Friendship, Love And Hate

Epilogue

I woke up with sun shining in my eyes. There was some distant music playing. I tried to get my senses back to reality and felt a strong arm holding me by my naked waist.

I looked over and met Aaron fully awake. "Good morning" I said to him.

"Best morning" he said and leaned in for a kiss but I stopped him. "Morning breath" I said. And he just smirked and leaned back.

I leaned over to my phone to find out it was already 10 a.m. it wasn't that late, but then I remembered that Aaron is going away today. "When does your flight leave?" I ask him.

"4.p.m" he answered.

"Then we need to get up now!" I say getting up and not bothering the fact that I am naked, I don't know why I was so comfortable around him. Even if we spent the night together it still was weird to be this comfortable.

I took shower first and then Aaron did. We gathered all our stuff and brought them to his car.

Around camp everyone was starting to get up, some didn't sleep at all. Like Max.

I and Aaron went to sit to bonfire place which has burned out already, only small streak of smoke coming out.

"So I guess this is it?" Max says.

Aaron looks at him like he's stupid. "I am not dying. You know that right?" He questioned.

"Yea... but still I don't know when we will meet again" he continued.

And then Harry and Jack joined us too. "If it's meant to be... we will cross paths" Harry said from next to me.

"You know you all still have all summer together, I just won't be there" Aaron reasoned.

"Man you know it won't be the same." Max said.

"Well it is what it is" Jack said. "We all know that each and every one of us is somewhere out there and we hold on to that."

"I'm going to miss you guys" I say what more sounds like cry out. Aaron puts his arms around me.

"Group hug!" Max yelled and walked over to me pulling me up. And I was surprised that everyone joined.

Jack shook his shoulders in discussed after "never again" he said and we all laughed.

One at a time we are all separating, Riley did it first, just a little too soon.

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Fast forward I am at an airport with Aaron "I love you" he whispered in my hair.

Aaron pulled me away and pulled off ring that was on his finger. He always had that ring on.

He put it in my palm "don't forget me" he said and closed my hand so I am holding the ring in my fist.

"How could I ever?" I cried.

Aaron kissed me. Now I know why people always know the difference between regular kiss and goodbye kiss. This kiss was slow, but hard. It was more like a peck on my lips. It wasn't passionate or anything. It was simple yet it said so much.

Aaron pulled away "goodbye Victoria."

"Goodbye Aaron. If you ever come back. No matter when. Call me" I said. And he was no longer touching me.

"I will"

He was gone. My heart ached. I know this isn't the end of the world, but it sure felt like end to me. Will I ever love anyone as much?

They say that you never forget your first love. I'm counting on it. ''I love you Aaron'' I whispered under my breath. 

I whipped away my tears and pulled myself together. It wasn't hard to not cry. I was sad, but I will get through this. I am young and I have my whole life ahead of me.

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In three days I am going to college. My stuff is all packed.

After graduation party at bonfire we never made plans together. I saw the guys around town couple of times. We exchanged greetings but that's about it.

I still texted with Aaron.

I was sitting in my living room when doorbell rang. Ugh grandma must have forgotten the key again "I'll get it." I scream to dad.

"Grandma again! When will you learn...?" I say as I open the door in hurry. But there isn't grandma.

I stood there completely shocked and frozen.

"You okay?" Aaron asked smirking.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him and take him in a hug.

"Ben had some unfinished last business here so I came along" he explained casually.

"Aaron we texted like ten minutes ago" I reasoned.

"Well... it was a fast ride" he said and I hit him playfully but then kissed him.

"Fast ride from France. What did you take rocked?" I asked him. "Come in" I say but he doesn't move.

My happy face turns sad "do. Do you have to go already?" I ask sad.

"No.no. no" he corrects me worried that I am sad. He wants to say more but his eyes fixate on my necklace. It was his ring put in a delicate chain.

He shook his head "we are going to camp for one last time" he said.

"What? Aaron my dad..."

"Your dad was in on it. I called him and convinced him to let you go with me. Jack, Max and Harry will be there too" he explained and I hugged him.

After I ran upstairs and got my stuff I and Aaron went to camp.

Here was all our friend group reuniting after summer.

Max was still his stupid self, cracking lame jokes, and being comedic as always. Harry was still the emotional one. Jack was still the responsible one, only grown up here. And Aaron. Aaron was still closed in but he was better at showing his emotions.

We all got a little drunk this time even I and Aaron drank a bit. But since we don't usually drink it affected us quite a bit. I was okay with drinking because I am not afraid anymore that I will turn out like my mom. I am not her, I am my own person. And I shouldn't live in fear that I will turn out like her.

I and Aaron went to the same cabin as last time. With all the alcohol in our blood it made us a bid reckless and our night turned out a bit heated.

How is it possible that this time it was even better? Maybe because now it was clear as day that we will not meet again for sure.

My summer ended with all of us reuniting and that was all that mattered.

Today I am going to my college. I woke up, walked downstairs and there was already dad, Meredith, Cam, and grandma siting at our breakfast table.

This was my happy place. No matter how bad life turns out, there is also something good. But life never stops at just good or bad it keeps going through all kind of ups and downs.

Sometimes we need to lose something or someone to know for what to look next.

Now I know what kind of friendship I am looking for and I won't stop for anything less.

Now I know what I am deserving of and I won't stop at anything less.

My life is still going, I am here because I have my dream to fulfil. I need to be someone people learnt from and I am going to do it. I don't know how, but I will figure it out.

I don't know yet what my purpose is, I don't know what anyone's purpose is and... It's okay.

It's okay to not know everything.

But one I know for sure I am going to prove everyone wrong when they didn't believe me...