Come Back To Me

Prologue

"ALRIGHT GUYS ON THE BUS!"
My eyes flicked over to the large man in uniform at the doors of the bus.
"I-"
"No." Dallas interrupted me . He kissed my forehead before grabbing my hand and leading me to where everyone else's families waited.
Today was the day my whole world for the last 5 years is leaving me . We'd built a life for us here in California and now he's leaving. Dallas and I moved here when I was 19 and he was 20 . Before that we were living with his parents back in Missouri . We've known each other  since pre-k but only became friends in high school.
Our story is pretty cliche , if I do say so myself. I was a cheerleader and he was starring QB . We started hanging out our freshman year and by graduation we were a full blown couple. After high school I moved away to attend UCLA and he stayed back in Missouri and attended Mizzou on a full time football scholarship . Now  here we are at the ages of 22 and 23 , my boy is going off to the  marines and is leaving me for the next 6 months. I can't imagine what this is about to be like , I already know I'll miss him like crazy.
"I love you ." I say to him squeezing his hand
"I love you more." Dallas released my hand and boarded the bus  . I watched as his broad uninformed back slowly retreated away from me.
While he's gone I'll be living in his house with the boys, Cam ,Doug, and Jasper. They're like brothers to me  and I can't imagine life without any of them.
My thought process was cut short by a voice yelling my name. My attention automatically shot to his eyes.
"Don't forget !" He yelled
My face must've screamed confused.
"I love you !" I smiled and nodded
"I love you more " I yelled back. "Come back to me !"
"I will always be there for you ."
A few minutes later I watched the love of my life ride away from me.
Slipping through my fingers .
Becoming a slow and distant memory .
My backbone and support just left me , in a parking lot of  crying moms and girlfriends.
After a few minutes the shock wore off and I shuffled my way over to my black 2019  Chevy Malibu.the drive home was quiet beside with whipping of wind through my curls . I'd cracked the windows so that the wind would dry my tears as they flowed down my cheek .
I blinked and was outside of the tattoo bar where Ivy , one of my best friends, worked . I'm not really a tattoo person. Only a few here and there but this next one was needed . I wanted to numb the pain I've been feeling ever since I left the parking lot . I threw the car in park and made my way to the reception area where Ivy's younger sister , Storm , sat . She's only 17 and she's so smart . Her hair was straight , as always, and she had on heavy black eyeliner .   her big brown eyes looked as innocent as ever
"Hey S where's your sister ?" I questioned
"In the back . Hey wanna -"
"No" I cut her off and made my way to the back .I knew she was about to ask about Dallas.  I saw a couple of artist working but ignored them until I made it to the back where Ivy was sitting . She was at her desk sketching something in her notebook when the sound of my shoes hit her floor she stopped and turned .
My face must've read 'sad bitch ' vibes because without question she dropped her notebook , covered the table with paper and gloved up.
"Lay down ." I gave a small smile . She knew me so well .
Ivy and I met last year at the beach . She dated Jasper for around 7 months but now they're "on a break" . We all act like it's gonna last but none of us ignore the fact that she sneaks out of his bedroom every other night.
"So what's it gonna be chicky?"
I tucked my crop top into my bra ,
" the one we've been talking about . The butterflies."
She studied my face .
I swiped a tear .
She just nodded.
"Tell me about the last couple days y'all had together ." She said .And with a loud puff I started my rant . After about 40 minutes Ivy announced she was done . She held up a mirror so I can see the freshly inked tattoo on my ribs.

I stared at it for so long I felt my eyes glossing over.
Fuck !
I'm tired of crying.
I felt Ivy squeeze my hand.
"You'll be fine , babe ." She stated . I nodded and sat up once she finished putting a cling wrap around my torso.
I looked myself in the mirror and admired my new tattoo along with my outfit:

I'm wearing Dallas' jeans that I upcycled a few months ago . He was ready to throw em out and instead I stole them before he could .
God I really miss that kid.

After leaving Ivy's I drove around aimlessly for a couple of hours.
I pulled into the driveway of my new home. The guys finished helping me move my things in last week , the boys have all been great to me so far , considering we've never lived together before. I've known these guys since middle and high school but this is totally new ground.
I threw the car in park behind Cam's car. and made my way up the cobblestone drive way . By the time I made it to the door he was standing there waiting for me.
He didn't say anything, just pulled me into what felt like the longest hug ever. I can smell that he'd been in the basement ,probably working out ,mixed with his deodorant. I didn't cry because I'm all cried out . I just let him hold me . I looked around him just to see Doug and Jasper sitting on the couch . They smiled at me but continued doing what they were doing.
After a while I could feel the muscles in Cam's back faltering. I tapped him twice signaling that I'm okay for him to let me go.
I stepped back and took a look at him. Just like I thought his gym shorts hung low on his hips and his tee shirt had huge arm holes cut in the sides . I moved around him and shuffled my way through the house and into my room . The room that used to be both mine and Dallas'. I dropped my purse on the dresser to my right and kicked off my shoes. I slid them to the side and went to go change out of my day outfit. I walked into my closet removing my shirt and letting my bra fall. My heavy breast fall against my stomach. Next I removed my pants and just stared in the mirror . My body , the body that was held in Dallas' arms last night was the only thing starring back . My eyes quickly flicked to the huge picture of me and him at our senior prom . But quickly looked away . Of course my 23 year old body is going to be different than my 18 year old body but I feel like I've let myself go . Stretch marks scattered the bottom of my stomach and tops of my breast. I closed my eyes for a minute before grabbing his blue and orange Nike hoodie and sipping it on. Underneath and put on a pair of white shorts leaving my socks before crawling into bed. This was about to be the longest 6 months of my life