Seventeen

23) Months change everything.

2 Months Later

~Lily's POV~

"Do you have to go?" I cry into Drews neck as we stand at the airport, waiting for him and the rest of the tide boys to leave.

"I have to" Drew smiles as me, wiping away my tears gently with his thumbs. "We will be back before you know it"

"I know you do" I wrap my arms around his neck "I'll miss you" I whisper.

"I'll miss you too" he replies before kissing my gently. I feel his warm tears against my face, and a few of my own escape my eyes. This is the longest we are going to be apart since they got here.

"Come on guys" shouts Levi "That's seriously enough!" We pull apart and laugh at him, but not breaking away from each other. When I look back into Drews eyes I hug him tightly.

"I love you Lily Jones, don't ever forget that" He pulls away from me joining the rest of his band mates pulling his suitcase along behind him. As they walk through the gates he looks over his shoulder blowing me a kiss. I reply by pretending to catch it, and even when he looks away I still hold my fist shut tightly as if not wanting to let it go.

"Come on sweetheart" my mom comforts me, putting an arm around my shoulder "Let's go home"

"He's my home" I mutter before following her to the car.
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1 month later

"We still on for FaceTime tonight - L xx"
"I don't think I can tonight, sorry! - Dreww x"

I sigh at my phone, that's the second time this week that he has cancelled last minute.

"What you up to? - L x"
"Just hanging out with the other guys on the tour bus, just guy stuff you wouldn't be interested Babe. I'll call you tomorrow morning - Dreww x"

He sees all those guys everyday, and he can't spend anytime to speak to me, we haven't seen each other in a month and I just needed some comfort to know we are okay. As I turn off my light and climb into bed, I lay awake thinking if this could really work, and if I could see our relationship going further.

~Drews POV~

I hate to let Lily down like that, but it's hard to keep up to date with everyone on tour and back home. I text her one last time with:

"Lil, I love you :p - Dreww xx"

I hear the door opening suddenly and Nate enters.

"You okay man?" He asks sitting beside me

"Yeah guess I'm just home sick" I wait patiently for a reply from Lily.

"I know this is about Lily" Nate sighs "it's hard to keep a long distance relationship"

"What's that supposed to mean?!" I snap

"Look mate, don't take this the wrong way, but Lily is a beautiful, funny girl, she's still in school, you've got to think about this. Are you really going to put her whole life on pause because of you? You need to be 100% committed and with our travelling it's hard"

I look up at him seeing truth in his words, this last month leaving Lily shows how selfish I am. I can't expect her to drop her entire life for me, when I don't know when I'm going to be back. As I sit thinking this to myself I see Nate go to leave.

"Nate I love her"

"I know you do, and that's why I know you are going to do what's best for her"

~Lily's POV~

I wake the next morning just after 9, eager to talk to Drew.

"You awake? Waiting for your call ;) - L xx"
"I'm awake, pick up. - Dreww x"

Before I can comprehend how plain his message is I get an incoming call from Drew, I pick up as quickly as possible.

"Hey handsome" I flirt giggling to myself
"Hey" he replies
"You okay?" I asked worried
"Yeah, yeah just tired"
"It's just so good to hear your voice, I've missed it"
"I've missed you more" he replies but it doesn't have it's usually loving effect "Lil you know I love you right?"
"Of course!" I almost laugh "and I love you too, more actually! I..."
"Thats why I think this...I mean us... needs to have a break" I laugh not knowing how to react.
"I don't know what you are talking about"
"I'm doing this for you Lil, I don't want you to be cooped up at home waiting for the day I return, I want you to live your life. And I'm the one stopping you from that" he goes quiet.
"Drew is this some kind of a prank, it's not funny" I say harshly "I'm not going to stop waiting because I want to spend my life with you!"
"I can't promise that, and that's why I need sometime... to figure out if this is right... I just want you to be happy"
"I am happy!" I cry "I'm happier than..."
"I love you" I hear him whisper and the line goes dead. And I'm left crying into the phone somehow hoping he can hear me, and that I'll wake up from this nightmare.