A/N: Hello again everyone! So, this chapter orignally wasn't going to be up until either Monday or Tuesday, but...here we are! :P

Before we get started, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, Anno1701, Guest, RainbowDiamonds, and jessv96 for reviewing!

This chapter is a little longer than usual and picks up right where the last one left off. I hope you all enjoy!

The woman in black had turned and was still watching me, her veil and the lace on her gown blowing in the wind.

I walked faster, desperate to put distance between us. A dark cloud hung over me. It followed me down the street and to the parking lot. Everything was so heavy too, as if I was being weighed down by unseen force. Each time I looked behind me, I expected to spot the woman. She was gone, though. For now.

James waited until we were in the car to say anything.

"You're pale, Kendall. Are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine."

I didn't want to ruin our good night by obsessing over something I couldn't explain.

The farther we got from town, the better I felt. When we pulled onto Ravenswood, I breathed easier. Felt lighter. As the manor came into view, the nerves eased in my stomach and I wasn't nearly as shaky. Anxiety was swept away and I was left with a sense of peace.

Until I saw the dark shapes disappear around the back of my house.

My first thought was that Walter had trespassed again.

"Jesus Christ," I grumbled, removing the key from the ignition and getting out of the car. "Wait inside, James."

"What if you need my help?"

I met him at the front of the car and squeezed his hand. "Nothing I can't handle."

He nodded before striding up to the porch and slipping inside the house.

I took off to the left, hoping to take whoever it was by surprise by approaching from the greenhouse. As I neared the corner, I heard chuckling, followed by shushing pleas. That's when I knew it wasn't Walter, but rather, a group of kids who knew the dark rumors about the manor and hoped to catch sight of a ghost.

"Okay, guys," I said, rounding the corner. "Come out. You're trespassing on my property."

Silence followed my request.

"If you don't come out, I'll be forced to tell the demon who haunts the manor to attack. He hasn't fed in quite some time. We don't want that, do we?"

Four shapes darted out from behind the shed, holding flashlights and wearing hoodies. They looked no older than fifteen.

"S-sorry, sir!" one boy exclaimed. "Please don't do that."

"Yeah, we're sorry!"

"It won't happen again."

"Is there really a demon?"

The other three shoved the last one who'd spoken, telling him to shut up.

I grinned, remembering my own teen years. I had snuck into many supposedly haunted places-houses and old factories-seeking the thrill of a good scare.

"Go home, guys," I said. "It's a school night."

"Yes, sir!" The tallest of them saluted me before nudging the one beside him. "Come on, losers."

They ran toward the front yard like something was chasing them. One of them even screamed, being a little shithead. I hoped they made it home safely. I had let them off easy, but not everyone would've been as understanding. The world was filled with psychos.

I unlocked the back door and entered the house. No lights were on, and it was quiet. I paused in the kitchen and listened for any signs of James.

Creak.

I turned to the right and saw him standing under the archway leading from the kitchen and into the living room. He'd removed the hoodie and stood bare-chested, his smooth skin glowing in the dark. My cock twitched at the sight. He stepped forward, the hunger gleaming in his eyes despite the darkness.

I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out.

And then James was right in front of me, grabbing my face and crushing his lips to mine.

The kiss was heated. Feverish. Our teeth clanked together, and I moaned as he tugged at my sweatshirt.

James nipped at my mouth, catching my bottom lip between his teeth. He tugged me along as he walked backward, leading me toward the stairs. We broke apart just long enough to make it up the stairs without me twisting an ankle, and then we were back together, kissing and groping.

Once in my room, James stripped me down to my boxers before kneeling and taking them off with his teeth. I sucked in a breath when my cock sprang free and he slipped the head inside his mouth. His tongue circled me as he stroked me from tip to base. I threaded my fingers in his hair, and his intense gaze flickered to mine as he swallowed my cock deeper.

"Fuck," I groaned.

A soft whine left me when he pulled off with a wet pop and stood back up. I tasted myself on his tongue as he kissed me. It was the first time he'd been so confident in what he wanted, and it was sensual, sexy, and fucking amazing. I unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them down, my mouth watering as his cock bounced forward.

Dropping to my knees, I returned the favor, sucking him into my mouth and humming as I did.

"Kendall." His legs trembled as he tilted his head back. He then pulled me to my feet and shoved me onto the bed before straddling my hips. "I want to take you like this. May I?"

