Maybe It Was Fate

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Hello! Important Author's Note at the bottom but until then enjoy! xo

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I stood in an empty room, one final box held together with tape. The walls were empty, my photos and posters packed away, ready to be hung up on a new wall.

With the box in hand, I descended the stairs for one last time, breathing in the smell of home, which would soon become unfamiliar.

The fresh air outside welcomes me with a biting chill. The back of a moving truck is half closed, ready to leave.

I stack the box in the back, standing on my tippy toes to make sure it stays in.

Behind me, my friends stand along the sidewalk, expression of sadness adorning their faces.

"So this is really happening, huh?" Hannah states, breaking the silence.

I nod. "I guess so."

I was kind of hoping that Mum would tell me she's been pulling some kind of horrific prank on me all week and that we were actually going on a cruise or something for a week or two.

"I can't believe you're actually leaving." Jakob says, the corners of his lips slanting downwards in a pout.

I chuckle and squeeze his cheek. He grabs my wrist and holds my hand against his face. I shake my head at him sadly.

"We'll see each other again soon. I promise. I'll text you every single day. I'll tell you all about my first day and my new house."

"And your new friends?" He asks, a hint of jealousy threading itself into his tone.

"I'll never have new friends like you guys. They'll simply be... acquaintances, until we meet again."

He chuckles.

"Allie?" Ethan speaks up.

"Yeah E?" I ask, stepping closer to him.

"I want you to have this." He hands me a little box, a small bow sitting on the top.

I smile at him, a peel the lid off slowly.

Sitting in the box is the chain Ethan always wears around his neck.

"Ethan..." I have to swallow to keep my voice from breaking. "I can't take this from you."

"You won't be. Just take it and look after it. Give it back to me when we see each other next."

I nod, letting the cool metal sit in my palm.

"Put it on?" I ask, holding it out.

He takes it as I turn and wait for him to clip it from behind my neck.

A car honks from up the street where my Mum is sitting in the car.

I let my eyes linger on the car for a moment, contemplating whether I would actually go over to the car and get in. But even I knew that I would.

I hugged every one of my friend's goodbye, holding tightly onto them for as long as I could.

Jakob held on so tightly I couldn't breathe but that's okay because I was holding my breath anyway, hoping I'd wake up from a terrible nightmare. I didn't.

Ethan nearly popped a rib out I think. I laugh as he swayed back and forth with me in his arms.

Chris was last. I watched his eyes for a moment. They were avoiding mine. It took me a moment to realise he was crying.