"Promise to call if you need me for anything, seriously," Chris insisted.
"I'll miss you so much!" Kandy cried.
"I can't believe you're actually leaving us like this!" Claire added.
"Have a safe flight!" Niki called out.
Today was the day. Today was the day for her flight to Los Angeles. "Don't forget to come back for the wedding. If you don't, I'll literally get on a plane and drag you back here," Chris said, half-joking.
Emma laughed softly, wiping a few tears from under her eyes. The day had come a lot quicker than she expected. She could barely believe this was going to be the last time she saw all her friends and family for a while. It was a sad, yet exciting moment. She tightened her hand around her bag strap.
"Please keep on top of your studies and go to bed at a reasonable time," her mother said, pulling her into yet another tight hug. This had to be the 20th time her mother had hugged her since she packed her bags three days ago. As they pulled apart, Emma couldn't help but smile at how far her parents had come.
"She's an adult, dear. I'm sure she'll be fine. But if you ever need us, please call us from time to time, Emma. You know how your mother worries," her father said, hugging her close. A part of her knew she would miss her mother's overbearing nature. She was going to another state on her own, where she didn't know anyone or anything. To say her heart was pounding was an understatement.
At least she knew who her roommate would be, but other than that, she would be a real fish out of water.Chris let out a heavy sigh, drawing her attention. "I'm sorry he didn't show up. That damn idiot. I'll kill him for this!" Chris ground his teeth, hands on his hips, looking around at the people walking past.
Emma pressed her lips together, looking down and fidgeting with the heart necklace around her neck. "It was probably for the best that he didn't. It would have made it harder... for both of us. It's better this way."
Claire rubbed her back, giving a sad smile. Her flight was leaving in five minutes. If he hadn't shown his face by now, he wasn't showing up. It hurt like hell not having him here, not being able to see him one last time. But this is what they both wanted, right? To grow in their own separate ways, to experience life outside each other. Without even noticing, tears rolled down her cheeks.
She dropped her heavy bag to the ground, her body shaking. Whitney pulled her into a hug, and Emma hid her face in her shoulder. "It's okay, Emma. Let it out," Niki whispered, rubbing her back.
Emma pulled away, and Kandy picked up her bag, handing it back to her. "Flight 756 to Los Angeles is now boarding at Gate 4. Please make your way to the gate." Emma gave her friends and parents a small smile. They returned it, her mother in tears, along with Claire and Kandy. "Well... that's me. I love you guys so much. I promise to call. I'll see you guys later."
Chris pulled her into one last hug before she turned and made her way toward Gate 4. Looking back over her shoulder, she sent them a small wave while getting into the line. It began to creep forward. She pulled her ticket out of her pocket, looking to her right, and a few feet away, she saw him.
She froze in the line, her heart stopping in her chest. He was wearing a dark blue hoodie, his hands deep in his pockets. All the oxygen left her lungs as their eyes met. It was like they were the only two people in the whole airport. Tears rolled down his cheeks. She wanted to run to him, but her feet stayed planted. His fingers lightly touched the chain of the necklace around his neck while looking into her sad eyes.
"Miss... Miss!" the flight staff called out to her, snapping her out of her trance. Emma looked up at the man, who looked slightly annoyed. "Your ticket, miss..." Embarrassed, she slowly handed him the ticket before looking back to where Blake stood. He was no longer there. Her eyes scanned left and right, searching for him. "Miss, please make your way onto the plane to your seat." She swallowed hard, walking through the gate and onto the plane.
She got to her seat, sitting her bag in the empty seat beside her while looking out the window. This was it. She was leaving her home to start her new life without the man she loved.
*****
Room 48... Room 49... Room 50. This was it; this was her dorm room. Letting out a sigh, she pulled the key out of her pocket, opening the door. She was greeted by a smiling, blonde-haired girl sitting on the living room couch.
"You're Emma, right? I'm your roommate, Erica."
Emma smiled at her softly. At least at first impression, the girl seemed nice. "Nice to meet you," she said while walking into the living room area and closing the door behind her. Erica stood up from the couch, following behind her as Emma made her way into the hallway with her bag. The room on the left already had Erica's things in it, which meant hers was the one on the right.
"Hey, um, you wanna get some dinner with a few of my friends after you get settled?" she asked shyly. Emma looked back at her with a grin. "Sure, I'd love to." Erica smiled widely as Emma walked into her room. There wasn't much to it-a simple bed and dresser. It left plenty of room for her to decorate it how she wanted. She sat her bag on her bed, opening the zipper before sitting down.
"By the way, I like your necklace," Erica said before walking out of the room.
Emma's smile fell. She slid it from around her neck. The little light on the side was on, which meant it had a recording on it. She lifted a brow, confused, before pulling her laptop out of the top of her bag, turning it on, and sitting it on her lap.
As the computer finally booted up, she put the necklace into the USB slot. In its files, there was only one new message. She had no idea what it could be.
Clicking on it, Blake's voice suddenly filled the room.
"It all started with 'hello.' I couldn't bear to end it with 'goodbye.' That's why I'm not going to see you off at the airport. I hope you can forgive me for that. You may never even hear this message; you may just throw this damn thing in the garbage once you get to college and forget all about me. I just want to say I love you, Emma Pear. You changed me for the better, and I'll never forget you."
The recording ended, and she was a mess of tears. "Idiot... why couldn't he just be a selfish asshole? Why did he have to just let me go so easily?" she whispered, closing her eyes tight and wrapping her arms around herself, feeling completely alone. This was both their choices, and it was time for her to let him go.
"Hey, you okay in here?" Erica peeped through the door. Emma took the laptop off her lap, sitting it on the bed and pulling the necklace out. Holding it in her hand for a moment, she took the ring Blake had given her off her finger, walking over to the dresser. Erica watched her closely as she placed both the items in the dresser drawer, closing it.
"Out of sight... out of mind," she whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek. She turned to look at Erica with a small, sad smile. "Yeah, I'm fine... I'm ready to go now, if you are."
Erica smiled as Emma walked past her into the living room. If she wanted to get through this, she had to stop sitting around thinking about him. She had to clear her mind of him.
Mia note- This is it guys we are at the end of this long story. The next chapter is the epilogue lets see if our main actually end up together in the future
YOU ARE READING
It Started With Hello
Romance***** Emma Pear knew she wasn't the most popular girl in high school. Her nose was usually buried in a textbook, and her grades were as spotless as her reputation for always following the rules. "Nerd" was a label she'd long since embraced. Her pare...
