Celebrity Status [1]

39.) Goodbyes

“I’m all packed.”

“Are you sure you want to leave?”

I nodded. “I can’t stay here, Jackson.”

He sighed and pulled me into a tight hug. After calling my dad, he told me that it was okay if I came home early and then I announced to everyone my decision to leave. That didn’t go too well, but everyone grew to accept it. Then, the plane ticket was ordered- I leave tomorrow.

“I’m really going to miss you.” He mumbled into my shoulder.

“I’m really going to miss you too, but I don’t leave until tomorrow.” I added. “Let’s just lazy around and watch movies all day.”

“We can’t.” He said sheepishly. “I invited everyone over for a final goodbye.”

My eyes widened. “But I’ll cry!”

He grinned innocently at me. “So will everybody else, it’s okay.”

I grumbled an angry thought as he laughed at my miserableness.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

True to his word, in an hour’s time, the house was cluttered with the people I’d grown to love over the past two months.

Jackson, Ryder, Andy, Elle, Isaac, Brendon, Jarrod, Tommy, but no Kale. It’s not like I was expecting him to come. He probably wants me to leave.

They were all sitting in the living room with gloomy looks on their faces, still begging me not to leave.

“I don’t see why you have to go.” Elle muttered.

“Guys, I was going to leave eventually, anyway.” I insisted. “I’m just speeding up the process a little.”

“But we’re going to miss you.” Andy whined.

“Listen, you have no idea how amazing this time has been for me. I met two of my idols, went shopping with frikkin’ Ryder West, I sang in front of a crowd of famous people, hell, I had a walk of shame in front of two of the most famous guys in Hollywood!”

“Three.” Jackson added.

“You don’t count.” I teased. “Anyway, how many people can say that? I’ll be fine, but I can’t get over this staying here and I don’t want to be in your way.”

“You are never in our way.” Ryder told me.

“Yeah, just because you cry doesn’t mean that you’re a burden.” Isaac added.

“But you’re coming back next summer, right?” Elle asked with a pleading look on her face.

I shrugged. “Maybe, I don’t know, honestly.”

“Don’t forget us, okay?” Brendon said, wrapping me in a tight hug.

I tried my best to smile. “I don’t think it’s possible to forget any of you. Because you’re all so weird.”

“You know it.” Jarrod grinned.

“I got you something.” Ryder said, standing up and moving over to me. He handed me a rolled up piece of paper and when I opened it, I couldn’t hold back a sincere laugh. It was a poster of him, shirtless, of course, with his signature at the bottom. If I had that two months ago, I would have fainted.

“I did too, but mine’s way better.” Tommy spoke, but his gift wasn’t so small- it was a beautiful guitar. It was hot pink with a dark blue neck and it also had his autograph in black Sharpie. Again, if I had that two months ago, I would have fainted.