There's only ten more days until the first day of school, and Gray is hanging onto the front of our shopping cart, blocking my view from the wide array of school supplies filling the shelves. I ask him to get off, afraid he'll break the shopping cart, but he just sticks out his tongue at me like a stubborn toddler. In retaliation, I take a sharp turn into the nearest aisle, forcing Gray to jump off before tumbling to the floor. He punches me in the shoulder playfully, and I roll my eyes at the goofy, adorable smile on his face. Gray seems much better than he was the other day, and I'm glad I dragged him out of the house. As we walk down the aisles, our bodies inches apart, my heart maintains a steady calm, reminding me that I'm at peace with Gray by my side.

The store is busy, full of bubbly children dragging their tired parents along. Everyone is in a rush to buy school supplies before the first day of school. I can sense the anxiety of the two doe-eyed cashiers working the checkout line, terrified to help the heated parents who are bound to complain about mark-ups and expired coupons.

Meanwhile, Gray and I fill our shopping cart with cute pens, neon highlighters, and more. When I reach up to grab something from the top shelf, my shirt lifts up over my waist and Gray wraps his fingers around the exposed skin, tickling my abdomen and making me giggle. In retaliation, I turn around and run my fingers under his shirt, trailing them up and down the skin on his back. He shivers in my arms, laughing uncontrollably in the middle of the paper aisle, alarming passerby.

After our tickle fight, I turn my attention back to shopping.

"How many binders do you need?" I ask, grabbing a different color for each of my classes. I have a pretty simple line up this year. I'm not taking any AP classes, but I did sign up for honors English. Gray thinks it'll be good for me to challenge myself, especially since I enjoy writing poems and reading novels, while still maintaining a relatively easy schedule. I'm in a good place right now, and Gray and I are at a high-point in our relationship. I'd hate to ruin that with hours of demanding homework.

As for Gray, he can score all As in every AP class without fretting. I admire his astounding intelligence. It makes him more beautiful, if that's even possible.

Answering my question, Gray grabs six different colored binders for each of his classes. Watching him put the binders in our shopping cart, I realize that this is the last time Gray will ever have to buy school supplies for high school. He's going to be a senior, and I'm going to be stuck in junior year with the same people who I've known for years. I'll spend my time counting down the minutes until lunch and after school, the moments when Gray and I can finally be together.

I try not to think of what our situation will be like a year from now, when it'll be my last time buying school supplies for high school and Gray will likely be prepping for college. Perhaps he can study at UC Santa Barbara. The campus is absolutely gorgeous and situated right on the glistening beach. Then we wouldn't have to be separated for a year while I finish up high school. Yet I know Gray's heart is stuck in New York City. I don't want to spend a year apart from Gray, but I also don't want to keep him in California against his wishes.

At least we'll have a year together before he graduates. I'll try to focus on that.

After grabbing our binders, Gray and I pick up the rest of our school supplies and make our way over to the checkout line, which is slowly growing. On our way over, Gray laces his fingers through mine and pulls me close, sending tingles up my hand and electrifying my heart with a sudden jolt. Every single touch we share still feels spectacular.

"You think we have everything?" Gray asks, biting his lip as he stares into the shopping cart, avoiding eye contact with me, too obsessed with my beautiful brown eyes to look at them and not kiss me. He's trying his best to restrain himself, and I amuse him by kissing his cheek.

"I don't know," I whisper softly in his ear, and that's when Gray realizes that I'm not talking about school supplies.

With the blink of an eye, Gray turns toward me and presses his lips up against mine before swiftly pulling away, a translucent trail of saliva drifting away from my quivering red mouth. I look into Gray's sparkling emerald eyes and he flashes me a quick wink before swinging our shopping cart toward the cashier. My mouth is aghast, shocked at Gray's horrendous teasing.

I can't wait to take him home.

***

Gray's parents aren't home when we return. They've slipped away to Palm Springs for a weekend anniversary trip, which gives us plenty of time to ourselves. Of course, my house is almost always free. Except, I'd rather not spend time there. There's too many phantom memories threatening to creep out from the chipping paint to haunt us.

Gray fumbles with the key, his fingers trembling as he tries to fit it into the keyhole. A nervousness consumes his veins every time he returns home, the sense of emptiness lingering. He knows that nobody is waiting to greet him on the other side of the door, not anymore. It'll take years before that feeling of loss dissipates. Gray grew up coming home to Tessa's precious smiling face, her long pink tongue licking at his feet and begging for somebody to cuddle or play tug-a-war with.

It's important that I'm here with Gray whenever he arrives home. Some times are easier than others. We had a good day today, amusing ourselves at the store and singing Lady Gaga on the car ride home, the first time since Tessa's death. Gray's beginning to heal, but moments like returning to an empty home are still tender.

Pulling him away from the entryway, I take his hand and lead him upstairs. We settle on the bedroom floor, laying out all the school supplies. To keep his mind from dwelling on the sadness, I pull out my phone and queue up some music.

"Where'd we leave off on Gaga?" Gray asks with a little chuckle, organizing the school supplies into neat little piles.

"A Star is Born. Shall we blast it for the neighbors to hear?"

"Why not?" Gray proclaims with a smirk.

We never finished watching A Star is Born the first time Gray tried to show it to me, but I watched it on my own and it brought me to tears. It wasn't just Lady Gaga's riveting vocals that left me speechless, but also the fantastic chemistry between Ally and Jack. Their love was hauntingly beautiful, an infinite bond one could only dream of. I can't believe I finally have that kind of bond, and I hope it never breaks.

