21st birthday in Vegas

Goodbye? But I love you! (Ryliz breakup)

*Ryland's P.O.V.*

When it all finished I asked Liz to walk outside with me. I was trying so hard to come up with something to bring it up lightly. I couldn't so I just cut to the chase.

I quickly turned to her and said in a little too angry voice. "Why didn't you tell me?!" She stepped back with a confused and hurt look on her face. "Didn't tell you what?" she said in a low voice keeping her eyes on mine, like she expected me to hit her. "Liz I didn't mean.." "Didn't tell you what?!" she said backing up every time I tried to get closer.

I knew I hurt her so I just put my head down. "About your dad." I sigh. "Lizzie told me he died when you were twelve. I didn't want to hurt you but I did, didn't I?"

Dead Silence for almost five minutes.

"Ry," I see her meet my eyes. "I'm okay now, and I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to know. I never did." I looked up and looked confused. "Why?" I ask. "Because I didn't want you to love me for that." she said. "Pity isn't why you should love someone." I smile and pull her make-up streamed face into my chest. "It's not pity. Liz I loved you when you were drunk, hung over, no make up, crying, when I got lectured for making love to you, and talking to you about anything. Feeling bad for you because your dad died isn't why I love you.

Putting my chin on her head I rocked her back and forth and felt a smile grow on her face. "I love you too." Her soft voice rang in my ear. "LIZ!!" We both hear Hope's voice and immediately turn around. "IT'S SHELBY!!" Liz hears Shelby and runs to Hope's side.

What happened?

*Liz's P.O.V.*

"Shel was was riding her bike and a car hit her. She's in bad shape." Hope says looking at the ground.

I run down the hall in a blind depression. "This is NOT happening!" I yell and hear footsteps running behind me. Just as I unlock the door a pair of strong arms turned me around. "Liz listen to me." Ryland says, forcing me to look in his eyes. "Shelby.. she's only seven!!" I sob. "I'll go with you!" he offers.

He's sweet for offering that but it wasn't right. I'm not going to let him give up his family for me. "No Ry. You aren't going with me." I say simply. "Why not?!" he asks, hurt. "You aren't giving up your family for mine. You know I love you and I know you love me, but I'm not going to let you go with me."

After that he sat in my room and watched me pack. I avoided looking at him, because I would've cried more. When I grabbed my suitcase I saw small tears pooling in his eyes. "You aren't coming back." it wasn't a question, I knew that he knew.

"I..I'll miss you." I stutter. "I'll miss you too. Can you give me something so I can have you?" he asked and I quickly obliged, taking off my mom's heart shaped mood ring that never changed from black and gave it to him. "There. No matter what happens you'll always have my heart." It was so cheesey that I had to laugh. Honestly we needed that laugh.

He left the room for a second and came back with his I <3 JB hoodie and slipped it over me. "You have mine too." he smiled. As his laugh faded he started crying a little. "Come here." he whispers pulling me into a lingering kiss, wiping my tears away with his right hand. "No matter what you'll never be replaced. Not in my heart, not at all." He says. Those words I won't ever forget.

On the plane ride home I was curled up in a ball in Ryland's hoodie and his intoxicating smell stayed and made me cry lightly by myself.

"Sweetheart?" an small voice said beside me. It was an almost eighty year old woman looking at me with big hazel eyes and silver hair.

"Ma'am?" I said sniffling and wiping my eyes. "You're boyfriend?" she asks. I look confused. "How did you know?" I sniffled. "You're wearing a hoodie that's bigger than you, and it smells like a boy. I'm old not dumb." I halfheartedly smiled. "He meant a lot to you didn't he darling?" I nod as the tears come back to me. "He'll be back. I know. If you mean as much to him as he does to you. If he doesn't he doesn't know a beautiful girl when he sees one."

We talked the entire flight to Tennessee and when we left she said words that I'll never forget. "Ryland will be back Liz. He gave you that hoodie." she said motioning to the pockets. I hug her goodbye and curiously put my hands in the pockets and pull out a letter to me from him. "What did I do?"

_______________________________________________________________________________

I'm bawling. K Bye :'(

-Liz