"Yes."

I'd let him do whatever he wanted.

The lube we'd used last night sat on the stand beside the bed, and he squeezed a generous amount into his hand. He rubbed his ass against my stiff cock, smiling as I dug my fingers into his thighs.

"Tell me you want me, Kendall." James lifted his hips and took hold of me, circling his lubed hand on the head of my cock before traveling farther down, getting it nice and slick for him.

"I want you," I panted.

There was no one I wanted more.

James positioned my cock against his hole before slowly sinking down. The tight heat of him had my head spinning and my pulse racing. He was normally a little cool when I eased into him, but he was warmer in his almost-human state. Nothing mattered right then except for us on the bed. The rest of the world fell away.

He rode me hard and fast, then slow, alternating with his speed when he knew I was close. My gaze locked onto his beautiful face as he squeezed his eyes shut and groaned, faltering his rhythm. I started to stroke him, needing to see him lose control.

"Let go, James." My words cut off into a groan as he came down harder on me.

"Yes," he rasped, going faster. The bed banged into the wall.

And then he was coming. My toes curled as his ass tightened around me, clenching, and then I shot up into him.

Afterward, once we were sated and in a post-orgasm haze, I held him to my chest and ran my fingers through his silky hair. He sighed and kissed my collarbone. Even though my body felt weightless and my eyes grew heavy, I didn't want to go to sleep. Not yet.

Holding James felt too amazing. Too right.

At the turn of midnight, James began to change. His already pale face became more so, reverting back to a ghostly shade, and the warmth of his skin turned chilly once more. I held him closer.

"I hate this," he whispered, hiding his face. His body flickered. "One day isn't nearly enough, Kendall."

"I enjoyed today," I said softly, tucking a finger under his chin and lifting his face up to mine. "But you know what else I enjoy? Just being with you. Period. Your skin might be colder now, but you're still the same guy I spent the day with."

"Yes, and now I'm confined to this prison once again."

"Seems to me like I'll just have to spice things up around here then," I said before pecking kisses on his cheek and down his neck.

I was elated when he started giggling.

"Spice things up how?" he asked, beaming with a smile.

"Well, we can start having movie nights here. Little date nights at home. And I can get you a computer. You can look things up, write, and even shop if you want."

"I can write?"

He really was a man after my own heart.

"Yep. Just say the word, and I'll buy you a laptop tomorrow. You might not be able to leave the property, but there are other ways to experience the world. We just have to get creative."

His hazel eyes softened, and he caressed my cheek. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"You should sleep. I kept you away from work all day, so I expect at least one chapter written tomorrow."

Chuckling, I lay back on the pillow and pulled him with me. "You my drill sergeant now?"

"No. If I was your drill sergeant, I'd scream in your face at five in the morning then make you do push-ups if you didn't get out of bed fast enough."

"Harsh."

"That's the Army for you."

I kept forgetting he'd been so close to being shipped overseas to fight in World War I. He was brave, kind, funny, and so goddamn perfect.

"James, I…"

I love you, was on the tip of my tongue. And god, how I loved him. But the words caught in my throat.

"What is it, darling?" he asked, his eyes closing.

"Goodnight," I said instead.

"Sweet dreams."

In all my years on earth, no other person had touched my heart like James did. I recalled the poem he'd quoted to Alex. "The rarest soul I ever knew." That's exactly how I felt about him.

I only hoped our ending would be a happy one.

XxX

The rain came down hard, hitting the window at an angle. The sound of it tapping on the glass added noise to the otherwise silent room. I sat at my desk, staring at the blinking cursor on my laptop. I'd been in my office for an hour and had only managed to write two paragraphs.

Cole, my main character, needed to make a decision, and I was having a hard time tapping into his mind. Maybe because mine was scattered.

I was distracted, which seemed to be a common occurrence with me lately. No matter how hard I tried to focus, my thoughts shifted to something else. James had chosen to read in the library instead of sitting in here and possibly distracting me further. The absence of him didn't help me, though.

Deep down, I knew the cause of my block.

The pressure.

So much was riding on this book. Two mediocre book releases prior to this one had me overthinking everything. Three strikes and you're out. The plot was solid, the characters were likable, and the romance-though slow building-had added a nice touch to an otherwise dark story.

But what if it had veered in the wrong direction? What if it would've been better to have Cole do this instead of that?

