I felt horrible. Lexi undoubtedly knew something was up. She had to know that I was hiding something, and I knew she was imagining the worse.

      I had never been a good liar, but never had I been this awful. It was difficult to convince Lexi that everything was well when I couldn't even answer her simple questions. I just couldn't think straight when she was around... Staring into her worried eyes, I nearly caved, melting into her gaze on countless occasion. But I wanted this to be a surprise— it would probably only work if it was a surprise. Lexi deserved the joy of someone doing something for her sole benefit, without anyone, especially herself, getting in her own way. If she guessed what I was up to, I knew she'd be quick to put a stop to my plans.

      "Are you stopping by the library?" Lexi asked at the lunch table.

      I had grown the habit of keeping Lexi company during all her shifts. I had yet to miss a single evening at the library.

      "Actually," I started nervously. I was always nervous these days. "I can't tonight."

      "Okay," she answered casually. Considering the nerves I displayed, I was slightly surprised by her answer. She was acting no different than usual. I was just making a big deal out of nothing again, wasn't I? "Does your grandad need your help, again?"

      I realised that Lexi was calm because this was a very normal conversation to be having. I had no reason to panic... Yet, I very much was. Too much was riding on the perfect execution of my plans.

      "No." I answered her question instinctively. I had never had the need to lie before. The word just came out. I should have said yes. She had handed me the perfect cover story. "Uh, yes."

      Contradicting myself, tone dripping with anxiety, Lexi finally looked up from her wrap. She studied me curiously.

      "It's okay if you have different plans," she said, brows furrowed faintly. "You don't own me an explanation."

      "I don't!" I said immediately. "Have other plans I mean. I really am helping my grandad."

      "Okay."

      "Really?" I prompted.

      "I believe you Jaxson," she promised, expression slightly incredulous.

      Through the corner of my eye, I thought I saw Ange and Julia shaking with contained laughter.

      "Do you?" I asked skeptically. I really wished my mouth would stop moving on its own accord.

      "Should I not?" she asked, this time making no attempt to hide her deep puzzlement.

      "No! I mean you should absolutely trust me," I answered quickly. "Can we forget this whole conversation?"

      With furrowed brows and a crinkled nose, Lexi nodded uncertainly.

      "Great." I huffed in relief. "How was your night, Julia?"

      Catching the red head off guard, girl still biting back giggles, she answered my question, nonetheless. Though glad to turn everyone's attention elsewhere, listening to Julia's family supper mishap, I couldn't help but notice that Lexi was as distracted as I was. Subtly regarding me with studious glances, I could just imagine the elaborate stories forming in her mind. If I knew Lexi as well as I thought I did, I highly suspected that she had come to the false, very false, conclusion that I was breaking up with her. I felt awful. But I only had a few hours left to go. I could keep the secret until then.

      Maybe I couldn't. Physics was our last class of the day. The quiz lie was bound to come to light. Sat at our desks few minutes before the bell, Angela and I grimaced at the board. There was no big quiz announcement.

      "There's no quiz?" Lexi confirmed slowly, blinking at the board. It was the first time that I saw her, even mildly irritated. Wincing, I repressed the urge to hide behind Ange.

     "Oops." The blonde smiled apologetically. Even Angela's smile was strained, inching away from Lexi. "We must have heard wrong."

      "You both misheard her?" she asked skeptically. "You both misheard the same concocted story?"

      Still with the strained smiles, Ange and I nodded.

      Lexi wasn't buying it. How could she? We were both being painfully obvious. Eyes narrowed, she switched her gaze between me and her best friend, hoping to come up with an answer. Eyes landing on me, they remained there, seemingly concluding that I was the guiltier of the two.

      "What are you up to?" she accused.

      "Nothing!" The amplified pitch in my voice said otherwise.

      "You've been acting weird these past two days," she reasoned, listing her thoughts aloud. "You're avoiding me... Does this have anything to do with the conversation you had with my parents?"

       "No!"

      "It does!" she concluded, mouth falling slack. I could see the wheels spinning in her mind, again.

      Lips parting to disagree, I met her eyes and swallowed my lie. Damn it, this was not the time to cave.

      "Whether or not it does, I can't tell you." I settled for half of the truth.

      "But—"

      "No," I said firmly, standing from my seat. I backed away before my nerves evaporated.

      "Jaxson—"

       "No," I repeated, this time running away with my hands on my ears. Mrs. Hart was looking at me, but I didn't stop. They could put the missed class in my records, it's not like it was going to affect my future.

       "I'm going home," I called from afar, leaving the befuddled girl at her desk. "Don't follow, I wouldn't want you to miss an important class... See you tonight."

      Without another word, I disappeared into the hallway.

      "You ran away?" Grandpa laughed. "You just left her standing there again?"

      Despite narrowing my eyes at his laughter, a small smile played at my lips. "I couldn't stay there," I admitted. I was crumbling under her scrutiny. "And I had some things to finalize."

      Grandpa nodded, hazel eyes sparkling with amusement. "Need any help?" he offered, taking the seat across from mine at the kitchen table.

      "Yes." I exhaled, unfolding the map to cover the entire table. "Can we go over the route one more time?"

