C Minor // R5

Vows, Goodbyes, Boston and the Last Note

Yesterday was great, and after Ross stopped looking (unsuccessfully) for Cecilia, we spent the whole day with his family.

But that's over now. We're at the airport.

My flight takes off an hour before Ross', so we sit in front of the door leading to the plane in Boston. Ross and his family and Ratliff are here too.

Once we get settled, Ross takes my hand and we stand in front of his family.

"We're going to say our vows that we wrote now." Ross says, and we both take out our pieces of paper.

"Vows?" Mark asks, sounding a little worried.

"Friendship vows." Ratliff assures him. Once I have my paper out Ross looks at me. I look at his family sitting in front of us.

"Um...I'll go first." I say. I look up at Ross, about to begin but I can't. I feel the tears welling in the back of my eyes. So I go up to him and take his hand and sit down with him.

"Dear Ross. I know we're n the airport right now and I know that I am going to the Logan section and you are going to LAX. I also know that I would do anything to be getting on the plane to LAX with you. But stuff doesn't work out like that, which we've learned. And I know that we are both hurting. I know. Everything good must come to and end. This is your first last. And I know it's hard. But there are so many more. One day it'll all end. One day you'll grow up and have a family. One day there won't be a band. One day you'll do your last Ready Set Rock. But you and all of them will always be R5. You'll always be a talented boy. Don't let that go. Keep going." I feel my eyes start to burn, and I try to blink them back but it doesn't work and I feel a tear escape down my cheek. I look at Ross. "This hurts. It hurts really bad letting you go. But Ross, you've taught me so much. You've taught me to love and to laugh...and to live. You're so talented Ross, but I love you for you and all the good makes up for the horrible pain right now, that I wouldn't want to change this at all. Continue what you're doing, and one day, I'll try to find my way back to you again." I look at Ross and see that he is crying too, but smiling.

"I'll...I'll go." He says, looking at his paper.

"Nina. Here we are. It's all over. So, in case I never see you in person again, want to say these things to you in person. I love how you look when you're excited. Just you're look makes me excited. I love how you look when you dance, because it's like everything bad is gone and I'm just mesmerized. I love how you always try and wear yellow around me, because you know it's my favorite color. I love how I feel so conflicted when you cry. I hate to see you sad, but you look so pretty. Your nose gets all pink and so do you're cheeks and they're all dewy, and you just look pretty. I love how you care so much about little things. I love how you inspire me to be better at everything I do. I love who you are, as a person in general. I don't care what your resume says. You deserved to be in this movie more that anyone. I've been missing you for days, but you're still there. So how will it feel when you aren't? For three days I've been in denial, but in the end, I always miss you. And maybe missing you isn't the worst part. Maybe it's that I can't do anything about it. You have to go to Boston, and I have to go to LA. But I will never give up on you, Nina. I will believe that you are doing extraordinary things. That's all I want. I guess missing someone is part of loving them. If I never miss you, we'll never know how strong we are together. So, Nina Catherine, I wish you the best of luck in whatever you do. Love Ross."

And now, we are both crying. I get up and hug him. I hug him really tight.

Because this actually is our last hug.

All of the sudden, I hear someone blowing their nose really loud.

"That was beautiful!" Ratliff sobs. I look at Ross and we laugh. But then we stop.

Cause that was the last laugh.

"Flight 276 to Logan airport is boarding." I hear someone say.

"Good-"

"No." I say. "No, Ross don't say goodbye yet."

"You have go Nina."

"Ross-"

"Nina, I know it's hard, but you have to go home." I look at him, because he's right. I have to go home. I go to hug all of the Lynches.

"It was so nice to meet you." Stormie says, as her and Mark hug me.

"You too. Thank you for everything." I say.

"You're so welcome honey." Mark says. I go to Rocky. And give him a big hug.

"Stay cool, Kiddo." Rocky says.

"You too, Rocky." Then I hug Riker.

"I'm gonna miss you, Nina." Riker says, engulfing me in a hug. I sniffle.

"Thanks Riker. For everything." Then, I move to Ryland.

"I don't even want to say anything, cause I'll cry." He whispers. I laugh a little.

"Thanks Ryland." I say. Then I go to Ratliff still dabbing his eyes with a tissue.

"THIS IS TOO EMOTIONAL." He says, engulfing me in a hug. I just laugh.

"Love you, Ellington." I say.

"Love you too kid." He says.

Finally I look at Rydel. She is on the brink of tears, and so am I. I just hug her and we both cry.

"I'm gonna miss having a girl around." Rydel says, sniffling.

"I'm gonna miss have a Rydel around I say." We both laugh through sobs. When we pull away, I look at Ross again, but I can't hug him because if I do, I'm not sure I'll pull away.

"Last call, flight 276 to Logan." The loudspeaker says.

"Bye Nina." Ross says. But I have to except that it's over.

"Bye Ross." I say quietly. Then I get my bags and walk up to the man in front of the entrance to the plane.

"Ticket ma'am." the man says. But I just look back at Ross. "Ma'am?" The man asks. But I'm just looking at Ross. He wipes his nose with the back of his hand and just nods.

That's the last time I'll ever see him in person.

I hand the man the ticket and bored the plane.

Goodbye Ross.

**********************************************************************************************************

So I made it back to good o'le Boston.

Ugh.

When I got home my family and I sat and talked about the whole thing for hours. I even told them all about Ross and didn't disappear into tears.

Once that was over, I went to my room and told my family I was going to unpack. When I get to my room I shut the door. I did miss my room. I go over and sit on the window seat. It's not as good as the balcony, and there are no waves outside. Just pouring rain and a street with other big houses that look the same as mine.

Boring old Boston.

get up and go to unpack my suitcase. When I open it, the first item I see on the top is the dress I wore on Ross and my first not-date.

And I smile.

I bring it up to my face and run the fabric over my face. I only wore this dress once when I was there, and that was on the not-date, because I couldn't dry clean it. But when I hugged it, a piece of paper fell out.

READ SUNDAY WHEN YOU GET HOME

I take it to the window seat and sit. This must be the last letter.

Nina,

I don't care about funky pizza and Romeo and Juliet. I love you.

R.S.L.