Grumbling, I dug my fingers into my temples and closed my eyes. They snapped open when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

The door opened and James walked in carrying a glass of water and a granola bar. I smiled. Ever since my episode where I'd blacked out, both he and Dak had made sure I'd stayed hydrated and ate regularly.

"Apologies for disturbing you," he said, placing the glass on the coaster. "I thought you might be hungry."

I rose to my feet and backed him up against the desk, brushing my lips across his throat. "I could certainly use a snack."

"Kendall." Holding my shoulders, James gently pushed me back. "You need to work. Stop pouting."

"Fine." I let my hands slide from his waist and plopped back down in the chair. "Words just aren't happening right now."

"Why? I thought you loved this tale."

"I do. I'm just doubting it now."

"Would you like me to read it?" he asked, leaning on my desk and crossing his arms. I stared at his rounded bicep. "My eyes are up here, Kendall."

"Huh?" I looked at him. "Oh. Um...I kinda don't like anyone to read it until I'm done."

"All right. I'll read it whenever you're ready for me to. Please don't forget you're an amazing writer. You wouldn't have films and television shows of your stories if they didn't deserve it. I believe in you."

Damn him for getting me choked up.

"Thanks."

"I'll leave you to it." James began walking away and I grabbed his arm. He turned with a half-smile. "Kendall."

"You can't walk away without kissing me first. It's like paying the toll to the troll under the bridge."

"And you're the troll?"

"Yup."

"You're insufferable."

"I know." I tilted my head as he came over and kissed me.

His presence had helped me, though. Once he left the room, an idea sparked for the next chapter and I began to write. Three hours passed before I looked up again. The rain had stopped, and the sun peeked through the clouds.

"Kendall?" James called from down the hall. "Someone's here."

I saved my work before leaving my office and going down the corridor that led to the parlor. The manor was kind of a maze with all the twists and turns, but I had memorized every inch of the place by now.

James' gaze was fixated on something outside. I joined him at the window and smiled when I saw the delivery truck.

"You can't look until I say you can," I said, looping an arm around him. "I might've gotten you a little something yesterday while we were in town."

His brows lifted. "A gift for me?"

"Yep." I swatted him on the ass. "Now go into the living room like a good boy and wait for me."

Instead, he disappeared. There one second and gone the next.

"James."

"Kendall," he whispered in my ear.

I jumped. I could hear him but not see him. "No peeking, James Isaac Diamond. I mean it!"

He chuckled from close by before I heard the creaking of the floorboards as he walked away.

Steps sounded on the porch before the doorbell rang. I opened the door to see two men on the other side.

"Mr. Knight?" one asked. "We have a delivery for you from Lizzie's Antiques."

"That's me."

I signed the delivery form, and then they carried in the chair. I told them to place it in the office beside the chair James normally sat in to read. I thanked them-and gave them a generous tip-before closing the door.

"You can come out now."

James appeared one foot away.

"Jesus!" I clutched my chest as my heart skidded to a stop.

He laughed and wrapped his arms around me. "I enjoy scaring you, Kendall. You have the most precious scream I've ever heard. Like a woman's."

"How nice of you to say so," I said with a deadpan expression. "Do you want to see your surprise now, or would you rather make fun of me some more?"

Grinning, he kissed the edge of my mouth. "My surprise, please. I promise I didn't peek."

Linking our fingers, I led him down the hall toward my office. I told him to close his eyes once we reached the doorway, and he obeyed. We walked across the room and over to his reading corner. The red chair had gold thread around the trim, and the seat was big enough to pull your legs up into.

The perfect bookworm spot

"Okay. Open them."

James opened his eyes and gasped. "It's the chair from the antique shop! Oh, Kendall." He threw his arms around me. "Thank you, darling."

His excitement made my throat tighten. I loved making him so happy.

"You're welcome," I said and pressed my lips to his cheek. "Happy Birthday."

"How did you know November first is my birthday?" he asked, smiling as tears welled in his hazel eyes.

"When I went to the library to research the manor, I saw your records."

"And you remembered." His chin trembled.

It hurt when I realized he'd been killed around his birthday, too. He went missing at the end of October. Just a few more days and he would've turned twenty.

"Your other gift won't be here until Monday."

"The computer?" he asked hopefully.

"I have to admit...it's fucking hot seeing you so excited about it."

James blushed and went over to sit in his new chair. He sighed and cuddled into the cushion. I handed him a book off the shelf, and he beamed as he took it and opened to the page he'd marked.

