Come Back To Me (chapters 1-9) by Paige569 (top 100 books of all time checklist .txt) 📖

when life was good and within hours, he was coming home.

I got out of bed and pulled back the drapes from my window, letting the light fill the room.

Stepping in front of my dresser, I looked in the mirror good and hard. My hair was long and curled at the ends, like it always had, but my face was different. It was no longer as freckled as it once had been and my cheek bones were more defined, pleasantly affecting my looks. My eyes were still the same shade of light murky green, like a swamp of moss covered water beneath my long lashes. If there was one thing I liked about myself, it was my eyes. They were my best feature and reminded me of someone who would live to tell stories.

I was grown up and it showed and not only with my looks, my body also changed. I wasn't as boney, but filled out and looked more like a women then the sixteen year old girl he left behind.

I let out a heavy sigh and brushed my hair up into a pony tail, before walking over to my closet and deciding what to put on.

What to you wear to the reunion with the love of your life, a sun dress, shorts, or maybe something casual that didn't give away what this reunion really meant?

Yes, something casual seemed to be the safest choice. If I went down there in my prom dress, people might think something was up and that I was a little over dressed for the small occasion.

I had never told anyone about my feelings for Dylan. My mom and dad thought we were like siblings and so did his. My older sister Rachel and I had never been close and when we were younger she probably would have teased me till the end about it, if I had ever told her.

Rachel barely ever came home anyway, she was the rebel child and though she was only twenty four, she has lived in Los Angeles, Miami, Denver, and was currently staying up in Boston. She never got along with my mom, but as for my dad; well he was hard not to get along with. Always simple minded and never thought too much into anything. A real pleasant, content person if you asked me.

"Kate, are you coming down anytime today?" my mom shouted up to me. I could picture her now at the bottom of the stairs with her hands on her hips and breakfast cooking in the kitchen.

"Coming!" I yelled back, slipping a white v-neck t-shirt over my head and a pair of denim skinny jeans up to my waste before clasping a long silver pendant around my neck. It had been a gift from Dylan for my sixteenth birthday and held a picture of me and him the year we went to homecoming.

Tucking it under my shirt I let my hair fall loosely down my back and ran down stairs to my already impatient mother.

"Good morning," I said happily, my voice practically singing with excitement.

"Well good morning sugar," said my dad who was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee and the sport section of the paper sprawled out in front of him.

"Good morning pops," I said kissing his cheek.

"Mom," I said standing beside her at the store and giving her a similar peck.

"About time you came down, you know we have a busy day planed, were helping the Walsh's get ready for Dylan's arrival." She mildly scolded. I say mildly because she was still smiling. My mom might be impatient and liked everything perfect, but she was usually rather perky.

"Well, here I am so what's the plan again?" I asked, already knowing my duties for today. I just wanted to be reassured that it was really happening.

"Your father and I are going to be stopping by the Baker's and picking up Jared and Dave, and you my dear are staying at the Walsh's and finishing up the decorations while they go to the airport to pick him up." She said full business mode. Mother always did like her agendas.

"Okay, got it," I said with a grin.

Jared and Dave were Dylan's old friends from school and I really hadn't seen them since high school. I had only been back a month though and hadn't really gone looking for old acquaintances yet.

A few hours later and after helping my mom make her famous roast and bring it over to the Walsh's, it was almost time. I had been blowing up balloons and sprinkling confetti for a while now and decided I better take a quick shower and change into something a little nicer before they got here. I walked next store to my house and stopped when I got to the tree.

The tree house still looked strong and sturdy.

Please, I thought to myself. Please let tonight go well.

I slipped on a simple black dress that was tight around the chest and then draped out, cutting off right above the knees. It was cute, simple and nothing too dramatic. Just as i was pinning my hair out of my face, I heard the rev of the engine pull up the driveway and the lights glare across my window.

They were here. He was here, outside, right now at this very moment Dylan was here.

I dropped the hair pins and raced down the stairs nearly tripping over the rug across our living room and ran outside. For god sakes I hadn't even put any shoes on, but I didn't care. I only wanted to see his face and feel his arms wrapped around my shoulders and across my back.

