26. Where The Time Has Gone

It felt like time has completely escaped me making me wonder where the time has gone in the last hour before I was staring at Mr. Ortega desk as he handed students their final score.

Some kids literally thanked God after looking at their scores. Others walked off while Mr. Ortega realized he's gonna have them in summer school.

"Breathe," Blake mumbled behind me. "You're starting to turn blue."

I forced a chuckle out of my mouth that slid under my lips. "Easy for you to say. You're not he one that only had ten minutes of studying."

"I bet you did wonderful." Blake smiled down at me.

"Julia." Mr. Ortega drew my attention.

We'll we're just about to find out.

"Remember no looking. We promises Theo." Blake said before I grabbed the test, turning it over so I wouldn't see.

I didn't want to look anyways. My entire future was based on this test score. Whether I had to attend summer school this summer instead if facing life as an official adult.

Now that I think of it, I hoped I failed. I don't wanna be an adult quite yet.

Blake did the same, turning his paper upside down so he didn't see and we walked out, ready to go meet Theo by Blake's truck.

I must of held my breath the entire walk because when we got there, I was very certain I was gonna pass out from the lack of oxygen.

"Well I graduated." Blake said after looking at his score then showing us.

In a red pen was the numbers eighty five percent. With the words congratulations under it.

My stomach dropped again, crushing all the butterflies. Blake is one of he smartest people know and if he got an eighty five, that means I failed.

"Julia what you get?" Blake asked. Sounding more anxious than I think I'd ever be for looking at a test score.

"We gotta see if we'll be walking down the graduation isle together." Theo then added. Putting more pressure and anxiety on my shoulders.

I took a deep breath in, burning my lungs. Shutting my eyes as I twisted the paper over with my eyes shut tight. Not wanting to see what I got.

"So?" Theo asked, impatiently.

"Julia?" Blake said.

I wide smiled appeared across my face as I showed them my test score.

"You passed!" Theo cheered. Jumping up an down.

"I passed!" I screamed.

I just passed with a seventy percent. Barley a c, but still a passing grade.

Blake pulled me into a hug. Lifting m off the ground and twirling me around. Making me loose all focus in his embrace.

I got a glimpse of Theo mid turn. A smile wide across his face. The one you give when your best friend crush walks into the room smile.

"I think this is a cause for celebration!" Blake said right after setting me down.

"I'm in." Theo nodded.

"Wait. I gotta call Rebecca." I quickly said, walking away quickly as I yanked out my phone and dialed her number.

"Hello?" She answered with a tired voice.

"I passed!" I quickly said. "I'm graduating!"

What I just said woke Rebecca up that's for sure. Only because there was a wave of screaming I received over on my side of the line.

"Julia I would so hug you right now!" She shouted.

"Me too. Well I gotta go. Theo, Blake, and I are going to go get a celebratory meal."

"Wait for Julia," Rebecca said right before I hung up.

"Tell him. Tonight while your confidence is good." She says.

"Okay." I say right before hanging up the phone and walking back over to where Theo and Blake were standing.

"I say we go to café." Theo grins.

"Fine." Blake sighs in agreement.

"After we can stop at the new ice cream parlor downtown." I smile.

"Yes! Yes!" Theo said.

"Just because you passed." Blake smiles down at me, ruffling my hair a bit.

Since I was the smallest, according to Theo, I had to sit in the middle seat since we were in Blake's truck. Which meant I was closer to Blake than I ever was in his truck.

He smelt really good. Somewhere in between flowers and coconuts, good.

"Ready?" Blake asked, putting his truck in drive.

"One sec," Theo said before pushing​ me closer to Blake as he reached for his phone.

I practically had my entire body on him by the time Theo found his phone. "Now I'm ready."

Theo flashed me a smile and I glared at him with a skin piercing stare.

He did that on purpose. And he did a really bad job at hiding it.

"What is with you and hot chocolate?" Theo asked. Blake almost spat out his coffee.

"Well I hate coffee. Always have. Always have." I smile, taking a long sip from my drink of hot milk chocolate, hot chocolate.

"You are the first girl I have met that isn't obsessed with coffee." Theo chuckles.

"I would not go there." Blake turned around with a smirk. "If a non-drinker heard you. I'm gonna have to dig you a grave."

"And it won't be on a beach." I smile.

"Wow. Rude." he says, holding the door open for us.

"Come on. I heard this ice cream shop is amazing!" I said, grabbing Theo and pulling him with us.

I blocked Theo from getting in and looked him dead in the eye. "Pull your phone out now."

He smiled. "Fine." He yanked out the iPhone and I let him get in.

By the time we got our ice cream and ate it, the sun has already set.

"How about we go to the view?" Blake suggests.

"Yeah," I say with a smile.

When we arrived, Blake got out and started the hike. Theo grabbed my arm before I could follow.

"You are gonna tell him when you reach the top." He tells me.

"You guys coming?" Blake asked. Waiting for us.

"I'm gonna wait with the car!" Theo called before looking​ back at me. "I believe in you, Julia."

He let go and got back into the truck, probably calling Rebecca. I ran to catch up with Blake.

"I knew Theo wouldn't make the hike." Blake chuckles.

"He's so predictable." I joke with a smile.

"Did he tell you about him and Rebecca?"

"Tell me what?" I asked.

"That once she gets back they're gonna become serious." Blake informs.

"Oh really?" I smile. "She didn't tell me that one."

"I'll bet you two hundred bucks he's gonna propose in three months."

"Whoa, hold it there."

"You didn't hear this from me, but Theo is a secret hopeless romantic. I'd be shocked if he didn't."

"Well you tell Theo, he needs my approval," I say, exaggerating the my in it.

"Got it."

When we reached the top it was almost overwhelming. The lights of the city, the view of the lake, it was all so breathtaking.

Come on Julia. I pressured myself. Just three little words. You got this.

"Blake."

He looked over at me. His brown eyes reflecting the lights of the city landscape.

"I have to tell you something." My confidence and adrenaline were gone, just like the ice cream.

"I know." He smiles.

"No, you don't." I quickly said. "Never mind."

He didn't say anything so I just continued.

"I know that you wanted to forget about everything when it got crazy in our lives, but I can't." I took in a deep breath. "I like you, Blake. Like, more than friends, like."

"I know." He says again.

"Okay, I cant tell if you're playing me or if you just can't say anything else because you're horrified."

"I know you like me, Julia. I heard you."

"When?" Oh god, he's known.

"This morning. When you were talking to Koda." I saw his smile widen.

"I feel like an idiot now." I chuckled nervously. Maybe if I laugh this off, I'll forget this ever happened.

"Don't." I could feel him step closer. His hands grabbed mine an held them firmly. "Because I like you too. Julia."

I was speechless, only because I've run out of words to say.

"I've like you since the day you gashed your head open." There was a smile in his voice.

"Don't remind me," I joked. "That was something I wanted to forget."

"Maybe somethings are not worth forgetting." I could feel him lean in.

"I think that's a good idea." I smile. Only to be stopped by the taste of his lips on mine.

Officially, I have forgotten where the time has gone because I wanted this moment to last forever.

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~Epilogue coming soon~