jasper’s p.o.v.
“it’s time,” mom says behind me and places a hand on my shoulder. i stare at the empty house and i realize today’s the day. the day i leave. the day i leave for potentially forever and there’s no going back. “you should go say goodbye to val, love.”
“i can’t,” i whisper.
“you have to. you know you do.”
“i’m scared of goodbyes.”
“she must be terrified, then. come on,” she says, ushering me out of the house for one last time and i look back each step i take to get to the car. it’s over.
my dad’s in the front seat, driving. he looks back at me when i get in the back seat and offers me a smile. “let’s do this thing,” he says. it makes my bones quake of how real this all is. maybe it’s a dream. maybe it’s a nightmare.
i stare out the window to memorize the buildings and little neighborhoods that made us feel at home. we have to say goodbye to this home. to this place i’ve known. ten minutes later and we pull up into their driveway and my legs are shaking and my palms are sweaty.
“are you ready?”
