𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑤𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑑

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑇𝑤𝑜: 12

12 years old
———————
"Well honestly I think that we can both agree that Selena Gomez is better than this trash! Ugh I hate that they keep playing this song." I reach over and turn off my dark blue radio that Austin and I always listened to when we hung out. I was not going to tolerate Justin Bieber.

He shakes his head and chuckles as he finishes solving the last equation on his math homework. Placing his pencil back into his pencil case, he looks over at me.
"I think it's funny how you care so much about what's on the radio, I mean you should be focusing on our work missy. I wouldn't wanna see you fail."

I roll my eyes at his sarcastic tone, "Don't go all Mr.Gino on me Aussie," I give him a side glance as I put my finished homework in a plastic folder, "I thought I was done with him for the day."

We let out a giggle and zip up our backpacks before setting them by my door along the wall. Our neglected cups of fruit punch sit on my scratched up desk and we walk over to take a sip after all our hard work. The punch is a bit warm but still tastes refreshing as it soothes my dry mouth.

"What should we do now? Mario Kart?"

I immediately nod in approval to his suggestion. We always play Mario Kart and it's become almost like a tradition to play it after school. I like to think I ALWAYS smoke him but I know that's not true.

"Yeah, I would watch out though this time because I'm absolutely going to blow you out of the water!"

"Oh yeah Mona? We'll just have to see about that." With that, we take our now empty cups and race out of my room and down the stairs but once we reach the bottom, the ground floor feels more quiet than usual.

Our moms would usually be laughing up a storm or gossiping loudly about whatever moms chat about over a glass of wine or lemonade while eating a small snack, painting, or reading magazine but, today was different.

The joyful sound seemed to be muted by only whispers before Austin's mom came around the corner from the kitchen with a conflicting face of emotions on display.

"Austin, can you come here sweetie? I have something I need to tell you."

First, he looks at me and we have equal confusion in our eyes. Then, he looks back to his mom, ready for whatever's to come.

"I'll be back Mona, you can start up the game."

I nod and we go our separate ways.When his mom needs to talk to him I never worry, nothing bad ever happens when she needs to talk to him but, something about today felt different. Her eyes were slightly misty and she seemed to have almost a wandering stare. She knows something.

I sigh trying to brush aside the current perception I have of the scenario and turn on my Wii before taking a seat on the couch with my controller. The couch slightly sinks under my weight and I get comfortable as the iconic Mario Kart tune starts up in front of my eyes.

I go through the motions of selecting what options we need to play and syncing our remotes but Austin still hasn't showed. He can't be much longer right?

That's when my thoughts come to a halt. He walks in but he doesn't walk in the same Austin as before. No, this wasn't the same playful Austin I left behind 10 minutes ago, he looked hurt. Hurt beyond what words could describe.

"Ramona, I'm moving away."

His voice shook and tears burst through his eyes. I've never seen Austin like this. Red face and stuffy nose...just sobbing.

I freeze. All that can be heard in the room is the faint sound of cheerful race music and the sound of almost guttural cries. My throat and nose feels like they are closing up as I take panic ridden breaths in through my mouth. My eyes overflow to match his and I make my way off the couch and over to him.

We immediately wrap our arms around each other and let emotions pour onto the fabric of our shirts as we cling on, never wanting to let the feeling of the tight squeeze fade.

"I'm sorry Ramona, I'm sorry! I don't want to go, I don't want to leave you."

"It's not your fault Austin. I'm going to miss you so much though."

And with those words the room went silent again. It was just us. Just our emotions.

Would this be the last time we would ever be able to comfort each other?

Would we ever be able to hold one another like this again?

Would we.....

———————
2 weeks later
——————
It was time.

Preparing would never be enough for this moment.

As much as we tried to fit in as much fun as we possibly could in the last two weeks, it would never prevent the pain we would soon feel.

I sit on my bed, clutching onto a stuffed animal dog Austin got me. He recorded his voice in it so when I pressed the dog's velvety paw I could hear his voice.

I made one for him too.

The voice box fills my silence filled room with his voice as I hear his message play.

𝘏𝘪 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘢! 𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦．

Tears run down my cheeks and onto the silky fur of the stuffed animal before I set it down near my pillow and make my way across the street to say goodbye.

My steps seem to be slowed as I catch sight of the Butler's loaded car in the drive along with a gigantic stark white moving truck.

I never thought I'd have to see a moving truck in front of his house.

"Hi..."

His voice fills my senses.I guess I made it to his drive without even noticing. My thoughts were consuming me more than I thought.

"Hi..." I gaze up at him and both of our eyes are glazed with tears. We both have a mutual understanding of what's to come and accepting it is the hardest part.

Accepting that the one minute it took to come to each other's houses would soon be 17 hours. That the only way of communication would soon be through a screen. The squeeze of a hug and the touch of a high five even would be gone soon.

"I'm going to miss you so much Aussie."

"Me too Mona. Me too."

We then simply embraced. I couldn't tell you for how long it went on but we just embraced, feeling the shaking of our bodies against each other. No words spoken until his mother silently comes up to us and gives us the final blow.

"It's time to go."

Her voice comes out pained as even she is leaving behind many memories.

We both nod and more tears pour as we say goodbye.

He walks to the car and opens the door but not without a look back. Our eyes meet and it feels like we send a special code to one another before he shuts the door and the sound of the car motor comes to life.

The moving truck starts to drive and then Austin's car follows.

I feel myself break into a million pieces as air seems to not be able to find my lungs and my legs turn shaky.

He's leaving.

———

And so the sadness begins everyone.

I know it was heartbreaking but I hope you enjoyed.

Have a wonderful day/night lovelies<3