I spent my last night got with Tanner. My parents had a going away party and practically the entire town showed up. They held it at the community center, a tiny building with lots of open space and a small kitchen. There was food and music that people eventually broke off and danced to. Lydia made sure there was a slow song. Tanner and I were inseparable. That night my parents went out with their friends. That meant more time with him. I thought I was doing a good thing by staying with him as much as I could.
We laid together on the couch just laying there. He held onto me tightly as if that would make me stay. Occasionally he would kiss me. I willed myself not to cry. I knew that it was always too good to be true and it would have to end some day. I just didn't think that day would come as fast as it did. It was eleven when Tanner decided it was best he headed home. We said our goodbyes and he slipped a small, silver chain around my neck. He clasped it and turned to leave. He was halfway down my driveway when he turned to look back at me. In the split second he looked at me I wish he never had. I saw the kind of sadness in his eyes that you would see in someone who just watched their dog get run over. But there was also an emptiness that could not be defined. It was like his eyes were a black whole sucking all the sadness in. Then he turned and walked away into the night. I let out a shaky sigh and willed myself not to cry. I looked down at the chain he put on me. It was a small silver circle on a thin metal chain. I flipped it over and on the back "I love you to the moon and back" was daintily engraved.
