"You're breaking up with me?" Ricky asked tears swelling up in his eyes.
"Not exactly." I said sitting down and pulling him down with me. "I don't think it would be healthy to be here, you know, with the Kian thing. I have to get away for a while."
"But why all the way across the country!" Ricky exclaimed sitting up. "I had plans for us."
"What kind of plans?" I asked grabbing his arm.
"Plans for us to run away." he said not looking at me. "Ever since Kian kicked you out. I was making plans. I had a whole plan. We would just drive around the country. Just us. And-" he choked on the last word.
"And what?" I asked, nervous.
"And we would get married." my heart clenched. "Maybe we could still run away, please. Tara I love you." he went down on knee putting a hand on my shaking knee.
I buried my head into my hands. Taking short breathes, trying not to cry. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Ricky. Hearing him say he wanted that too, is changing everything.
"I can't." I said. "I love you, too. I promise I will come back. We will get married. Not now. I want this to happen when my brother hates me."
"I understand." Ricky said taking the seat next to me. "Just please keep this. And wear it everyday." he pulled out a ring with a tiny diamond on it, he slipped it on my finger.
"I will." I said pulling him in for a hug. "I love you so much." I mumbled into his neck.
"I love you so much more." he said hugging me back. "Don't forget me."
"I could never."
~~~~~
"Ready to go?" Dean asked as he put the last box into the car.
"Yeah." I said twisting the ring on my finger. Remembering the rest of that night Ricky has given me this ring.
"C'mon before we miss the plane." he stepped into the drivers seat. I took my place in the passenger and we were off the airport.
We were in the plane. I took the last look of my home. As the plane lifted off the ground.
"Good bye." I said as a tear rolled down my cheek.
The flight was boring. I mostly listened to my music and slept. I haven't slept in days. The stress of so many things were stopping me from doing anything good for myself. It was the beginning of July. Actually July 2nd. Two months till Kian and I's birthday, when we turn 18. I don't even know if I'm going to go back at all. But I have too. I promised Ricky. I stopped myself there and looked down at the ring. Dean never realized I was wearing a ring, but I know soon he's going to ask and I'm going to have to tell him. Every time I look at it, I get depressed. We could've ran away. We could've gotten married. We could've disappeared. Just the two of us. I wish I couldn't feel at all, so I wouldn't have to feel this.
"Please fasten your seat belts, we are preparing for landing." the woman said over the intercom switching on the seat belt light.
I look over at Dean. He's smiling. He catches me staring. He grabs my hand. 'It'll be fine.' he mouthed. The whole reason Dean wanted me to come is because we wanted there be a 'us'. But there is never going to be a 'us'. I just smiled back.
"Tara!" Dean's mom exclaimed. "You have grown so much! And you're so much more beautiful than I remember." she pulled me into a tight hug.
"Thank you, Mrs. Thomas." I said while gasping for air.
"C'mon, we are about to eat dinner." she said pulling us into the kitchen.
A whole entire home cooked meal was spread out on the table. After a few minutes of Mrs. Thomas piling food onto my plate we all ate.
"I'll take the dishes." Dean said picking up the plates. As soon as he was gone, Mrs. Thomas got up and sat down next to me.
"Who put a ring on it?" she asked. "Because that's too nice of a ring for my son's cheapness."
"My boyfriend." I struggled out. "I don't even know if should call him my boyfriend."
"Tell me about it." she said getting up. "Obviously not here though." he grabbed my hand. "Dean I'm going to help Tara unpack!"
We rushed upstairs to a spare room. Which I guess was going to be mine.
"Tell me." she said grabbing a box if tissues.
After telling her about Ricky I was crying. The tissues were useful.
"I'm so sorry, hun." she pulled me into a hug. "Stay as long as you want or as short. We will understand."
