Broken 2: Broken, Not Shattered

During my senior year of high school, I met the love of my life. I thought freshman year of college would be the best year of our lives. Oh, how wrong I was.

Right now, I should be packing for college. But instead, I find myself sitting in my car outside Lily’s house. I’ve got all these messed-up emotions about leaving home, and the fact that Lily and I are going to the same school makes it one of the best moments of my life.

But I’m feeling scared and sad too. So, I’m here, because Lily is what I need whenever I’m confused. She grounds me.

I cut the engine and jog up to the house. I knock once and don’t have to wait long before the door flies open. I’m greeted by loud music blasting and Lily’s father, Murray, looking very tired.

“Oh, thank God you’re here,” he sighs, dropping his shoulders. “Tell her I’ve gone to get a coffee or something. This music is making me crazy.”

He grabs his keys and rushes past me. I head upstairs to where the music is coming from and shake my head when I hear the Nickelback song.

At the top of the stairs, I stop and smile as I watch Lily dancing around her room. Her bare legs look incredible as she moves and I can see most of them thanks to the tiny frayed denim shorts. She's got her slouchy white tank knotted at her waist showing off her waist, which I just want to grab. And I can’t tear my eyes off the way her hips roll to the beat. Her singing is not quite as good as her dance moves. She's singing so loud, and so off-key.

“This is how you remind m—ahhhh!” she screams, clutching her chest as she spots me standing in her doorway.

“You scared the shit out of me!” she says as she heads over to her desk and turns the music down.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were packing?” she asks as she walks over to me and wraps her arms around my waist.

I wrap my arms around her.

“I was.” I lean my head against hers. “I just wanted to say bye,” I whisper, rubbing our noses together.

“Oh? Just to say bye?” Lily smiles, moving her hands from my waist to my chest, then to behind my neck.

“Mm-hmm.” I try to fight my smile, and still whispering, I say, “I mean, it’s not like I’m going to see you for a long, long time.”

She throws her head back and laughs. “You are so dramatic, Mason Cooper.”

“If I didn’t come say bye now, I wouldn’t see you for a whole twenty-four hours.” I sigh and fake a pout.

“Are you here to help me pack?” Lily asks, letting me go and heading over to her bed, which is covered in stuff. In fact, her whole room looks like a bomb hit it.

“Only if you move in with me,” I reply, earning a pointed look with a hint of guilt popping through.

“Mason,” she sighs sadly. I instantly feel guilty.

“It’s okay, Princess. But I am going to be a mopey boy until we live together,” I say. “You have to stay with me every Friday and Saturday, though,” I add before kissing her cheek.

“Says who?” She giggles as I kiss her cheek multiple times before moving down to her neck.

“Me,” I murmur against her skin. I drag my hands down her arms, to her hips, then to her ass. I continue to place gentle kisses against her neck, making her moan quietly.

“Mason, my dad’s downstairs,” she whispers, moving her hands to my hair and tugging gently.

“He went out,” I say before moving to her lips. The words have barely left my mouth, and she’s already pulling my T-shirt up, making me laugh.

“Slow down, Princess.” I grab a hold of her hands, making her shoulders drop and her lips stick out in the cutest pout I’ve ever seen. “I have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?” she asks, peeking behind me like I’ve got it behind my back.

“Come on,” I say, grabbing her hand and heading toward the stairs.

“Where are we going?” She giggles as I drag her all the way to my car.

“I hate surprises,” she groans as she climbs into the passenger seat.

“You love surprises,” I reply with raised eyebrows, then ask, “Should I blindfold you?”

“Hmm,” she hums, cocking her head to the side to look at me. “Nah, I wouldn’t be able to perv on you then.”

I let out a laugh and start the engine. As I drive, Lily tries to figure out where I’m taking her by darting her eyes between the roads and my face.

I give away nothing, though, and it’s only when I pull the car to a stop that she puts it together.

“The water tower?” she questions, slowly unbuckling her seatbelt. Then, with a squeal, she adds, “The site of our first date!”

“That wasn’t a date—we were just friends, remember?” I ask.

“But you wanted it to be a date,” she counters.

“Of course I did! I kept adding things to the list just to keep you there.”

We exit the car and walk over to the rickety ladder hanging down.

“Was the ladder always this janky?” Lily asks, eyeing it skeptically.

“I’ll be right behind you,” I assure her. I put my hand on her back, helping her up to start.

She grabs hold of the ladder and begins climbing. I quickly follow behind her, getting the perfect view of her ass. We’ve been together for a year at this point and I’m still obsessed with looking at this girl. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it either.

She glances down at me a couple of times with a smile, comforted by my proximity. At the top, we take a deep breath of the fresh air and enjoy the quietness. The forest spreads out beneath us, and beyond it the city lights are scattered like stars. It hits me that tomorrow this won’t be my home anymore. I’ll live somewhere else. Hard to believe.

But, as long as Lily is with me, I’ll feel like I’m home.

I silently move behind her and wrap my arms around her, resting my chin on the top of her head.

“Want to know why I brought you all the way out here?” I ask as she runs her fingertip over my hands.

“Mm-hmm,” she replies, relaxing into my body.

“That first night up here, making the list. It changed our lives. So, we are making a new list—a list of all the things we want to do during our freshman year at college.”

“We’re really making a new list?” she squeals excitedly, spinning in my arms, and looking up at me as a huge smile takes over her face.