By The Beach ✔

Part 33. Old and New

VACATION. WHY DOES IT HAVE TO END?

That thought followed me as I walked around mine and Dinah's hotel room as I packed up my things, Dinah was sitting on her bed looking through a Cosmopolitan Magazine, she popped her gum in her mouth with a snap as she flipped the page.

Suitcase all packed and ready for the morning, I shook my hair out from over my shoulders and pulled it back into a sloppy ponytail; I sat on my bed with a sigh and looked over at my cousin.

"I can't believe it has been three weeks already." It feels like it has been much longer than just three.

Dinah looked over at me and grinned, "Well, it has been eventful. First, you flirt with Doug's pal, then go out on a date with said guy. Your ex comes down to find you. We put him in jail for trashing my beautiful Jeep. Then you fight with the guy you want to date, make-up with him, and are now trying to be in an actual relationship with the same guy," she said as she flipped her page with a smirk.

I tried to think of something Dinah had done this entire trip that could add to this situation, that was when I realize that her partying and sleeping around honestly didn't cause as many problems as I had.

Awkward.

"Right. And to that silence you are giving me, remind me to never take you on vacation with me again," she joked as she sat up and put her magazine in her bag.

Don't worry, I never plan on vacationing again, I thought as I slung my backpack into the pile of bags and sat on the bed; I opened my phone and saw a new text message from Sawyer.

Since two nights ago when we talked, we have been trying to figure out ways to make a relationship work between us; I have found a couple of Colleges online; he has been trying to find ways around the record deal so he can visit me.

The only problem was, there is very little time we will spend together. I opened the message on my phone and my eyes read it over in a rush.

Sawyer: Meet me in the lobby.

I stood up from the bed and grabbed my purse from the dresser as I started for the door, Dinah sighed "Bring me back a muffin" she called to me as the door shut behind me. I wrung my hands around the crossbody strap as I walked down the hallway to the elevator.

Good news or awful news was coming for me, I could feel it in the pit of my stomach. As I pressed the elevator button, I noticed the elderly couple from our first night here walking towards the elevator with their bags.

They were holding hands.

I smiled as I looked at them, "Leaving so soon?" I said, the elderly woman gave a grin as she looked up at her husband.

"We have a granddaughter's birthday party to get to. Kyle here forgot to get her a birthday present" she scolded him, I realized that instead of scolding him she was teasing him. I laughed at the brief glare he sent her as the elevator doors opened.

They got on the elevator with me and I crossed my arms with a slight smile "Well, I hope she has a wonderful birthday" I told them as the elevator started down.

The older man, Kyle, gave a smile "She is turning ten, I never would have thought thirty years ago my Bonnie and I would have a granddaughter," he turned to his wife with a grin "I never thought we would have anything together. But it all worked out between us."

Bonnie chuckled as she turned to me, "It took time before we figured everything out. We met right here in this hotel thirty-five years ago. I was working the hotel desk, and he was here with his friends hitting the bars," she gave a roll of her eyes as the elevator doors opened and we stepped out, she smiled "I think it was the charm I had fell for that day," she spoke with something in her eyes as she looked up at him.

He grinned down at his wife "I had never felt that way before" he said as they walked towards the front desk. Bonnie waved towards me as I walked for the cafe where I saw Sawyer leaning on the wall, he was in silent thinking mode, I could tell from how his face was.

Whatever that was about to be said would either break our hearts or make us happy. I guess you could never know until it was said, right? I took a breath as I walked into the cafe and smiled at Sawyer who was sitting at a table with a coffee.

I sat down beside him and took a breath before speaking to him, "You wanted to talk?" I asked, looking at him with an uneasy expression.

Sawyer looked at me and bit his bottom lip, "Elizabeth, I don't know how to be gentle about this. The Record Label that Art has us going through will have us working all the time on the record. I have tried to find a way around it but the only days we get to relax is two days after we record, then it's back to work after one day of rest," he ran his hands through his hair and closed his eyes "I keep thinking about just telling them no," he said, looking at me with a frown.

His hand laid on the table and I put my hand over it with a shake of my head.

"No. You are not giving away your dream just so we can go out on a date. I couldn't live with that," I told him and gave a slight smile "We can still talk every day and stuff. We just can't see each other in person," I sighed and pulled my hand away from him. Sawyer's eyes looked over my face, and he looked down at his coffee.

"You want me to go?"

"I couldn't live with myself if I made you give up this chance. I need you to go."

He shook his head as he stood up from his seat "I don't want to leave you and have you sad" he told me as he stood over me, I stood up to and looked up at him with a smile.

"I will not be sad." As I spoke he gave me a look of knowing and I threw my arms around him in a hug "I will just miss you" I told him, he wrapped his arms around me and squeezed me tight into him.

What was it that woman had told me? Did it take some time for her and her husband to figure things out? Maybe it will just take time for me and Sawyer to figure things out, I know I won't lose hope that we will be together for sure one day.

It will just take time.

He laid his head down on mine and sighed, "I don't know how long this will take."

"I know."

We stayed like that for a moment until he moved his head from mine and looked down at me with a lopsided grin, "Well. I say we spend our last night at this hotel together. Just us" he said making me smile and put my hand in his.

"Just us."

Neither of us knew what the future would bring, we didn't know when we would see each other again. I knew though that I wanted to spend tonight in his arms watching reruns of old shows that he enjoyed watching so much while eating fast food.

I was in love with Sawyer Montgomery. That is the one thing I knew for sure

(Sadly, only one Chapter left! Question of the day: Favorite Summer activity?)