𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄 ★ pedri gonzález

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙮 𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩, olive

❝ saying 'goodbye' is death by a thousand cuts. ❞
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻

The worst part of visiting? It's leaving.

No matter what, it always ends up with making me tear up. I hate leaving them over and over again so much.

It's been over six years since I left the country, and I know we'll see each other again, but you just never get used to it. As much as you'd like to believe you do, just the word 'goodbye' has you bawling each time.

"I love you baby, take care of yourself." Mom whispers in my ear as we hug.

"Don't worry, mam." I sniffle. "I love you too."

We pull back, saying goodbye to my mother is always the hardest. This is the woman who gave birth to me, fed me, raised me... I love her so much.

"You look after my baby." She points at Pedri who stands behind, waiting for us to finish our goodbyes.

I feel him taking a few steps closer. "Always." He reassures, wrapping an arm around me and kissing the top of my head.

Dad then takes mom away. Mom's never good at the goodbyes, dad can control himself more. Despite the tiny trace of tears appearing, he's still smiling.

"We gotta leave or we'll be late, aceituna." Pedri turns and whispers in my ear trying not to make it obvious to the rest of my family.

He's right. I nod my head ready to actually say goodbye and leave, unlike the past twenty minutes. "I'll see you on Christmas guys." I smile, saying my last words.

Paul then escapes dad's grip and comes running. He hugs both me and Pedri at the same time, grabbing a leg from each of us.

"Take me with you!" He cries. Oh my God, my poor baby.

I bend down, reaching his height as he refuses to leave us. "I wish I could little guy. But don't worry, we'll be waiting until you come to play football, okay?"

I honestly wish I could take him with us from now. However, he is mom's littlest, her only child who's still a kid. I understand that she doesn't want to let him go to LaMasia that early.

He nods his head, an upside down smile on his face. Dad then swoops in and takes him away.

"Come on." I mumble to Pedri, taking his hand as a sign to leave. He nods his head, understandingly. "Bye." I tell them.

Dad blows me a kiss as mom tries not to cry and Paul already is as he ruins dad's shirt. We said goodbye to Nour and Kevin last night after the lunch organized by both their families as a welcome to their married life.

Aya's the one driving us again, so we still have about a half hour with her.

Pedri already put all our stuff in the car earlier so we walk out, Aya following behind, and immediately get in the car.

She's really quiet as she starts up the car. It's always the same with Aya. As much as we pretend we can't tolerate each other, she's my closest family member. She's the only one who I've never lied to at all apart from the Pedri thing.

She always gets mad and doesn't talk to me anymore until we're at the airport and it's the very last second and she wants a hug.

In the past, she didn't understand why I left them behind and ran to another country. As she got older, she started understanding that it was for the best.

I receive a notification and check my phone. It's Pedri. I don't make any reaction, and check out the message.

what's going on?
are we playing a game of who stays
quiet the longest?

I retain my laugh as I read it and answer,

nah she just gets mad every time
i leave
dw it'll go back to normal at the
airport
just keep quiet for now

I explain, turning my phone back off.

As expected, the rest of the ride is quiet and a little awkward, with me and Pedri trying not to burst out laughing any second.

When we arrive, Aya parks the car and gets out to help us with our stuff, slamming the door behind her, leaving only me and Pedri in the car.

He finally lets the laugh out as I turn behind and see him. "Sorry, sorry." He excuses himself as I chuckle a little at him.

"Shut up now because we're gonna cry. Don't judge us, just start heading for the check in." I tell him before getting out of there.

Standing in front of the entrance of the airport, it's just complete flashbacks of every time I was here and left. Over and over again...

I take a deep breath and stop this reminiscing, heading for the trunk to help out. Pedri's already gotten there with Aya trying to help but she isn't quite doing anything as he takes over, taking out our suitcases.

l stare at Aya who's slowly starting to tear up and pretending that she's not. My baby sister. My favorite girl.

I walk towards her and immediately engulf her in a hug she most certainly was needing. I can feel myself tear up now as we hold each other.

I'm not going to feel her touch again until Christmas, which is relatively close compared to normally but it still hurts.

Aya cracks completely and starts crying on my shoulder. I can't watch her cry. It makes me want to cry too.

"Pls b2i. (Please stay.)" She begs. It's each time the same scenario.

"Yaret habibi. (I wish, my love.)" I whisper back, my voice going a pitch higher as I start getting really emotional too.

She starts sobbing as I barely cry, trying to be strong. You'd think we'd be at least a little used to it by now. However, how can you really get used to goodbyes?

Opening my eyes again, I spot Pedri in front of us, a painful smile on his face as he watches us. I feel like even he's a little sad, despite the fact that I basically forced him over here.

I keep Aya in my embrace for another minute before we really have to leave. She realizes the amount of time that has passed and slowly starts letting go too.

"Hkine bes toussale. (Call me when you land.)" She tells me and I nod, biting the inside of my lips to not cry anymore.

"Bchoufik aal miled. (I'll see you on Christmas.)" She waves goodbye, starting to head back to the drivers seat.

She opens the door but then stops before entering and looks at Pedri. "Thank you for making her happy." She tells him as a goodbye, getting in.

That's the last line before I crack and let the tears run. Pedri immediately holds me in a hug as we watch her drive away.

And just like that, the week is over. I'm not seeing them again for a long time and technically, me and Pedri don't have to pretend anymore.

I feel him wrap an arm around me, offering me comfort and I instantly turn to it, burying my head in his chest, basically crying on him.