"If you'd rather have the chair in the library, we can move it," I suggested, hoping he wouldn't, though. I liked having him in here when I worked.

"No. It's perfect right where it is."

As he made use of his gift, I sat at my desk and continued working, glancing at him every so often. The sun streamed through the window, bouncing off his brunet hair, giving it a reddish tint and highlighting his flawless bone structure. I loved every single thing about him, from his smooth voice to the coolness of his touch. I even loved how his body flickered when he got too excited or emotional and his control slipped.

He gave me inspiration and encouraged me when doubt reared its ugly head. I suppose he was my muse.

My beautiful, ghostly muse who had captured my heart and breathed life back into me.

XxX

"Dude, there's a spider, like, right beside your hand."

I jerked my hand up, cringing when I saw the evil thing scurry away and disappear under a box. I made a mental note not to go anywhere near that area for the duration of our attic visit.

"Can we speed this up?" I asked, standing from the floor and dusting the dirt off my ass.

"Okay, you big baby," Dak said, shoving a small box into my hands. "Here you go. The letters and shit I was telling you about."

"Thanks. Let's go downstairs to sort through them."

Dak had called me earlier that Saturday. We'd talked on the phone and briefly hung out a bit since Halloween, but it hadn't been much. Over a week into November, and it had been too long since we'd been able to properly catch up. A lot had changed with me, and judging by the distant smiles he kept flashing, I suspected it was the same for him.

Had he seen his mystery guy again?

In the living room, I placed the box on the coffee table and opened the lid. There were stacks upon stacks of folded papers and cards.

"Sure did write a lot, didn't he?" Dak said, sliding onto the carpet and resting his arms on the table.

"Mmhm."

My interest in Alex's letters had mostly faded. Now that James and I were together, it felt like an even bigger violation of his privacy. However, a small part of me remained curious. James said the last day he saw Alex was when Lillian caught them kissing on the porch. When he returned home, that's when it happened.

Whatever it was; he still hadn't told me the rest of the story.

James had had a journal to help him cope with his life. What if Alex wrote letters to do the same.

Dak grabbed a stack and flipped through it. "Looks like poems."

"Let me see."

He handed me one of the pieces of paper and I scanned it. Nothing stood out at first. The poem described the beauty of night and showers of sunlight. Another line about music in the dark. It was in Alex's handwriting, but it read like the words belonged to someone else. My suspicion was proven true when I got to the last stanza.

But all remembered beauty is no more.

Than a vague prelude to the thought of you.

Alex had written the poem James shared with him. I looked at the next page. He'd written the same poem again, word for word. The one after it was the same.

"Do you think he liked that poem?" Dak asked, being a little smartass.

"It's the poem they talked about before Alex married Lillian," I explained, still flipping through the pages. They were wrinkled and worn, and some of them were so faded I couldn't read all of the text. But it was there, on every page. "I guess it was their goodbye in a way."

"That's sad." Dak set the papers aside and popped open a can of beer. "Why do you think he wrote it so many times?"

"Maybe he didn't know how to get his own thoughts down," I guessed, grabbing another stack.

Minutes ticked by as we read through the assortment of cards, letters, and repeated lines. My eyes began to itch from all the dust and I tossed the stack of poems on the table after having looked through them.

This is getting us nowhere.

"Oh!" Dak jolted, almost knocking over his beer but catching it in time. He then waved something in front of my face. "Looks like he eventually learned how to write his own shit. It's not addressed to anyone."

I took the page from him and started reading.

Days pass, and yet, I still think of you.

Wherever you are, I wonder if you still think of me too.

Days pass, and yet, and you're still gone.

I wonder if I'll ever see you again.

Days pass, and yet the pain won't leave me be.

I wonder if it will always hurt this much.

Days pass, and yet, my heart refuses to beat.

I wonder if perhaps I've died too.

A lump wedged in my throat. I re-read the last line, and each time the crack in my chest widened.

Alex knew James didn't leave him on purpose. Florence, the lady from the library, had said a close friend of James' stated George Diamond was the last person to see his son, and he'd also spoken of abuse in the household.

Alex knew James died. But he couldn't prove it.

"I can't imagine what he went through," I said, carefully placing the poem beside me on the couch. "His best friend goes missing just weeks before he has to leave for war. He returns over a year later to find James still missing. And the whole time, James was in the house. Trapped."

