Dear Diary,

Well, it was nice while it lasted, but he knows, so I had to end it. Life sucks.

Mackenzie

Connor

It took staying up all night, listening to music and wracking my brain, but I finally came up with exactly how to prove to her I’m not leaving, and we’ll fight this together.

Now I just need her to talk to me.

I text her a few times this morning, with simple things like please talk to me and let me be there for you, but no answer yet.

I called on my lunch break, but she let it go to voicemail:

Mackenzie, it’s me. I’ll be at your house around eight. Please, for us, come out with me.

Even though she doesn’t respond, I knock on her door at eight. Thankfully, she opens it, purse in her hand, and closes it quickly behind her.

“Sorry, I don’t want my roommates to know,” she whispers.

I reach for her hand. “Hi there.” I smile, acting like nothing is wrong, and we’re back to where we were two days ago.

Her shoulders drop. “Hi.”

“Come with me. I have something to show you.” I intertwine my hand in hers and lead her down the hall.

Once our seatbelts are buckled, I pull away from the curb.

She turns to me. “Connor, please just get it over with. What do you want to talk to me about?”

“I don’t want to talk. Be patient.”

She looks out the passenger window. “Stop acting like nothing’s wrong,” she states in a barely audible whisper as she wipes a tear that slipped from her eye.

My hand reaches for her again. “I’m not. I’m just not making our night solely about that. I want this. Sick or not. Not everything has to be about that.”

“Before, I didn’t have to worry about anything. I didn’t have to wonder if you were being nice because you wanted to or because you felt bad for me. Now that’s all I think about. It’s not that easy,” she huffs.

“Yes, it is.”

I continue to hold her hand as I drive onto Highway 101 toward the airport. I take the exit after the airport and turn onto a dirt road. There’s all kinds of Do Not Enter and Authorized Personal Only signs, but I drive right past them.

“Where are you going? I don’t think we're allowed here.”

I shrug. “We aren’t.”

“But, Connor?” she panics.

“It will be worth it. I’ve always wanted to come out here. I hear people do it all the time. Just wait.”

I park facing the runways, in what I hope is a good spot, getting out and opening her door.

She’s not sure if she should get out of the car. I grin, holding out my hand, hoping she’ll put her faith in me.

“Won’t we get in trouble?” she says, finally placing her hand in mine.

“It’ll be fine.”

I help her out and take a blanket from the backseat. “We can sit on the trunk.”

She looks at me like I’m crazy. “Why?” The wind picks up, and she wraps her arms around herself.

I open the blanket, place it around her shoulders, and pull her into a hug. “For that.” I point to where the lights of a plane race toward us and lift off a few hundred yards away before flying directly over us.

I yell at the top of my lungs, celebrating the rush of watching all that weight get airborne.

Mackenzie screams too. “Holy shit. That’s nuts!”

“Now do you see why people come out here? Sit down before the next one takes off.”

She lets me lift her up on the trunk, and I take my place beside her. When she opens the blanket wide, sharing it with me, I know I’m on the right track. I brought her, not only because it would be cool, but also because it’s not a place we can talk.

The noise can be deafening at times, and I hope it will help us break this barrier she put up, showing her we can be together and not have the entire focus on her being sick.

When the next plane takes off, we scream at the top of our lungs, feeling the release our relationship needs deep into our toes. It’s perfect. It’s exactly what we need, and I can see her walls slowly breaking down.

I grasp her hand in mine, wanting to lean over to kiss her, and notice blue lights shine through the darkness. Her eyes widen, and I sense her panic.

“Oh, shit,” I jump off the back of the car and help her down. “Time to go.”

I grab the blanket, and we rush to our doors, then hear over a loudspeaker, “Stop right there.”

We freeze and look at each other over the roof of my car. Her face is whiter than I’ve ever seen, and I’m not sure if I should laugh or worry. I hope she’s not pissed at me.

“Turn toward me and slowly walk over here with your hands in the air,” I hear over the speaker, and we move toward the flashing blue lights.

“Stop there. Now turn around.”

My eyebrows shoot up when I realize how serious this is.

A man approaches behind me and places my wrists in handcuffs before yanking me to the cop car and pushing my head down before almost throwing me in the backseat.

He spares Mackenzie and has her head to the car with her hands clasped in front of her instead of in back. He opens the door, asking her to sit inside, then drills us for info.

“What in the hell do you guys think you’re doing? Did you not see the signs?” he asks, obviously frustrated.

“Officer, this is my fault,” I say, but he stops me.

“Not from you. I want to hear it from her. I can only imagine what you thought you were going to do here.”

I have to stop the laugh I want to spit out. I’m shocked he would go there.

“Officer, I swear we meant no harm. We just wanted to watch the planes take off,” she says.

“I’ll need identification from both of you,” he states, annoyed.

“Mine’s in the car,” Mackenzie responds.

“Mine too,” I say.

“Stay here.” He motions for her to lift her legs into the car and shuts the door.

“Connor, oh my god. What are we going to do?”

“You’re not cuffed. You should make a run for it, see if you can get away. I’ll go down for this.”

“Run for it? We could get in so much trouble. Are you crazy?”

“Crazy about you.” I smile, winking at her.

“What?”

I turn to face her as much as I can with these handcuffs on. “I mean it. I’m in love with you. I knew that first night at the club you were different, but I tried to ignore it. That’s why I left my parents’ house. I didn't want to believe it was you, because I couldn’t get you out of my head.”

Her face brightens and her eyes start to well, but she blinks the tears away.

“Every minute I’ve spent with you has pushed me further and further over the edge. I may not have fallen in love with you in the back of a cop car like the song said, but I wanted to tell you the first time this way.”

“Oh my—what?”

The biggest grin I’ve ever had shines through the flashing blue lights when Aaron, a buddy of mine, opens the door.

“We all good in here?” he asks, trying to hide a smile.

Mackenzie looks at Aaron, then back at me. “What? How?” She laughs and covers her mouth in shock. “Are you serious?”

I chuckle at how cute she is. “Mackenzie, meet Aaron. Aaron, this is my girl, Mackenzie.”

“Shut up!” she yells in surprise.

“I told you. It’s not about your sickness. This is about living. I wanted to show you how much I care. I may not be a rock star, writing a song for you, but I can surely relive one. You told me I was your fantasy growing up. So let me be your fantasy now.”

Tears spill from her eyes as she places my head between her hands and kisses me.

“I mean it, Kenzie. I’ve fallen in love with you,” I whisper.

“I’ve always loved you.” Her lips softly touch mine again.

“Okay. Um, Aaron, how about we get these handcuffs off me now so I can hug my girl?” I tease.

Aaron unlocks my wrists, and I waste no time wrapping my arms around her. Kissing her like I want to everyday for as long as I can.