(Never) Again Read Online Free

gloss. The television echoed on the other side of the door and I could bet money Joe had fallen asleep.
    Zach never fell asleep when waiting for me. And even though I was desperate to keep the memories locked away in my box, I couldn’t keep my mind from wandering back.
    I emerged from the bathroom fresh-faced. Zach leaned against my headboard, legs crossed, hands behind his head. His eyes shot up, and he smiled.
    “Much better. Though you always look beautiful.”
    Only he could make me actually believe that line of bullshit.
    “Where are we going?”
    He stood and engulfed me in a classic Zach hug. “It’s a surprise.” He kissed my nose and took my hand, leading me back to civilization.
    Two weeks earlier he had gotten his license, and he had his mom’s car waiting for us. He ran in front of me and opened the passenger door. I laughed at his chivalry, and he tickled my sides.
    After two days of being lost in the dark, it was nice to find the light again. My grandfather was gone and it sucked. And in the beginning I didn’t want to laugh. I didn’t want to smile. But just as Zach reminded me, my grandfather wouldn’t want that.
    In the car Zach linked his fingers with mine and pulled the back of my hand to his lips.
    I pointed to the steering wheel with my other hand. “Ten and two. Did you not learn anything in Driver’s Ed?” I said with a smile.
    Amusement flashed in his dark eyes. “I thought it was eleven and one.”
    “Did you charm the driving instructor to get your license?”
    “Jealous?”
    “Never.” I smiled and for a brief second he took his eyes off the road to connect with mine. He kissed my hand again and pulled into the parking lot of the local supermarket.
    “This is your idea of getting out of the house?” I asked.
    “We’re just stopping for the necessities. Chocolate, soda and chips. And when I cleaned up last night I noticed you were out of brown sugar, so we should add that to the list.”
    He got out of the car and I met him at the front and threw my arms around him. “What’s this for?” he asked, breath warm against my cheek.
    “For remembering the brown sugar.” I’d be a crazed lunatic if I couldn’t sleep and had no brown sugar to make cookies. And he knew that. He knew I threw myself into baking until I was able to deal with how I felt. “But mainly for just being you.”
    He took my hand and spun me, pulling me back into his chest. He kissed my nose and then bent. “Hop on.”
    I jumped up on his back, pressed his face against my lips and kissed his cheek. He ran, spinning in circles and jumping up and down. I laughed so loud people stared. But I didn’t care. I never did when I was with Zach.
    Inside there was a line of quarter machines. Zach liked to guess what he would get, but he was always wrong. One time he wound up with a princess sticker instead of a bouncy ball.
    He smirked up at me. “An elephant charm.”
    “A frog keychain,” I said.
    “Do you want to do the honors?” I took the quarter he held up to me. He leaned forward and I slipped up his back, but he held on tightly.
    I placed the quarter in the machine and turned. He knelt down, me still hanging to him, and opened the metal door, revealing a clear bubble with a red plastic top. He popped the top off and I threw my hands up in victory, sliding off his back.
    Still on his knees he turned to me, taking my hand in his. “Lucky guess.” He winked at me, but then he turned serious. He slid the round silver key chain on my finger, the frog dangling to the side. “Lizzie, I promise to always love you. Always be there for you. And always find a way to make you laugh.”
    Just words. That’s all they were.
    I fluffed my hair and walked back into the living room. Joe’s eyes were closed, legs up on the coffee table, arms crossed over his chest. His defined biceps pushed against his sleeves.
    He looked so peaceful, and I hated to wake him, but I needed to get out. Needed fresh air. “Ready,” I