It Started With Hello

Chapter 23- Say Goodbye

Arabella-

This is it. I'm leaving. Holidays are over. My school semester starts in three days. I'm leaving behind my friends and family. My boyfriend. For the first time ever, I don't want to leave.

"Do you have everything?" Noah asks as we pack my bags into the car.

"Yes, I've been packing since the beginning of the week. Anything I don't take with me I won't need."

"Delilah and Justin are meeting us at the airport." Noah continues. "We need to get going so you don't miss your flight."

"Let me say goodbye to everyone first." I tell him. He nods and climbs into the drivers seat to start the car.

"Lace." My cousin sits on the front steps of the house. She stands up and hugs me tightly. I hug her back. "Take care of Farley for me. I'll be back after Matty's graduation." I promise her. "I'll call every night."

"Do you have to go back?" She asks the same question every time I leave, "Can't you stay?"

"Jake and Lucky are there. I really miss them." I tell her, "I'll be back in no time. I'll call so much you'll never know I was gone. When Archer brings Corabelle make sure to take care of her. He'll need all the help he can get. The staff will need your help, can you do that for me?" She nods and steps away. World United. Stands by the garage. Farley had to be crated so that he couldn't follow me.

"It was so nice meeting you boys after that kitchen fiasco." I tell them hugging each of them.

"Thanks for all the help in the studio." Nolan says.

"And the food was amazing." Henrick chimes in.

"And her remix skills are killer." Luke adds.

"Arabella this has been an amazing Christmas, it's all thanks to you." Zander tells me.

Finally I find myself standing in front of Lincoln. The other boys had taken Lacy back inside leaving Lincoln and I mostly alone on the driveway.

"I guess there's no convincing you to stay?" He asks rhetorically.

"I'll be back soon." I offer weakly. "Meeting you and the boys made this time so much harder." I tell him.

"I never realized how easy it would be to get attached to someone. Then how hard it would be to let them leave." He tells me taking my hands in his own. "I'm going to miss you like crazy."

"I'm just a phone call away." I promise him.

"I'll be here when you get back." He promises me. "Have a safe flight."

"I expect a copy of your album when it comes out in a few months." I tell him.

"Of course." He promises, "Tied with a big purple ribbon."

"I have to go now." I whisper.

He nods before pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. I kiss back softly before pulling away. "Bye Bella."

"Bye Link." I climb in the car and watch Lincoln and the house continue to shrink in the distance being put between us.

~~

"Write and call whenever you can." Delilah demands.

"Don't forget to come back so I don't have to keep picking up your clients." Justin jokes.

"I'll be sure to do both." I promise them hugging them.

"Flight 490 Switzerland now boarding." I grab my carry on most of my things had already been tagged, Jake and Lucky are picking me up in to take me back to the school.

"Bye Noah." I whisper before I hug him and walk through the line to get to the plane. I find my seat and stare out the window of my first class seat. The spot next to mine is filled suddenly I don't even bother to look. I'm leaving so many people behind. I'd be leaving people behind no matter where I end up. With Matty, I'd leave my best friends and boyfriend. With Noah and Uncle Simon I'd be leaving my best friends and brother. With my best friends I leave everyone else behind. There's no ideal situation unless we could all end up in London, Switzerland, or Phoenix together. The pilot drones on about the safety procedures which I had long since memorized from my constant flying. And soon we're high in the sky going away to home. One of them anyway. Once I'm able to pull out my electronics, I don't hesitate to pull out my laptop to continue remixing Lincoln's demos.

~~

"Bella!" That all too familiar squeal greets me as soon as I'd stepped into customs.

"Luck!" I exclaim as she races to hug me. "Missed you too Luck. But you can let go now." She does and I see Jake had already grabbed my bags from the carousel. "Long time no see."

He cracks a smile and nods out to the entrance. I follow him carrying some of my luggage, "How was everything after I left?"

"Are you dating him yet!" Lucky demands.

"Fine, and yes." I answer climbing into the back seat after putting my things into the back of the car. Lucky sits passenger. Jake pulls out of the airport parking lot and heads to the school. "How is everything here?"

"Good the school's filled with about a foot of snow so classes can't start until they clear it out." Jake answers, "But the dorms got out unscathed."

"How did Farley take it?"

"We had to crate him as soon as I started taking my things to the car. We said our goodbyes in the kitchen."

"So nothing new?"

"Not really." I decide against telling them my thoughts of moving to London permanently, at least until I'm sure it's what I want to do.