𝑺𝑬𝑬 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑨𝑮𝑨𝑰𝑵, javon walton

023

It was the day of departure, and Mae felt a tight knot in her chest. The past few days had been magical, but now, everything was coming to an end. She and Javon had spent as much time together as possible, but there was a heaviness in the air as they both knew what was coming.

Mae had managed to slip away from the group, pulling Javon along with her to a quieter spot behind the lodge. They stood in silence for a moment, the crisp mountain air wrapping around them. Mae stared at the ground, trying to hold herself together, but her emotions were bubbling up inside her. She didn't want to cry. Not now. Not in front of him.

Javon broke the silence, his voice soft and careful. "I hate that we have to leave."

Mae nodded, biting her lip as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat. "Me too... I don't want this to end."

He reached out, taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently. His touch was warm and comforting, but it only made the ache in her chest worse. "It's not really ending, though, right? We're still us."

Mae looked up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Yeah, but it's gonna be different. We're not gonna see each other, and... it's just hard."

Javon nodded, understanding exactly how she felt. "I know. But we'll figure it out. I promise."

Mae managed a weak smile, though her heart was still heavy. She knew he meant it, but the distance between them felt like a mountain. She'd never felt this way before—this intense longing for someone she'd only known for a short time.

"I think I'm gonna miss you," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

Javon smiled, though there was sadness in his eyes. "I'm gonna miss you too, Mae. More than you know."

Before she could stop herself, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his. It was their first kiss, soft and tentative, filled with all the emotions they hadn't been able to put into words. For a moment, everything else disappeared—the distance, the goodbye, the uncertainty of what was to come. It was just them, lost in the moment.

When they finally pulled away, Mae felt a tear slip down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away, hoping he hadn't noticed, but Javon did. He gently cupped her face, brushing away the remaining tears with his thumb. "Don't cry," he whispered. "It's gonna be okay."

Mae nodded, though she wasn't entirely sure if she believed it. "I'll try," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

They stood there for a few more moments, holding each other close, neither wanting to let go. But eventually, they had to. They rejoined the group, where Anya, Pierre, Charles, and the Walton family were waiting. Anya was visibly sad as well, though she tried to put on a brave face for Mae's sake.

Anya had grown close to Javon's family over the trip, especially Jayla, Jaden, and Daelo. She adored them and had spent much of the trip laughing and joking with them. Now, as they stood there, waiting for the inevitable goodbyes, even Anya couldn't help but feel a little heartbroken.

"I'm gonna miss you guys," Anya said softly to Jayla and Jaden, pulling them into a hug. "Especially you, Daelo. You're my little buddy."

Daelo grinned up at her, trying to act cool, but it was clear he was sad too. "You better come visit us," he said, his voice a little wobbly.

"We will," Anya promised, her eyes misting up. "And you better come back here too."

Nearby, Jessica and DJ stood with Charles, smiling as they watched their children interact. Jessica turned to Charles, her voice warm. "Thank you for everything, Charles. This trip was amazing. The kids had the best time."

Charles smiled, though there was a hint of sadness in his expression as well. "You're welcome anytime. Really. Just let us know, and we'll be happy to have you back."

As the final goodbyes were exchanged, Mae couldn't stop the overwhelming sadness from creeping in. She smiled and waved as the Walton family got into their car, but as soon as they were out of sight, she felt a deep ache settle in her chest.

That evening, back at the lodge, Mae broke down. She collapsed into Anya's arms, her tears flowing freely now. Anya held her tightly, her heart breaking for her friend. Mae had never been the type to get emotional over things like this. She was usually the calm, composed one. But this was different.

"I've never felt like this before," Mae sobbed, her face buried in Anya's shoulder. "I miss him so much already, and I don't know what to do."

Anya stroked her hair, her own eyes filling with tears. "It's okay, Mae. You'll see him again. You're together now, right? That's what matters."

"But it's a long-distance relationship," Mae said, her voice cracking. "I don't know how to handle this. I should be happy—we're together—but it just hurts so much."

Anya held her tighter, not knowing what else to say. She knew how much Mae cared for Javon, but she also knew how difficult the distance was going to be. "You'll figure it out," she said softly. "You're strong. You'll get through this."

Meanwhile, Javon sat quietly in the car as his family drove home. He hadn't said much since they left the lodge, and his parents had noticed. Jessica glanced back at him from the front seat, her brow furrowed with concern.

"You okay, sweetie?" she asked gently.

Javon nodded, but he didn't say anything. His heart felt heavy, and he couldn't bring himself to talk about it. He missed Mae already, and the thought of not seeing her for who knew how long was killing him inside.

DJ reached over and gave his son's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It's tough, I know. But you'll see her again."

Javon nodded again, but the silence lingered. He stared out the window, the landscape passing by in a blur as he thought about Mae. He had never felt this way about anyone before, and now that he had to leave her behind, he didn't know how to cope with the emptiness it left inside him.

For the rest of the drive, Javon remained quiet, lost in his thoughts. His family respected his silence, giving him the space he needed. But they could all feel the weight of his sadness, and it was clear that the goodbye had affected him deeply.

As the night went on, both Mae and Javon lay in their respective beds, thinking about each other. Neither could sleep, the pain of the distance between them too fresh, too raw. They were together now, but it didn't make the separation any easier. And as much as they tried to find comfort in the fact that they were a couple, the reality of being apart was a heavy burden they both had to bear.