I Will Never Let You Go.

Part Two- Gracie.

Not many people remain with their first love. Not many spend near enough their entire lives in a relationship with one person. Not many at all. It’s an old Gypsy oath that says you should stay with your first. I am not a gypsy myself; this is just a plain coincidence. But it sure is a good one.

  It’s happened to me. I’m still with my very first boyfriend, Nathan. And I’m going to tell you all about him and I. How our lives started as people.

 We’ve known each other for what seems like forever. Born on the same day, with me just a half hour behind Nathan. Same hospital, same ward. We were so similar.

 Both of us lived on Gloucester Road, in; you guessed it; Gloucester. Me at number 35, him at number 37. Next door neighbours.

 Living so close meant we saw each other every day. Our parents were best friends, so we spent the first ten years of our childhood in each other’s houses constantly, playing pretend games, and running around outside. Like best friends do, right?

  But that all changed when I turned 11. Well, we were still best mates. But it went further… he asked me out. I remember his exact words; “Gracie, I’ve known you forever and a day, and you make my life, to be honest. I adore you, will you go out with me?”

 Of course I said yes, I mean who wouldn’t. He was the fittest lad at our school, and he was all mine.

 “Can’t imagine life without you.” He whispered softly. I kissed his lips and he cuddled me close. My life was perfect.

 Didn’t last though. Well, it did for a while. Soon Nath started going to Sylvia Young’s in London, while I stayed in Gloucester and went to Highview College. But I still saw him most days, we were never too far away from being together.

 He still found the time to text me, to see if I was okay. Nathan had such a busy schedule every week, but he made time every Sunday to spend some quality hours with me. ‘Twas the highlight of my week, watching films round his or playing piano and singing round mine.

  That was Nathan’s passion. Music. I has a great big grand piano in my room but I never played it. I couldn’t play it. But as soon as Nathan’s fingers twinkled those ivories, the room went into total silence. You could hear a pin drop. It was mesmerising to hear and watch.

  He was an amazing singer, too. Truth was though, so was I. I don’t mean to sound cocky or anything, but I think I could have been famous. I didn’t take it as seriously as he did, of course, but I could belt out Beyonce tracks with no problems at all. Nath liked my voice, he described it as powerful and captivating.

 You know Mr Sykes now as having the pop-like, croaky, raspy voice of the new generation. But back then, that wasn’t the case at all. He sang so softly and gentle. He made me cry on many occasions. But he made me smile too. We were so in love, we thought times like these would last forever.

 However, we were wrong. On several mornings I saw Nathan with a suitcase, hurling it into the car. “Whatcha doing babe?” I asked.

 “Going for my audition today.” He’d say each time. He’d make the long three hour journey to London like he normally would for school, but instead he’d stay the night in a hotel after the audition. He had a few of these a month, so it wasn’t too bad, I guess.

He gradually started getting more of them though, so I was seeing him less and less. I needed something to drown out my sorrows into when he was gone, so I bought a guitar. I didn’t tell Nathan, as I thought it would be a lovely surprise for when he got back.

 Then he broke the news to me. “Gracie?” He found me in the garden one night.

 “What is it Nath?” I could tell this was something major.

 “I’m moving to London.” My heart shattered. My face fell. My whole body went numb with emotions.

 “WHAT!” I sobbed into his chest.

 “I’m so sorry. Believe me, I didn’t want to go. But here’s the thing… I’m in a band signed to Universal Records, and I can’t just waste an opportunity like this. It’s the same lady who put the Saturday’s together, she formed this band. I could be famous, Gracie!”

“But I’ll miss you so much!” I start crying even louder then. Nathan didn’t realise then how hard it would be for us both. He thought it would just all blow over and he’d be having such a good time he’d forget about me.

 The day soon came. I purposely got up at 6am so I could do something. I sat on the steps and started playing a song I had been learning- the End Where I Begin by the Script. I strum the first few chords and begin singing:

 Sometimes tears say all there is to say,

Sometimes your first scars won’t ever fade..

 Tried to break my heart when it’s broke,

 Tried to hang me high when I’m choked,

 Wanted rain on me well I’m soaked…

 Soaked to the skin…

It’s the end where I begin…

 It’s the end where I begin.

 I sang the second verse and heard Nathan on the piano upstairs, playing the same chords to the same song, at the same time. It was a beautiful moment. He opened the window and sang the bridge of the song:

Now I’m alive,

And my ghosts are gone,

 I’ve shared all the pain,

 I’ve been holding on,

 The cure for a heart

 Is to move along, Is to move along,

 So move along…

 He sang that part again and I joined in with the rest of the song. I strummed the last few chords. I heard the window slam shut and the thunder of footsteps running downstairs. I expected him to say something but he didn’t, he just threw himself into my arms. I started crying hysterically then and so did he. Nath wasn’t usually one to show his emotions but today was different. Tears were pouring down his face at the fact he had to say goodbye to me, maybe for forever.

“I love you.” He sniffed. “And I always will. Goodbye, sweet Gracie.”

 He climbed into the taxi with female taxi driver. I just stood there, wishing it was me. “Goodbye Nathan.” I whispered, long after the taxi had gone.