"Thanks dad, but I could carry it."

His voice, he was so close and if I could just make it across this overly large yard, why was it so big?

I spun around the hedges that separated our houses and finally I saw the back of his head, or I thought it was.

The man standing with his back to me had a short prim hair cut and was wearing a suite. Nothing like my Dylan would have ever worn, but I was after all wearing a dress so really we were both out of our comfort zones.

My breathing was ragged, I had run all the way over here and probably looked like a mess, but it didn't matter.

"Dylan!" I squealed joyously and nearly shouting at the top of my lungs.

His body froze at the sound of my voice and I knew then that yes, the tailored suited man was him.

My Dylan all grown up.

When he turned around my heart swelled a thousand times.

Was it possible he had gotten more handsome since the last time I had seen him?
Was it possible that he could have aged with such perfection and that his eyes were no longer warm, but a smoldering pit of fire that burned my skin in the most fantastic of ways?

He smiled back at me and if you could believe it, yes it was dazzling and my knees nearly turned to jelly. I wanted to cry, dance, laugh, and do a thousand other different things I was so happy, happy that he was here and standing right before me in the flesh.

"Little Kate," he said with a grin before walking over to me.

The same smile filled his face, before faltering for the tiniest second and then quickly hidden again. It was almost an apprehensive look that confused me and confirmed my suspicions. He had after all called me 'Little Kate.'

Over by the car I saw his mother and father talking to someone. Did he bring home one of his college friends, I wondered?

"Dylan, "I breathed, "I...I missed you," I stammered before jumping into his arms.

My heart was drumming against my chest and he hesitantly circled his arms around my torso.

What was going on? This wasn't how I had pictured it at all.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" I asked with watery eyes as I stared back at his complex expression.

"Of course I am Katie, 'I hadn't been called Katie in years. He ran a hand over the back of my head and kissed my temple before looking at me strangely, "there's someone I want you to meet," he said uncertainly.

I looked at him confused and he quickly looked away with a shaky breath.

That's when I saw her.

Stepping out of the car, with the help of his father's hand, was her. I didn't know her name, not yet, but I bet it was something as beautiful as she was, like Fiona or Valerie.

Her legs were longer than anything I had ever seen and her golden locks shined beautifully beneath the pitiful flickering garage light, and her lips, her lips were pouty in a way that only made her look utterly sexy like a run way model right off the cat walk and staring in my direction.

Nothing could have prepared me for this and I swear I could actually feel my heart ripping apart.

"This is Vanessa," he met my eyes and I tried hard to hide the anguish brimming behind them with a sadness that ran so deep into my bones I thought I might crumble in front of him, "My fiancé."

Right then, in that moment was when my heart stopped bothering to rip in half. It wasted no time and went straight to the point; exploding into a million pieces leaving me feeling hallow.

Hold it together, breathe.

I wanted to crawl away and hide until this indescribable pain was gone.

I clutched my hand across my abdomen and smiled weakly.

"Oh, I...," I couldn't speak and the few words that did escape were barely a whisper.

"Katie, I wanted to tell you differently, but..."

I shook my head and smiled pathetically.

He felt sorry for me.

I could see it on his face and it was the most horrible thing to witness. I was glad we were a safe distance away from his house and that it was so dim where we stood, that no one could see the mask of hurt I wore.

I just needed to get through tonight, just tonight and then I would leave.

"Oh Little Kate!" Vanessa's voice chimed through the air and hit me like a ton of ice, " so you're the famous one I'm always hearing about," she said scurrying over and holding out here hand to mine.

I stared at her blankly, I didn't want to touch her, I couldn't.

She stood there for what seemed like forever until withdrawing her hand, her smile wavering as she looked at me with her brows creased together in confusion.

She then looped her arm around Dylan's and I couldn't take my eyes off that small gesture.

"I...I have to go, I'll see you inside." I somehow managed to choke out.

I felt like I was drowning in my own pool of grief as I ushered past them and into the house to the second story bathroom.

I was numb, completely utterly numb and it was the most vacant feeling I had ever experienced.

Breathe Kate, just breathe.

The harder I told myself to do just that, the thicker