"He died without ever knowing the truth about James," Dak added, his expression grim. "He never knew what actually happened. I think that would kill me more than anything. The not knowing. He couldn't even properly grieve. There was never a body."

A body.

I got lightheaded all of a sudden and leaned against the couch, closing my eyes.

If George did kill James...what did he do with James' body? I hadn't considered that his body could still be on the property; buried in secret for all these years without anyone to mourn him. The reality of James' dark fate crashed into me more than it ever had. The man I made love to, the one whose smile lit up my world, had been dealt a shitty hand in life.

"Is it okay if I take these home?" I asked once I'd composed myself. "I think James should see it."

"Fine with me. I don't have a use for them."

I tucked the letters back inside the box and placed the lid on top. I hadn't read them all, but it wasn't my place to. They were Alex's feelings, his thoughts, and James should be the one to see them.

"Want a beer?" Dak asked. "I need another."

"Sure."

He hopped up and went into the kitchen. The fridge door opened and shut before Dak appeared again and tossed me a can.

"Thanks." I popped it open and took a swig. Beer was an acquired taste, and I'd definitely acquired it during my rebellious teen years. "You know, I drank more alcohol before I turned twenty-one than I did after."

"Nice. Didn't take you for the bad boy type, Ken."

"Nah, not a bad boy at all," I said with a light snort. "I was a total nerd. But I had a few buddies I'd go around town with and drink way too much. It's a miracle I never got alcohol poisoning." I smiled at the memory. "I spent my childhood in a small town, dreaming of bigger things. I wanted to go to New York, to make a name for myself. And I did."

"Look at you now." Dak got off the floor and sat beside me on the couch. "Back in a small town."

I certainly saw the irony.

"You never told me how the Halloween party went," I said before taking a bigger drink. "Did you see your vampire guy again?"

"Vampire guy?" Dak laughed. "I guess he does kind of look the part."

"You didn't answer the question."

Dak's cheeks flamed red and he chewed on his bottom lip. It wasn't like him to withhold information; usually I couldn't shut him up.

"Okay, I might've seen him," he answered in a rush. "And we might've had amazing sex at the party before coming back to my place and fucking all over my house."

As his words sunk in, I dropped my gaze to the couch. "Did you do it here?"

"Um...I'm not saying we didn't do it there. Like right in the spot you're sitting."

I'd never gotten to my feet so fast.

"Ah, come on, Ken. Don't be a prude. It's not like we got jizz all over the cushions or anything."

"Did he at least tell you his name this time?" I asked as I went into the kitchen to wash my hands.

Dak followed me and sat at the table, beer in hand. "He told me to call him Z."

"Z?" I dried my hands on a paper towel, facing him with complete skepticism. "That doesn't sound reassuring if the guy can't even give you his real name."

"I don't know, maybe he's...like, a spy or something," he said, running his hand through his hair. "Like he works for the government and he can't disclose his full name."

"So, a super-secret spy who works for the government and dresses like the vampire Lestat?"

"Stop calling him a vampire," Dak said, though he couldn't suppress a laugh. "The spy idea might be far fetched, okay? But it doesn't really matter. Maybe he likes to be called Z."

"Okay, no judging." I put my hands up and sat across from him. "Have you talked to Z since then?"

"No." His face fell. "I hate admitting it, but you're probably right. He gave me a bullshit name because he had no intention of seeing me again. I was just a fun time for the night. But whatever. That's all he was to me, too."

The hurt in his eyes said differently.

Dak seemed to have a habit of getting attached to people easily. First with me, and now with his Z guy. And Walter mentioned Dak hanging around his son, too. I wasn't judging by any means, but it would make a lot of sense as to why he reacted the way he did when I told him I just wanted to be friends.

"What are you thinking?" He asked. "Your forehead is all scrunched and shit."

"Walter Henderson stopped by the other day," I responded. "I caught him sneaking around my property. He asked a lot of questions."

Dak shook his head. "Freaking old man."

"Did you know he was such a homophobe?"

He stilled before averting his gaze to the window. "Yeah. Took a bit for me to see those colors, but once I did, I didn't come back around. All the work I did for him just to call me a freaking queer."

