Soccer School

It's Been Real {FEELZ WARNING!}

~Time Skip: 2 Years Later~

Life has been good for the past two years. Tobin and I are still dating after being shoved into a closet. I play forward for the varsity soccer team alongside Abby. The only thing that dampens my happiness is the fact that everyone's graduating this year. They're all seniors. I help all of them pack up their stuff for college, help edit their college essays, and help them choose their dresses for graduation. I go to their graduations, all of them. Finally, the day comes when I have to start saying goodbye. Abby, Alex, Megan, Carli, and Hope are all leaving on the same day, but there is a good amount of time in between when their flights leave. I go with them to the airport, to say goodbye to my best friends. Abby's flight to Florida leaves first. We hug tightly. "This isn't a goodbye, Squirt." Abby says. "It's a see you later." "It still hurts, though." I say. "I know." Abby says. "But you've got to step out of my shadow sometime. Good luck, Squirt. We'll keep in touch." "We'd better." I say. All the other girls leave until it's just me and Hope left. "Well, kid, it's been real." Hope says. "Yeah." I say. "I'm gonna miss you, Hope." "Me too." Hope says. "But it's like Abby said: this isn't a goodbye, it's a see you later. Listen. I know Tobin's leaving tomorrow, so I'm going to give you some advice: don't let her slip away from you. Keep in touch with her. Got it?" "Got it." I say. "Good man." Hope says, clapping me on the back. "Well, I gotta go. See you later, kiddo." "See ya, Hope." I say. We hug, and Hope boards the plane. I watch it take off, then I go home. Tobin's waiting for me there. "Hey, Squirt." she says. "Hey, Tobs." I say. "What brings you to this neck of the woods?" "I thought we could hang out and play Portal." Tobin says. "You know, kinda like a last hurrah." I punch my girlfriend lightly in the arm. "Don't call it that, you insufficient asshole." I say, using the nickname I give her when I'm fake mad at her. "You're gonna make me cry. But yeah. Portal sounds good." we play for a few hours, both of us yelling at the screen and good-naturedly cussing each other out. "So, are you going to see me, Cheney, and Arod off tomorrow?" Tobin asks. "Yup." I say. "It's going to be painful, but I'll be there." "Good." Tobin says. She checks her watch. "Well, I'd better get home. I need to get some sleep before tomorrow." "Alright." I say. "Bye, Tobs." we kiss briefly, then she's out the door. The next morning, I accompany Tobin, Cheney, and Arod to the airport. We say goodbye to Cheney and Arod, then hang around until Tobin's flight leaves. "Well, I guess this is goodbye." Tobin says when it's finally time. "It's not goodbye." I say. "It's see you later." "True." Tobin says. "See you later, Jedi." "See you later, Tobs." I say. We kiss, and then she has to go. As I watch her plane take off, a tear falls down my face. I feel my phone buzz in my pocket. It's a text from Tobin.

Goddammit, I miss you already. ~Nutmeg Queen

I can't help it anymore. I burst into tears. I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn around to see a concerned-looking woman. "Are you alright?" she asks. "Yeah." I say, wiping my eyes. "My girlfriend just left for college." "I see." the woman says. "Do you need anything?" "No, thank you." I say. I walk out of the airport and back to my house, where I cry myself to sleep.