Take A Walk With Me (One-Shots and More)

The Last Day (Merome)

MadiRosieFF Couldn't possibly tell you where I got this idea.

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Leaning against the wall, I waited, watching the blacktop driveway for the bus, which would be bringing his homeroom class. Evening light cast shadows through the trees that rimmed the school, the car my mother was sitting in completely enveloped.

Starting to worry, I messed with the sleeves of my hoodie, more out of habit than anything. I needed to see him, talk to him, just this one last time... We were leaving in the morning, and there wouldn't be a chance then. If I was ever going to tell him...

Yeah, I knew I was stupid, but I just kept my little secret in, refusing to say anything. For all he knew, I was staying right here in Jersey for as long as I lived. I hadn't had the heart to tell him I was moving again - I was too scared, and I didn't want him to treat me differently. I just wanted to be around him, and have a good time, like usual.

I was about to give up and just call him when the bus came rattling down the road, pulling into the school's parking lot, and stopping in front, on the road right before me. Most kids would be walking home, but there were a few parent cars, waiting. He would be one of the ones staying for a drive-by pick-up.

I scanned for him as kids filed off the bus, grouping a few feet away in their usual cliques. I knew most of them, but none of them were who I was looking for.

There.

He jumped to the ground from the top step, showing off to whatever friend he was with. Usually, he'd be the one shoving me off, so I was kind of surprised to see him do it. He was generally too scared.

All the fears that he told no one else...

I kept watching him. He hadn't looked my way yet, chatting with a few people and pushing them gently, jokingly. That grin on his face... He was happy. He would be okay without me.

One of his friends, Charlie, I think, elbowed him and pointed at me. He jumped, then looked up. I offered a smile, still not fully moving from the shadows. Looking like he wasn't even thinking about it, he started shoving through people to get to me, and sprinted the rest of the way.

"Mitch...? What're you doing here?"

"To say goodbye," I reply, not breaking my gaze away from him. His expression falls.

"What do you mean by that...? You're not...?"

"I'm moving, Jerome. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to hurt you or have you treat me different."

"I..." He looked away and bit his lip. Did I make a mistake?

Probably.

"Mitch, I..."

I grab his upper arm, and he glanced up at me. "Look, it'll be okay. We can still text and call... I have a Skype. It'll be fine."

"But that's not the same as seeing you every day... Mitch, please don't say goodbye. That makes it seem like you're never coming back."

I shrug. "I... I might not be."

"Yeah, but I'll see you again," he insists, and I sigh.

"Jerome... That just doesn't happen."

"Don't tell me what does and does not happen! Because you're wrong. Dead wrong. I'll see you again, at some point. I'm not just letting you go."

"Why not?" I challenge, and I can see him become conflicted. I learned to read his expressions long ago.

He sighs and shakes his head, grabbing both of my hands and twining our fingers. I wasn't surprised by that - it was a move he'd done before, to get my attention. Normal...

I saw the pain flash over his face. He didn't want to do this, but at the same time, every part of him was yearning to.

I knew the feeling.

He recoiled for a second, almost letting my hands go. Then, he pushed himself forward, and we were chest to chest and my mind started to whirl and I couldn't focus on a thing as his lips touched mine.

He kissed me.

There weren't fireworks or sparks. It wasn't mystic or magic. Shadows concealed the both of us, so we wouldn't be interrupted, but that's all the peace we got. Even still, I could feel every emotion in the way he moved.

And as I kissed back, I felt his grip tense.

He pulled away from me, wide-eyed and scared. I had never seen him like that. He was always so strong and brave, having a witty comment or joke for everything.

A car horn blared below.

"I have to go," he whispered, and dropped my hands, darting away. I stated after him, shocked at what had just happened.

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The next day, I sent him a text.

To: Jerome

From: Me

Hey, what's up...? Maybe I can swing by your house before we leave? Mom pushed it back an hour.

I didn't get a response for fifty minutes.

To: Me

From: Jerome

No don't bother. Skype me later, kay?

And I did.

We acted like nothing happened. I brushed it off, thinking maybe he had just been conflicted.

But now, as I interlocked our hands and lay my head on his shoulder, smiling and still giddy with excitement, feeling the engagement ring on his finger...

I knew he hadn't been.

We'd just been too blind to see what was right in front of us.