     We went over the map again, highlighting important landmarks. Grandpa even wrote down the directions in the margins.

      "How likely do you think my getting lost is?" I asked seriously, eyes still glued to the map.

      "If you were alone? I'd say very likely. Luckily Lexi will be there."

       Sticking out my tongue, I returned the map to my backpack. "That's assuming she agrees to come."

      I was going no matter Lexi's answer but going on my own would make for a long trip and I didn't particularly wish to spend my few days left, without her.

      "She's going," Grandpa said confidently.

      The burning confidence in his tone, made me believe that he knew something I didn't. It was a rush of relief.

      "About that," I laughed nervously. "I told Lexi's parents that they could call you with questions... Any way you could get a phone within the next few hours?"

      "Little last minute," he tutted. "It was risky to assume that I could procure myself a cell phone."

       I nodded. "But you can pull through?"

      To answer my question, he retrieved a phone from his flannel front pocket.

       "I'm not even going to ask how you knew," I said, seizing the device to add my number, and Mei's numbers.

      Everything set in order on my part, I waited for the okay text from Mr. and Mrs. Broughton. When the coast was clear, Angela confirmed that Lexi had arrived for her shift at the library, and I drove to the Broughton's.

      Unbeknownst to her, I made arrangements for a co-worker to cover most of Lexi's shift. Abigail was only able to come in an hour late, so I used the hour to pack the car with the bags and suitcase that Mei prepared for Lexi.

      Arriving earlier than intended, I waited outside. I situated myself to have the best view of Lexi working inside the small building. Catching her befuddled reaction to Abigail's arrival, I chuckled. Older woman offering her some kind of explanation, Lexi gathered her things mindlessly. Abigail's last statement catching her attention in particular, Lexi turned towards the windows and spotted me with a greeting grin. Pale lips parting in surprise, dark brows knitted into what I considered a painfully cute expression. Even when exasperated with me, she had my heart in the palm of her hand.

       "I thought you had plans?" Lexi asked, meeting me outside.

       "I do. I'm hoping those plans include you."

      "Not that I mind missing work, but my shift was only four hours." She frowned. "And I have the day off tomorrow. We could have—"

     "If we do this, we need to leave soon."

      She studied me curiously. "What did you have in mind?"

     "A trip," I answered cautiously.

     "A trip, where?"

     "I'd like it to be a surprise."

     "Is it an out of town or in town trip?"

     "Out of town."

      "Can I at least know which city?" she bargained.

     "Can I tell you which province instead?"

      "Province!" she exclaimed, brows flying into her hairline.

      I nodded. "Saskatchewan to be precise."

     "Funny." Lexi rolled her eyes. Laughing ridiculously, she watched me anticipatingly, awaiting the punch line. I didn't share her laughter as she thought I would. I was very much serious and waiting for her answer.

      "You're serious," she concluded aloud.

      I nodded again. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we make it to the hotel."

      Blinking dumbfoundedly, Lexi took a few moments to collect her thoughts. "We can't just decide to drive across the country on a whim."

      "I've carefully planned this out," I reassured. "I've got it all mapped out. The car is already packed with everything we'll need, and your parents agreed. I'm just waiting on your answer..."

      "This is what you talked to them about!" Shoulders relaxing considerable, she almost smiled.

       "I knew you'd assumed the worse," I smiled sadly at her relief.

      "Was I supposed to take your secrecy as a good sign?"

      "What did you think?" I rolled my eyes. "That I was asking their permission to break up with you?"

      Despite my sarcasm, Lexi smiled shyly. My face fell.

      "Lexi-Grace!" I exclaimed. "You can't be serious."

      "What else was I supposed to think?" she asked, gaze falling to her shuffling feet.

     "That I was doing something nice," I said, gaze softening and heart twitching achingly in the special way it always did for Lexi. "That the secrecy was leading to some kind of surprise."

      "Oops."

     I laughed and shook my head affectionately.

     "So, this trip is the surprise?" she confirmed.

      I nodded.

     "And it has to stay a surprise?"

      "Ideally. But if it's what it takes to convince you to come, I'm willing to ruin the surprise."

      Chewing her lip, Lexi was silent for a few moments. "This is really important to you?" she finally concluded.

      I nodded eagerly.

      Lexi was silent again, still contemplating her answer. She was silent for many painful moments, making no move to put me out of my misery any time soon.

     "Do you trust me?" I eventually prodded, hoping to fasten her answer.

      "Of course," she answered without a beat of hesitation.

       I quirked a brow, as if to say, Then, what's holding you back?

      Laughing, Lexi shook her head, and I knew I won. "Alright." She grinned. "Let's go."

      "Really?" I inquired eagerly, bouncing excitedly on my heels.

      "Really."

      Practically skipping, I guided her towards the car, opening the passenger door.

      Belts buckled, engine started, I beamed.

      "This is the beginning of the most promising adventure of our lives," I promised. The last adventure of my life, but one of the firsts of the many I foresaw in her future. It was the beginning of the end of my life, but it was the beginning of Lexi's future, the beginning of the rest of her life.

      I pressed the gas pedal.