Faith
Fourteen years ago…
I sit on the weathered log Easton and I put here next to the old, run-down barn while I wait for him to arrive. I inhale the fresh, cold air, and my breath creates small clouds as I exhale through my mouth. I love watching the smoke swirl around as if it were magic. I’m sure there’s a scientific reason for our breath to show as smoke when the weather is cold, and I’m pretty sure they taught it to us at some point in school, but I can’t remember.
I look out at the mountains and smile at the view that is unique to Everton. Snow still caps the peaks of those rocky, monstrous forms, and miles and miles of land spread before me, allowing me to take in the peace that floats in the air.
The rough bark digs into my hands as I look around when I hear crunching tires and a loud engine approaching. I smile as I watch Easton swing his leg over his bike and walk toward me, exposing his handsome face as he removes his helmet.
He found that old motorcycle in his dad’s garage and has spent a year working on it. Sometimes I help him… As in, I hand him whatever tool he points to and watch him as he works.
“You’re already here,” Easton comments as he takes a seat next to me and kisses my cheek.
“Yeah…” I sigh. “I wanted to take my time walking out here, so I left my house earlier than usual.” We’re both quiet for a moment, each of us staring off at the land before us—the land of our ancestors.
Easton and I found this abandoned barn one afternoon when he took me for a ride on his bike. It was the first time he got it to run, and he picked me up at home and started riding with no direction. We weren’t far from this barn when the motorcycle started sputtering and the engine heated up. Each of us took a side and walked the bike until we found this spot and stopped to rest.
Ever since then, it’s been our meeting place. Where we can come and talk without Easton being called to finish a chore on his dad’s ranch or our families interrupting us.
Easton grabs my hand, and I turn to look at him. I furrow my eyebrows when I see his frown and sad eyes.
“What’s wrong?” My heart drums in the base of my throat.
He squeezes my hand and offers a small smile, but it doesn’t take away the sadness around him.
“We’re moving.” He spits out the words as if they burned his tongue.
“What? To another ranch?” My eyebrows rise. Easton’s family lives on the same ranch his grandparents used to, and his great-grandparents before them. I never thought his dad would want to move to a different ranch.
“No,” he shakes his head. “We’re leaving Everton.”
I lean back, my heart pounding against my ribs, and I blink rapidly. “What do you mean?” Shallow breaths lift and drop my chest.
“My mom got a job at the University of Virginia, and it’s too good of an opportunity to pass up.”
Easton speaks, but all I hear is a swooshing sound hitting my ears. He’s leaving Everton? How? When?
“Are you listening, Faith?” He rocks me softly. I blink my eyes and look up at him.
“What?” I shake my head and focus on him.
“We leave at the end of the month. She has to start right away before the first summer session begins, and they start before we finish our classes here. We’re leaving,” he resigns, dropping his head.
“You’re moving across the country? But what about the ranch?” It’s a stupid question. As if that would hold them back. Everton doesn’t have any universities. The closest is hours away. Working at a big one like Virginia is a dream opportunity for his mom, who has a doctorate degree and works the ranch with her husband.
“We’re selling,” Easton whispers. His eyebrows pinch together, and his gorgeous green eyes look up at me like a sad puppy.
“We were supposed to go to college together. Be together. Now…” I swallow the lump in my throat. Now, we won’t live out any of the plans we made for our future. We may only be teens, but I have no doubt that Easton is the man I’ll marry someday. Well, that’s what I believed until now.
“I know.” He shifts and holds both of my hands. “We can still do that. We’ll email, and I’ll apply to the University of Wyoming. I’ll live away for a year and a half and then move back. It’s possible.” He speaks as if it were the easiest solution, and I want to believe him. However, I know once he moves, he’ll make a new life, new friends, and possibly a new girlfriend. Silent tears trail down my face, and he wipes them away before they fall on my lap.
“Don’t cry.” Easton hugs me. “We’ll make it work. I promise.”
I wrap my arms around him, holding on to his promise as if that will make a difference. As much as I want to believe the odds are in our favor, I know that right now, they’re against us.
“I begged them to let me stay with my aunt and uncle, but they refused. My parents said we’re a family, and where one goes, we all go.” His body slumps, and it’s my turn to hold him.
“You’ll come back?” I look up at him through wet lashes.
“I promise.” He kisses my lips before pulling out his pocket knife.
Easton turns to the barn wall behind us and carves out, Faith + Easton 4ever.
“There. Now we’re permanent.” He smiles as he looks at me. “You won’t forget about me, right?” The crease between his eyebrows deepens.
“Are you kidding me? Of course not. I think you’ll forget about me.”
“How could I forget you? You’re my first girlfriend. Unless you want to count Mary from preschool.” I giggle at his comment. “Honestly, Faith, we may be young, but I know that I love you. You don’t forget that easily.”
A soft smile relaxes my face. “I want to…be your first…you know,” I nod my head. “Before you move.”
Easton nods and kisses me, his tongue sliding into my mouth. I sigh into him and kiss him back. We’ve spent hours kissing and doing other stuff, but we still haven’t given each other our virginity. And I want him to have that, even if I have no idea what will happen once he moves.
Faith
Present Day…
“What you’re saying is that he was not a great catch?” Poppy, one of my best friends, asks while we talk on the phone.
“No. Not even an okay catch. He wasn’t a catch, period.” I tell her about another unsuccessful date I had last night. I’m running out of prospects in this town and the one over. Our single-guy supply is limited, and I feel as if lately I’ve gone through all the promising ones. I’m not a serial dater or anything, but if a cute guy asks me out, I might as well say yes. It’s not like I’ll be running to the altar anytime soon.
“What was wrong with him?” Averly, another best friend, pipes in, her voice dripping with skepticism. Why did I agree to a group call?
“It just didn’t feel right. And… He spoke with his mouth full.”
“I do that,” Poppy admits and then tries to backpedal. “Well, not always, but if something is really good, I’m going to say it, usually before I swallow,” she defends her outburst.
I shake my head because only Poppy could say that and make it sound charming. “Anyway, it was okay. We didn’t really spark any…you know, fireworks.”