Imaginary Friend (Tate Langdon Fic)

Five

2013

The day has finally come. The day that I've waited for since I first started preschool. Graduation day. I finally get to leave the school system. I get to turn the page and start a new chapter.

It was one of the best days of my life and also one of the worst. Sure I graduated, but that means I start university next. Which, in truth, I'm excited to start, but I'd be more excited if the university I chose was near by and I didn't have to move.

I'm moving to Winter Park, Florida. I'm studying to major in music business and Full Sail University has the best programs for that.

The sad thing is, I haven't even told Tate that I'm leaving for three years. I never told him that I even sent applications to colleges. He probably thinks that I'm not even going to college. I should have told him the day I got accepted into Full Sail but I couldn't break his heart. Jokes on me though, I'm going to have to break his heart now.

Tate and I started our relationship three years ago. It has been nothing but perfect. Tate has been the biggest romantic sap and I'd want nothing more. He's been my shoulder to cry on, the reason behind my smile, and the reason my eyes held so much love. Every Halloween day, we'd spend it going out on dates and at night, we'd retreat back home to spend the night watching scary movies.

Speaking of the handsome devil himself, Tate walked into my almost empty room. I was packing my necessities for when I had to fly out to Florida. "Please don't leave me." Tate's voice sounded desperate.

I looked away from the box I was packing my stuff in to look up at Tate. He was fidgeting with the sleeves of his cardigan. His eyes pleading me not to leave and his lips were in a slight frown. God, I hate seeing him sad, much less making him sad.

I stepped away from the box to walk towards him, who was standing by my bedroom door. I held out my hand for him to grab. He did and I lead him to my now bare mattress. He laid down, back facing me. I laid down behind him, wrapping my right arm around his middle. He loved being the small spoon. My left hand was tangled in his messy soft blonde curly hair, massaging his scalp.

We stayed silent for a while. I tried multiple times to tell him that I wasn't leaving him because I didn't love him, I was leaving because I was going to university. But I just didn't want to see the face he'd make when I tell him that I'll be gone for three years. The my-puppy-was-just-ran-over-by-a-semi-truck face.

"Where are you going?" His voiced cracked as he asked me.

I didn't respond. I didn't know how without breaking his heart. Tate turned around to face me. With his fingers, he pushed away stands of hair that were in my face, tucking them behind my ear.

I closed my eyes, scared of looking into his eyes. I felt a tear roll down my cheek and soon after, I felt Tate brushing it away with his thumb. "You don't love me anymore, huh?" Whispered Tate.

I snapped open my eyes, appalled that he'd even say that. Tate's beautiful brown eyes were glossy, rimmed with tears that were ready to fall. "you're putting words in my mouth. Words that I've never even once thought of." I told him confidently.

"Then why are you leaving me?" He asked. His tears finally falling down his cheeks to his jaw.

I pulled my sweater sleeve pasted my knuckles and used the sleeve to dry his tears. "I'm going to university. I'm going to get my major in Music Business. I will be gone for three years, but I promise you I will be back." I added in the last part quickly so he'd know that I wouldn't leave him forever.

Tate shut his eyes tight making more tears fall, which I also wiped away. "Well, at least you'll be able to visit, right? And at least I'll be able to get a bus and visit you on Halloween, right?" Tate asked, opening his eyes, sounding hopeful.

"You can take a bus. But it will take you two days to get to me." I told him.

Tate's face instantly fell. "What do you mean? Where are you going?" His voice coming out in a whisper.

I clenched my jaw, "I'm going to Full Sail University. It's in Winter Park, Florida."

Tate and I just looked at each other. I could tell he was trying to think of something to say, but like me, he couldn't think of anything. Instead, he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me up against his chest. His hand on the back of my head pushed at it to bury into his neck. I didn't object. With my arm still wrapped around him, I held him tightly; I grabbed fist fulls of the back of his cardigan. He rested his chin on top of my head. His chest rising and falling rapidly like mine, seeing as how we were both crying.

After 35 minutes of holding onto each other, crying, we both calmed down. Tate's head was now buried against my chest and my cheek was rested against the top of his head. My fingers playing with his hair at the back of his head while his were lightly running up and down my back. Moment likes these is where I feel adored and cared for and I hope I provide Tate with that exact same comfort.

Tate eventually pulled away from me. "Come on, I'll help you pack your things. You'll get done quicker with another pair of hands." Tate got up off my bed to move to my closest, pulling out my clothes.

I sat up in bed, my curious forest green eyes following his every move. "You're not mad?" I asked.

Tate put my now folded dress in luggage I was going to take as carryon on the plane and looked up at me. He half smiled, a smile that didn't reach his eyes. He walked over to me, grabbing my hand and pulling me up to stand. He placed his hands on either side of my face, "of course I'm not mad. In fact, I'm quite the opposite. I'm happy that you're living you life. Making your life mean something by continuing your studies and by one day, getting a big fancy job somewhere. You deserve to be happy and I'll stand by you with each and every single decision you make."

I smiled wide and wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing him close to me in a hug. He wrapped his arms around my waist, squeezing me.

He pulled away from the hug, looking at me smiling. "Let's continue packing."