Promise? (#wattys2015)

Chapter15

We reached the beach soon after and walked around, trying to look for a nice place to set up the surprise at. It was no surprise that Layla too ditched me, so it was just Samuel and I there after. I loosened up a little, realising that its been forever since I last spoke to a guy. Properly, that is. I headed back home, and continued with our discussions for Val's party over the phone, with Samuel. 

Val's party ended, but our conversations didn't. He found things to talk to me about all the time, and I didn't exactly mind either. I was not hiding from anything, right? What was I hiding from? Other than the ghost of the guy I love..

We talked day and night, and soon Samuel became one of my good friends. We texted each other a lot and I felt free of all the stress and burden that had been weighing on my shoulders. 

And it all changed one day. The sun still set where it always does, and the birds chirped just like they always do. My mom barged into my room with a wide grin.

"We got it! I got the job! We are moving to Australia! Can you believe it?"

I couldn't believe what she was saying, but I believe that it wasn't exactly what Mom was expecting from me. My whole world felt dark. It can't be true. We were moving to this place, 6 hours away by plane. This place which wouldn't have all my friends. I faked a smile, not wanting to hurt my mom, knowing how much this meant to her. She has been trying to move to Australia for years now, and it finally happened. I never thought it would, but it did.

When mom left the room, I called up all my friends and asked them to meet at my house. They were all over in less than an hour. Sophie was smiling, looking at me all tensed up and Val was on her phone. Samuel just sat beside Val and Layla was speaking about some boy band with Ariel. Nothing made sense to me. I couldn't bring myself to listen to their conversations. After 5 minutes of silence, I broke it to them.

"Guys, I'll be leaving. Moving to Australia. At the end of this year."

"Is this a prank? coz it sure ain't funny," spat out, Ariel.

Tears started to flow down my eyes, and that was enough to convince my friends that it wasn't a prank. Sophie hugged me tight, tears in her eyes. Val stood there, stunned, looking at me, with loneliness in her eyes. Layla held my hands and sat there in silence. Ariel started sobbing, for the first time ever. Samuel was silent. Just silent. These were my best friends. I really didn't want to leave them.

They stayed over that night, well except Samuel, claiming that they wanted to make the most out of the last month I would be spending with them. We got into bed after hours of chatting, turned into yawns. My phone lit up just as I was about to doze off. It was from Samuel.

"Why does this always happen to me. I think I like you, but you're moving away. Do you really have to?"

I just stared at my screen in shock, which died down soon after. A part of me knew that Samuel liked me. The way he looked at me, and spoke to me. The way his eyes lit up when he saw me each time. I saw that coming. I expected it, even. But he was just a friend to me. I liked him, I really did..but I didn't love him.

How could I love him, when I was still crazily in love with Percy?

The one that I'll never have.