Elle Evans has always loved music. It manifested in the many playlists she made for the people she loved most in her life of songs that reminded her of them. Specifically one made for her first real love, Noah Flynn. What happens when, unbeknownst t...
Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes But it's the only thing that I know When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes It is the only thing makes us feel aliveWe keep this love in a photograph We made these memories for ourselves Where our eyes are never closing Hearts are never broken And time's forever frozen, stillSo you can keep me Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet You won't ever be alone, wait for me to come homeLoving can heal, loving can mend your soul And it's the only thing that I know, know I swear it will get easier Remember that with every piece of ya Hmm, and it's the only thing we take with us when we dieHmm, we keep this love in a photograph We made these memories for ourselves Where our eyes are never closing Hearts were never broken And time's forever frozen, stillSo you can keep me Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet You won't ever be aloneAnd if you hurt me That's okay, baby, only words bleed Inside these pages, you just hold me And I won't ever let you go Wait for me to come home Wait for me to come home Wait for me to come home Wait for me to come homeOh, you can fit me Inside the necklace you got when you were sixteen Next to your heartbeat where I should be Keep it deep within your soulAnd if you hurt me Well, that's okay, baby, only words bleed Inside these pages, you just hold me And I won't ever let you goWhen I'm away, I will remember how you kissed me Under the lamppost back on Sixth street Hearing you whisper through the phone "Wait for me to come home"
The day was finally here. The day I had been both looking forward to and simultaneously dreading all summer long. Today is the day I leave L.A. behind for Boston. It wasn't just Los Angeles that I was leaving but pretty much everything I had known for the last 18 years. That wasn't the part I was dreading. I was looking forward to a fresh start in a new place where people didn't just think of my as "Flynn", the player and guy who got into fights, though I maintain that I never started fights, just finished them. The reason I dreaded leaving was all because I had finally gotten to just be with Elle, no lying or sneaking around, and now I'm leaving, even though it feels like we've only really just begun.
My mom had wanted to drop me off at the airport but I was desperate for just a little extra time with Elle and I was able to talk her into saying our goodbyes at home and have Elle take me. Elle was uncharacteristically quiet on the drive and I knew she was overthinking what this meant for us. We had talked a little about my leaving but most of the time we tiptoed around the subject. I felt that I had made it pretty clear that me leaving wasn't the end for us, but I also knew Elle was more than a little apprehensive about trying long distance. It wasn't because she didn't love me, but more a matter of being afraid of what it meant if things didn't work out. I tried my best not to think about that. I wanted to make this work and I was determined to prove that to her.
We parked and hauled my bags to be checked before walking to security, the place where we would finally have to part ways. I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself to say goodbye when Elle beat me to it.
She looked up at me and just said it. "Goodbye."
It sounded so final and did nothing to ease my growing sense of dread.
"Come on, Shelley. Don't say it like that," I put my carryon down and grabbed her hands. "I'll see you soon, and you can come visit," I tried reassuring her, and myself a little as well. "We can make this work," I promised.
"Okay, stop. Don't say anything. I just want to be with you for a few seconds more." I could hear the emotion in her voice and see her eyes starting to water.
"You are cute when you're being bossy," I joked, trying to lighten the mood. I didn't want this to turn into some painstakingly long and tearful goodbye. It was already going to be hard enough leave her and get on that flight.
She gave a little laugh, "And don't turn back for a final wave. That is way too cheesy and romantic, even for me."
The moment had come to say goodbye but I didn't have any words, so I just leaned down and kissed her, trying to commit everything about her to memory. I pulled away and just held her, one last time. How was I going to do this without her?
"Okay," she said, finally pulling away. The way she looked at me made my heart swell but break little, like I was leaving a piece of it here, in this moment, in this airport, in this city, with this girl.
I wink at her and she giggles. God, I was going to miss that sound.
"See ya," I say and I turn and head up the stairs, trying to hide the tears welling in my own eyes. I hesitate for a moment when I reach the top, trying to decide if I'm going to ignore her request not to turn around, but I don't. I hand the security guard my ticket and walk to my gate, fearing that if I did turn around for one last look, I might not get on the plane.
I spend the six hour flight with my headphones on listening to music, flicking through the pictures on my phone, most of them of Elle and I. I come across one of my favorite pictures of us, and, as if on cue, the song that starts playing describes just how I'm feeling in this moment. Since she denied me an opportunity to be cheesy in the airport, I decide she owes me one now. I add the song to our playlist and as soon as we land and deplaned, I text her the picture with the lyrics to the song, a few lines in particular.
We keep this love in a photograph We made these memories for ourselves Where our eyes are never closing Hearts are never broken And time's forever frozen, still
I figure that's enough cheese to tide us over for a while. I quickly make the photo the screensaver on my phone and head off on this new Harvard adventure.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Finally another update! Life is keeping me busy but I haven't forgotten about the story! Also, I watched the end of the first movie for the dialogue and Elle ride off on his motorcycle from the airport and that's so stupid, like he obviously had to have some luggage with him, which is not conducive to taking the motorcycle, so in my mind, they drove a car haha. Sorry, rant over!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, all characters and existing storylines belong to Beth Reekles and Netflix, Music to Ed Sheeran.
I love your feedback, so please vote if you like it and I love reading your comments!