"He said something about you...and his son…"

"Rob and I hung out, yeah." With a sigh, he pushed back from the table and stood. "Okay, more than hung out. We were screwing. Rob's closeted, like majorly, or I guess he was. He knew Walter's stance and was afraid. But I opened my big mouth and told him to take charge of his own life. We had just fucked and I was in that sappy, hazy spell that comes after sex and I wasn't thinking clearly. Coming out should happen when you're ready."

"What happened?"

He anxiously combed his fingers through his hair. "The dude when to Walter's house and came out to him. I heard it was ugly. Real ugly. Rob is in the church, you know? A preacher. He's not one of those hypocrites, either. He says God loves all of us. Well, after news spread, Rob lost his position and he got mad at me for convincing him to come out. It was just a big mess."

"I'm sorry you had to deal with that," I said, an anchor dropping into my stomach. "He can't blame you for it, though. It's not like you forced him to come out or gave him ultimatums."

"I know. I think he just wanted someone to blame and I was the easy choice. It was more than sex with us." Dak's voice cracked. "He's the ex I told you about when you moved here."

"Where's he at now?"

"I don't know." Dak shrugged and a tear fell down his cheek. "I heard he moved to a new town. That happened months before you got here. I just hope that wherever he is, he's happy."

If Rob was closeted at this new place, I knew he wasn't happy. But I didn't say that. No sense in rubbing salt into Dak's open wound.

Not wanted to leave him on such a sad note, I stayed for a while longer. We cracked open more beers and watched a show called Paranormal Survivor where people shared their stories of living in haunted houses.

"Your house should be on there," Dak said, smirking. "But James isn't a bad spirit."

"Oh yeah?" I arched a brow. "Is that your way of saying you like him now?"

"Dude, I don't even know him." Dak kicked his legs up on the coffee table and crossed his arms. His lips twitched. "Okay, maybe he's not so bad. And he makes you happy. It's only been about a week since we've hung out like this, and you already seem like a new person. As weird as it is, you and James are good for each other."

"Good to know," I said, smiling.

I didn't realize until then how much I needed Dak's approval. Anyone else's opinion meant nothing, but having my friend's support felt like a massive weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

James was in his chair when I returned home hours later. I poked my head in and saw him engrossed in a book, his brow drawn tight and his mouth parted. His new laptop was beside him on the table with the lamp.

It had taken him a little while to learn how to use the computer. He still struggled a bit, but he was getting better. He liked researching places like Greece and Scotland, and he had downloaded the Netflix app to watch documentaries and movies while I slept.

"Hey, you," I said, approaching him.

"Kendall. You're home." The way his face lit up when seeing me did crazy things to my heart. "I was just about to mark my place in the book and begin cooking dinner."

"I missed you." I dropped to my knees in front of his chair and slid my arms around his waist, breathing in his lavender scent.

"You were only gone for five hours." It felt like he kissed my hair. "I finished the cave documentary series and started another of your books."

"Which one?" He'd read most of them already.

"Murder in Scottsville."

"Oh, God."

"Stop," he said, chuckling. "It's very good, actually. A different tone than what I'm used to reading from you, but the serial killer angle is quite intriguing. What do you have there?"

I sat back a little and held the box out to him. "Alex's letters. Dak and I found them in the attic and I read through some. But I stopped when I found…" I struggled with what to say. "Just take a look at them if you want. They're for you."

James stared at the box. "Alex wrote to me?"

I nodded. The nerves coiling in my gut made me feel a little sick.

What if reading the letters pushed James away from me? Would it make James miss Alex too much, and therefore, not want to be with me anymore?

"Kendall, you're shaking."

"I'm going to start dinner." I quickly got to my feet and stepped back from him.

"I can cook for you."

"No, no. It's fine. Meet me downstairs when you're ready."

Leaving the room in a hurry, I headed for the kitchen. However, I was in no mood to eat. Not when James was about to open that damn box and read the heartache-filled words Alex wrote. They'd been so in love. Inseparable.

Who the hell was I to think I could live up to that?

James said he felt deeply for me, but I wasn't Alex, the boy he'd eaten blackberries with and snuck kisses to out of sight from everyone. The boy who'd finally given him wings to fly that night in the junkyard as they'd spun around together in circles, gazes locked and hearts beating wildly.

I was just Kendall.

Done! So, a pretty eventful chapter.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!

Again, I hope you all enjoyed and that you all are staying safe and having a great weekend! The next chapter will pick up where this one left off and should be up within the next few days, Wednesday at the latest.

Until then!

-Epically Obsessed