Ticking!’

‘Have a good night,’ he said to me, and I nodded, my tongue fumbling for a response, but once I realized that saying the same thing back would have been fine – God, what was wrong with me? – it was too late, and he was already getting into the Bertmobile.

There was a whole other world out there, the Talbots’ world, where I didn’t belong now, if I ever had. But it was okay not to fit in everywhere, as long as you did somewhere.

‘All right,’ I said, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. ‘What’s it like to always have girls swooning over you?’ He turned and looked at me. ‘Macy.’ ‘You’re the one who wanted to play.’

Haha

‘Sherman.’ Saying it aloud, it sounded even more ludicrous. ‘From Shreveport.’ ‘Donneven?’ she said slowly, exhaling. ‘Exactly.’

‘Well,’ she said finally, ‘it was only a dream.’ And that was it. All this build-up to a great leap, and I didn’t fall or fly. Instead I found myself back on the edge of the cliff, blinking, wondering if I’d ever jumped at all. It’s not supposed to be like this, I thought. My mother was looking straight ahead, her eyes focused on the road.

‘Okay,’ he said slowly, moving down the counter. He leaned on his elbows, closer to Bethany, and she sat up even straighter, readying herself, like someone on Jeopardy awaiting the Daily Double. ‘So here’s my question.’ Amanda picked up a pen, as if there might be a written portion.

Hahaha

‘I thought you were grounded,’ he said, as I got out of my car and walked over to where he was standing in front of the truck. I couldn’t believe how happy I was to see him. ‘I am,’ I said. ‘I’m at yoga.’ He looked at me, raising his eyebrows, and I felt myself smile,