•2 years ago•
"Pass it." Nick says, holding out his hand.
I roll my eyes and hand him the blunt. He takes a hit or two. I watch him carefully. He'd been acting odd for the past few days, and I wanted to know what was bothering him. He's been my best friend for 6 years now. I know when somethings not right.
To my luck, I didn't even have to pry it out of him.
"Loralei.." he says.
Oh god.
He never called me Loralei. Only when we had to be serious. I was always Rory, or Ellie (my middle name).
"Fuck." I whisper, and sit up from my slouched position.
Whatever he was about to say was gonna either a) make me very angry, or b) make me cry.
"I have to tell you something." He scoots closer to me.
I don't speak, I just wait for the news.
"I'm moving to Florida." He whispers. It was as if he didn't even want me to hear what he said. As if whispering it would make it hurt less.
Nick has been my best friend since freshman year of high school. He was there when my mom passed away, when I needed a hug, when I was bullied, when I got my heart broken for the first time.
He's all I have left.
"What?" I mutter, my voice wavering as I tried not to over react or cry.
"Dream offered me a place to stay. I've been thinking about it for a while now.." he explains.
I look down at my lap and bite my cheek.
He grabs my hand. "You can visit. We can text and call each other all the time. We can make it work."
I shake my head. "Nick I get paid minimum wage and I'm in college. I can't visit."
"I know.. but I'll visit."
"When? Christmas? Thanksgiving if I get lucky?" I shake my head and pull my hand away from his. "I have nothing left here. I'm barely hanging on."
He knew that. I'd been battling with depression since my mom passed. He was there when everything was bad.
"I know Rory.. I know." He scoots closer to me and wraps his arms around me, laying my head onto his chest and petting my hair.
It would be selfish of me to tell him to stay. Ever since he met me, he'd never put himself first. And he finally is.
"I'm happy for you." I whisper. "Really. You'll be great."
"Are you sure? I can turn it down. I won't go if you need me-"
I sit up off of him. "Really Nick. I'll be okay." I wipe my eyes. "I just don't want to loose you."
"You can't get rid of me." He smiles.
"Ew never mind. Bye." I joke.
He giggles and throws an arm over my shoulder.
I couldn't sleep that night. Nick was everything to me. I loved him. I needed him. But I wasn't going to be the person that held him back.
We hung out everyday up until he was leaving.
I drove him to the airport and helped him with his bags. I helped him pack.
•Leaving•
I stood with him outside his gate, waiting for boarding to start.
He held my hand with a tight, yet gentle grip.
When his flight was called over the intercom, he turns to me, a sad and almost regretful look in his eyes.
Nick pulls me in, resting his head on mine. "I love you Ellie belly." He says.
I can't even say it back. "Don't forget about me."
He rolls his eyes. "Like I could ever do that."
I pull away. I could already feel myself distancing from him. It was like in my brain he was already gone.
The moment felt like a real good bye. Like a "I'm never gonna see you or talk to you again" goodbye.
He kisses my forehead. "See you later, Rory."
I smile. "Bye."
I watched him walk off. It was like I had lost a piece of myself. I wish we could just go back to page one; the day we met each other in English class. I wish we could do it all over again. Maybe it would be different. Maybe he wouldn't have left. Maybe I would've gone with him.
But it was too late. He'd already turned the corner and left.