"Always Remember Us This Way" plays first, our favorite song from the movie. We've sung it on numerous occasions. Whenever Gray and I are apart, I play the first few lines of the song and sing along, and it almost feels like Gray's holding me in his arms. Our relationship immortalized with a song, reminding me of the way our unlikely friendship became an unimaginable love affair.

The sun begins to descend over the horizon, its tangerine rays bleeding into the room like a blazing wildfire. Gray's green eyes take on an extraordinary hazel hue in this light, and I can't help but reach my hand out to caress his cheek, gently pulling at his scruffy blond chin so that his eyes lock with mine. A rosy color overcomes his face, transfigured by my touch. He looks radiant, an incandescent desire rising in his burning eyes, and I want to taste his bubblegum lips.

"When you kissed me in the store..."

"Yeah?" Gray responds.

"...You made me feel like I belong; like we belong."

Without another word, I reach forward and press my lips against Gray's. The soft touch quickly turns into a rushed passion. I'm desperate to feel Gray's body against mine. With his strong arms wrapped around my waist, Gray pulls me toward him, looping his legs behind my back. Gray's tongue lingers on my lips and I invite him inside. Our tongues interlock before I crawl on top of him, the organized piles of school supplies spilling into disarray as Gray's body collapses to the floor. My hot, inviting fingers trail down and reach under Gray's thin tee and caress his abs. His chilling skin ignites to the touch of my warm hands playing with his wispy happy trail. Gray's head arches back with reckless abandon as he steadily grinds into me. Consumed with desire, I slip off my tee and let it fall to the floor. Gray props himself up on his elbows, allowing me to reach my hands behind his back and bundle the loose fabric of his tee in my hands. With his hands raised, I pull the tee off in one swift motion.

Hastily, Gray takes me in his muscular grasp and lifts me from the floor. To steady myself, I wrap my legs around his torso, my toes curling as he caresses my ass and carries me to the bed. He sits down on the covers, letting me rest on top of him. We make out, our lips pulling apart every so often to gasp for air. When our kisses start to drag on, Gray trails his lips down my neck and toward my nipples, nibbling at the sensitive skin, eliciting a low groan that erupts from deep within my chest. I run my hands through his velvety smooth hair, tangling my fingers in the long blond locks.

Ready for more, I sit up and motion my seductive brown eyes to Gray's shorts. He gulps before unbuttoning them and pulling them off along with his boxer briefs. Meanwhile, I unbutton my own shorts and let them fall to the ground with my boxer briefs, the two of us naked in the auburn glow of the sultry summer evening. For a moment, nerves overcome me. This isn't the first time we've been naked around each other, but, in the afternoon light, Gray's able to see all my flaws and imperfections clearly. The dozens of freckles on my chest, the unkempt black curly hair across my abdomen, and the blotches of red dotting my pale skin. Yet Gray merely smiles, and I'm reminded that he adores every aspect of me. All my imperfections are beautiful to him. I'm Gray's muse, forever immortalized in his photographs.

Illuminated, I open the drawer of Gray's nightstand and grab the lube, handing it to him. Gray takes it and beckons me closer. I draw in a deep breath, remembering that it's been a while since we've done this last.

"Are you alright?" Gray asks, rubbing his fingers against my arm to soothe me. My anxiety dissipates from his touch and I nod my head eagerly before moving toward him. Gray smirks and slowly dips his lubricated fingers inside me, the pressure piercing me with a burning affliction that soon dissipates, replaced by a wave of sudden pleasure.

Once I'm ready, Gray brings me to his lap and envelops me in his arms. My legs, wrapped around Gray's waist, rub against his back with anticipation. Slowly, I ease myself onto him until his tip is inside me. I gasp from the intense pressure building up in my abdomen, astounded by the feeling of our bodies linking together.

To ease the pain, Gray looks up at me, and I plant soft kisses on his lips while he buries deeper into me. I suck on his bottom lip, turning the bubblegum pink shade to a shadowy fuchsia. My teeth bite down on Gray's magenta rim, bringing his body upright. The jolt draws him all the way inside me. Unable to restrain myself, I cry out. The initial soreness subsides and my vision blurs from ecstasy. With a muddled moan, my body opens to him completely. Electricity prickles off of Gray's rigid body as he begins thrusting into me, our chests so close that I can hear both our hearts beating in complete unison, intertwined by the never-ending beat of our love.

***

Afterward, Gray and I sink into the cool sheets, our bodies covered in glistening sweat. I rest my head on Gray's heaving chest and he twirls his fingers through my unruly black curls. My body feels on fire, an uncontrollable sensation that engulfs me like Gray's steadfast arm wrapped around my shoulders.

"Do you think things will be the same after school starts?" I ask, wishing the summer could last forever.

Gray sits up, prompting me to move across the bed. The two of us are facing each other, and Gray's lips curl downward, a perplexed gaze in his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, with school and shit, we won't have time to do this all the time."

"Just because school gives us less time to have sex doesn't mean I'll love you any less. If I could only hold your hand for the rest of eternity, I'd still consider myself the luckiest man alive."

I blush at Gray's remark, nodding and shedding a tear as the boy I call mine tackles me, our bodies sinking into the smooth, glossy sheets. Gray rubs his nose against mine, causing me to giggle, before planting a delicate kiss on my forehead.

As we cuddle each other in the shadow of the descending sun, I realize that nothing in this world can ever break our bond.