THIS STORY CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE AND MATURE THEMES THAT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18
Although this book does contain a couple love scenes this is not a smut filled book, and is instead more of a sweet, emotion filled romance...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Everyone, even the staff, seems excited for the new year. Apparently, there is a huge celebration around here every year.
A celebration of leaving the past behind and starting a new year fresh, moving in the direction of healing and peace.
For me, the new year never meant much before, despite the fact that it is my birthday, but just like with the other holidays, I am now actually looking forward to it.
Tonight at midnight, I will not only be celebrating with the girl I love, but I will also be turning 18.
For most guys my age, it means officially becoming an adult. For me, it means so much more than that.
It means freedom. Not in the traditional sense of hey, I'm an adult now, but for me, it means I'm no longer under my parents rule. They can't touch me now.
I never have to go near them again if I choose, and they can't force me to do shit anymore.
I guess, to some degree, all teenagers feel that way when they turn 18, but for me, it is so much deeper than that.
It also means that if I choose to, I can leave Westward and never look back. Of course, I'm not going to do that.
I have too much going for me here. I am about to graduate with fucking honors; I have a job, friends, and Heather.
I could have technically left a bit before now, but that doesn't matter.
Weird as it is considering what this place is and what the outside world thinks of it, I am happy here, and I'm happy to be here.
My life would be so different had I not been forced to come to Westward. I despised the idea before, but now I realize what a blessing in disguise it truly is.
Families don't come for this holiday but are asked to send in videos to us. They are supposed to help us stay on the right track—a reminder from home of what our focus should be.
After a member of staff screens the videos to make sure that there isn't anything too personal, compromising, or triggering in them, they show them to all of us in a slideshow presentation kind of way.
Bart and Ann sent a combined message to Heather and me, telling us both how proud they are of us, how much they miss us, and that they can't wait until we could all be at home together as a family.
They also include a happy birthday message for me. Bart's message at the end is especially touching and gets me more emotional than I'd care to admit. Heather squeezes my hand, and I have tears in my eyes as we watch as his face fills the theater-sized screen.
"Dylan I've watched you grow these past eighteen years, but I've seen you grow more in the last few months than I ever have. I'm so proud of the man you are and the person you are becoming. I want to say thank you for inspiring me to no longer sit back and be complacent but to strive for what I want. I owe all I have to you and your influence. You continue to surprise me, son. I love you always. Dad."
"That was just beautiful." Heather says beside me, wiping a tear from her face.
"It really was." I agree. "I wish they could be here to help us celebrate."
"The next visitor day is on the 14th, so I'm sure they will be here then."
"Yeah, I'm sure you're right."
We go through the rest of program that Westward has for the new year. At the end we are each asked to write down ten things that we want to leave behind, ten things that we hope to bring into the new year, and ten things that we hope to accomplish in the new year. Heather and I place our lists in the large wooden box that they have set up at the front of the auditorium. Tonight at midnight, they will set the box on fire. Howard said something about it being cathartic.
I don't really know why; to me, it's kind of strange, but I can see what some may get from it.
That's one of the many things I've gotten since being here: being able to see things from others points of view, not just my own. I look over at Heather and smile at her.
"What is it?" She grins shyly.
"Just thinking."
"About?"
I look around to make sure no one is paying us any attention before I kiss her softly. "About how you're the best present I've ever gotten." And how you are at the top of my list of things I want to take into my future.
♡♡♡♡♡♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎
We walk across the field in front of the lake. The large wooden box is burning brightly on a large bonfire in front of it.
The fire casts long, twinkling reflections of orange and yellow on the surface of the water, and I take a moment to admire it. A few months ago, this would have been the last thing I'd find beauty in. Now my entire perspective has changed, thanks largely to the beauty holding my hand.
"So are we staying for the fireworks?"
Part of Westard's New Year's festivities is the traditional fireworks show, which we even been told is as elaborate as anything else around here.
"Only if you want to." I say, brushing her hair away and kissing her neck.
"Well, I thought that if you'd like, we could maybe go back to my room and I could give you your birthday present."
"Your room?" I ask, pulling away and laughing a little.
Ever since we got here, we've always gone to my room for, well, everything. At this point, Heather's room is basically just a closet.
"Yeah, we've never stayed all night in my room; I thought in celebration of the new year we could try something different."
"OK, you've piqued my interest." I smile, knowing full well she's up to something.
"Good." She giggles, taking me by the hand and running with me back toward the rooms.
We get to Heather's room, and I set up on the bed, looking around. Her room is actually nicer than mine; I really don't know why we don't stay here more.
"Wait here." Heather says she is walking into the bathroom.
I sit there on the edge of the bed, waiting, wondering what's taking her so long.
"Are you ready for your present?" She calls from the bathroom.
"Sure am."
"Okay, now close your eyes and hold out your hands."
I close my eyes and put my hands out in front of me, biting my cheek to keep the smile off my face as I wait for my present.
