Freshman Year

Goodbye

It was no secret that sleep would not happen that night. Everyone was excited to leave and see their family. Everyone was ready to say goodbye to the people they hate and be 10th graders. Emerson and Nash stayed up half the night texting. Emerson knew that after today she wouldnt see her boyfriend in a long while they would be apart for months. She carefully played with the bracelet he had gotten her the day before. They had went for a walk around campus, and he bought her the stupid bracelet from the school store.

Eventually Nash had fallen asleep so she was left to herself. All she could do was stare at the ceiling and listen to Lauren's light snores. Nash had talked about how his family wanted Emerson to come to Australia. That was a lot for her to take in. Sure she wanted to go. She got along with Thea really well, and she loved Nash. He really wanted her to come. She wanted that little-kid-in-the-candy-store look to stay so she said she would talk to her parents. Just the way his eyes smiled meant she said the right thing. She could still feel his arm around her shoulder. She could feel him slightly pulling her closer to him. The thought just made her smile. It was perfect. Every little thing Nash did made her fall deeper for him. That included the times they fought then made up. After a few more times of checking Instagram she put her phone down. To her surprise Brooke's head appeared next to her.

"Can you believe we are sophomores?" She asked quietly. Emerson smiled and thought about it for a moment.

"Honestly no." She smiled up at the ceiling. This was exciting. Part of her just couldn't wait for what was next. What was going to happen sophomore year. "It is going to be hard saying goodbye."

"To Nash?" Brooke asked.

"Especially Nash!" Emerson said in a whisper yell. It was then she realized just how far they would be from each other, trip or not. "He invited me to come to Australia. He asked his parents to even buy my ticket..."

"Wow I wished Carter would do that for me. He wants me to come with him, don't get me wrong." Brooke smiles and stares at Emerson's bracelet. A smile spreads across her face. "I wonder where you got that."

"Nash got it for me. I wanted to go swimming but he had other plans. I'm glad I agreed to his." Emerson smiles at the memory. Brooke's smile falters.

"It's good to talk to you. I feel like I haven't talked to you in forever. I guess Carter just had my full attention." She laughs a little. They both hear Lauren move and wince in fear of waking her up.

"Yea we have drifted apart." Emerson says. However the reasons were not totally because of Carter. It was simply new friend choices.

The two sit in awkward silence. They find some comfort by listening to Lauren's light snores again. After a few excruciating moments of silence someone knocks on the door. Emerson and Brooke glance at each other in confusion. Neither had invited anyone to come over especially not this late. Brooke quietly sneaks over to the door to see Daelyn. Who smiles into the room brilliantly.

"I snuck out. Figured you could use some company, Brooke." Daelyn says not bothering to lower her voice. Brooke smiles before glancing back at Emerson. Emerson put on a fake smile and shrugged. "Okay well lets go!" Daelyn links arms with Brooke and drags her out. Revealing a very tired Mackenzie.

"You three are going to get caught!" Emerson jumps out of her bed and rushed to them. "Brooke, don't be this stupid!"

"It is the last night what are they going to do?" Daelyn answers for her. It was clear she couldn't care less about what sort of trouble lay ahead. "Just go back to your perfect boyfriend!" She smiles and drags the other two along with her. Emerson climbs back into bed slightly worried.

•

By morning Brooke had still not returned back to the dorm. Lauren looked well rested where as Emerson's eyes were slightly puffy. As soon as she had woken up she checked to see if the bunk below her was filled or not. Before she could properly become worried about her roomie someone knocked on the door. It was Nash coming to help bring down her bags. Emerson's eyes widened before slamming the door in his face.

"Nash!" Emerson squeals at him through the closed door. "What are you doing here so early? I have no makeup on. Plus my hair is a mess. Come back in twenty minutes!"

He knocks on the door once more. She opens it just enough to throw a fully packed bag at his face. He stops the door just in time to throw it open and smirk at her. Emerson glares at him in frustration. He plants a quick kiss on her lips before faking a disgusted look.

"Ew morning breath!" He squeals in a falsetto voice. She tries her best not to smile as she shoves him. He walks over to a few bags with her name on it. "Can I take these? Also are you missing a roommate?"

"Yea you can take all those down." Emerson does a quick check list of all that is inside of them. It takes her a full minute to even consider his second question. "Yea Brooke never returned from her.... adventure."

"Oh." He says quietly knowing it wasn't his business. He slowly begins picking up a few of her bags.

"Tell me if you hear anything about her getting into trouble!" She tells him as he begins to walk out of the room.

"Absolutely!" He walks out of the door. After a few seconds he pokes his head back inside the frame. "Remember to brush your teeth! Yikes!" He teases her just enough for her to throw the nearest item at him.

•

Everyone say by the fountain waiting for the next bus to take them to the airport. Emerson had found that Brooke, Daelyn and Mackenzie almost got caught and had to hop the fence where they were stuck till this morning. Emerson made sure to tell Brooke 'I told you so' before she had gotten on the last bus. Ellie, Hadley, and Audrie had gotten a good laugh from the story.

"I'm going to miss you guys!" Audrie said before bringing in a group hug. Even though Ellie refused.

Justin walked over and gave her a quick kiss before saying, "My parents are picking me up here so I got to go... Call me."

"Of course!" Audrie says before planting a quick kiss on his lips. Neither of them cared who watched.

"I hate that Nash already had to leave you know?" Emerson frowns down at her feet and Addison tries to make it better in her own way. By smacking her hard on the back. Emerson laughs and smiles at her. "We need to meet up this summer."

"Absolutely!" Addison says before thinking of what to do. "Girl trip. For all of us." She gestured to the rest of the group.

"I'm in!" Hadley pipes up.

They all got into their own last minute conversations. Margie talked to Trent about their FaceTime plans and how they needed to stay in contact. He agreed one hundred percent with her. Everything between them was going rather smoothly. Where as Ellie still stood staring for someone who would never show his face. Friend or not he was worth nothing some times. Then her phone lit up. Even though she wasn't sure about it, she did text the boy at the theater. He was surprisingly nice, funny, and cute.

"I can't believe you texted him!" Hadley says reading her phone over her shoulder. "Although I applaud thee for being so brave."

"Thanks and at least it is someone to talk to. Carter avoids me at all costs, and Aiden is dating Courtney. He said he wanted to be my friend, yet he hasn't bothered to text back. Fortunately for me, Dean hasn't been like that." Ellie says with a slight smile. Hadley's eyes land on Cory for a moment. Then they cloud over as she shoots down the crazy idea Ellie just gave her. She didn't keep it from Ellie very well though. "Hey at least go say goodbye."

"Yeah maybe I should after all I have liked him all year. I've only talked to him like twice!" Hadley straitens up before walking over to him.  She comes back over a few seconds later with a bright red face. "Now I remember why I hate him!"

"Aww that's alright, Hadley. There are much better people out there. Plus our bus is here." Ellie tells her with a wink. Then idea comes to her. "Next year we should make a book about our class!" They load themselves up on the school transport.

Once they sit down Hadley voices her opinion, "That is a great idea! We should come up with different names for ourselves so if the rest of the class sees it they won't be offended! What is your name? Wait let me right this down!" Hadley whips out her ripped notebook and they discuss this for hours. Until they finally had to say goodbye, climb off the bus, and leave behind freshman year.