Page 159 of Dream On, Ramona Riley

“Dylan?”

At the sound of her name, she didn’t react. Not right away. There were so many people out here, someone might have recognized her despite her best efforts. Best to ignore it. Still, those two syllables sent her stomach fluttering. And then…

“Dylan.”

Not a question.

A statement. Wrapped in a soft, familiar voice.

She straightened, turned just a little, just enough to see her.

Ramona.

She stood about five feet away. Her hair was loose and wavy, bangs a little longer than the last time Dylan had seen her, sweeping over her forehead.

She wore a cherry-print T-shirt.

“Hi,” Dylan said.

“Hi,” Ramona said. She folded her hands in front of her.

“You’re here,” Dylan said.

Ramona’s chest lifted with a deep breath. “I am.”

Dylan took a tentative step toward her. “I was starting to think it wasn’t meant to be.”

Ramona didn’t refute it, she simply tilted her head, her eyes liquid and deep brown. “You really came here every night for the last four nights?”

“Five, if you count tonight,” Dylan said.

Ramona shook her head, looked down, her lower lip trembling. Dylan let her have a minute. She needed one herself, because for all her dreaming of this very moment, she had no idea what came next, how to tell Ramona everything in her heart.

But then suddenly, she did. And the next step was so simple, so perfect. So right.

“Ramona,” she said. Another step.

Ramona looked up, her eyes shiny.

“I’m so sorry,” Dylan said. One more step, and she was right in front of Ramona, close enough to touch. She didn’t though. Didn’t dare. She hadn’t earned that privilege yet. “I’m so, so sorry for everything. I should’ve told you what my publicity team wanted. I should’ve told you that I’d agreed to it. But I swear on every single weird mushroom that resembles a brain on the entire earth”—Ramona cracked a smile, but it was small and fragile—“Iwantedto date you.”

Ramona didn’t say anything for a second, so Dylan went on.

“I wantedyou,” she said. “Yeah, it started casual, some summer fun, but that changed so quickly for me.”

“It did?” Ramona asked.

“God, yes,” Dylan said, her throat going a little thick. “You…” She took a shaky breath. “You are impossible not to love, Ramona Riley.”

Tears spilled down Ramona’s cheeks, silent and beautiful. Dylan wanted so badly to wipe them away, take Ramona’s face in her hands, but she still didn’t dare.

“I’m sorry too,” Ramona said. “I should’ve told you about costume design, about my dreams. I just…” She took a deep breath. “I never wanted to make you feel how so many other people had made you feel in the past. Ididwant to meet Noelle. And Ididthink you could help me with that. But from the moment you walked in Clover Moon Café that day, walked back into my life, I knew it was never about Noelle or costume design or any opportunities that knowing you might get me.”

“No?” Dylan said. Her heart felt huge and tender in her chest.

Ramona shook her head, took a step closer. Their chestsbrushed, and she placed her hands on Dylan’s wrists, slid her hands down until they tangled with Dylan’s fingers. Dylan nearly cried in relief, the contact, the physical touch like a gasp of air.

“It was about us,” Ramona said. “You and me. Cherry and Lolli.”