Leaving (Lauren Cimorelli Fanfic)

I'm Yours

Jaiden's POV

It's slowly inching closer to the moment that I'm leaving. I'm driving down this afternoon. My parents don't seem to care much. Actually, I think they are happy that there will be space between us. We barely ever talk anyways so now that I'm going to be living in a completely different state we probably won't talk at all.
The only thing we have talked about lately is the fact that they're letting me take my car down to the campus. My parents left yesterday so they won't even be here when I leave. The only one I really have to and care about saying goodbye to is Lauren.

I have friends that I care about but when I think about it, I don't have friends like her. She's my girlfriend, but she's also my best friend. And when you don't have a family who is there for you, than who is harder to leave than your best friend?

But even though I feel that way I'm not sure she feels that same. This last month has been hard on our relationship. Even when I was here I could feel the distance beginning to build between us.

I have almost all of my stuff packed. I don't know my roommate which could go good or bad. But as I finished packing stuff in my car, I can't help but think that I'm willingly leaving the girl I love, knowing that this might be the breaking point of our relationship.

When I finished loading all of my stuff in the back of the car, I walked out of my house and locked the door. I never imagined going off to college and not even having my parents here to say goodbye to me. I've always known that my family isn't normal but it really hit me that they don't care, otherwise they would be here.

I started driving to Lauren's, knowing that was my last stop before driving to Texas. As I pulled in her driveway and started walking to the door, Lauren opened it when I was still 10 feet away. I walked up to her and pecked her lips. Her eyes were turning red.

Lauren's POV

It's starting to get late. Me and Jaiden were sitting on my front porch. I sat close to him and then turned my head to take in his appearance. He looked back at me with a sweet smile. I looked deep into his light hazel eyes memorizing every detail. I looked down at my hands, speaking in a hushed tone.

Lauren- "We ran out of time so quick." I said in a disappointed tone.
Jaiden- "We've got this. You're going to go on tour for a little while and I'm going to play football for a little while. That's how we have to think about this. It's just a little while." He reached for my hand and held it tight.
Lauren- "But with tour and with your schedule we aren't going to be able to visit each other for more than just a little while."
Jaiden- "I know but it's not like we are breaking off contact all together. I'm still going to call you all the time. Trust me, I may be in Texas but I can definitely still annoy you from that far away."
Lauren- "Do you really think we can make this work?" I said unsure. I would never tell him, but this just seems so hard when we are both young and so far apart.
Jaiden- "I do." He said kissing my cheek. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. As he opened it up he began to speak quietly.
Jaiden- "I brought you something." He pulled out a small picture of the two of us. It has been my favorite picture since the moment we took it but I never got it printed. It was a picture of him looking over at me with his sweet smile and dimples showing as I looked at the camera smiling; not knowing he was doing that. As he handed it to me he continued.
Jaiden- "We are going to be far away from each other. I'm not going to be able to put my arms around you and tell you everything is going to be okay. I'm not going to be able to be here to see you whenever we want. But just because I'm not physically here doesn't mean I'm not invested in us. I'm going to be in Texas but my mind is always going to be straying away from Texas and wondering how you are." I smiled down at the photo and a sad look washed over his face.
Jaiden- "I know that you are questioning us. I know that you are questioning our relationship. I can see it in your eyes that me leaving is a problem. I'm not giving you the picture to remind you of good times so that you feel trapped in. I'm giving it to you, so that you know you have the option to give it back. If you keep it, then I know that you pick me. But if you give it back, today or any other day too come, then I know your heart doesn't belong to me anymore."
I looked down at the floor wondering how he knew. I looked up trying to answer his question gently but honestly.
Lauren- "It's not a question of if I want to be with you are not... I'm in love with you...and now you're leaving. That scares me."
Jaiden- "I didn't think you were scared of anything."
Lauren- "When it comes to you.. I am."
I grabbed the picture taking it gently out of his hand and smiling up at him.
Lauren- "I'm yours. There's no way I could give you this picture back now." I looked up at him and pecked his lips.
He pressed his lips against mine as they moved in sync. He pulled away slowly.
Jaiden- "I have to go." He said quietly.
I looked down trying not to show him how upset I was. He lifted my head and grabbed my hand as he stood up and started walking to his car.
He pulled me into a tight hug as we got to his drivers side door. I could feel his soft lips press against my forehead.
Lauren- "I don't want to say goodbye."
Jaiden- "Neither do I. So I'm just going to say I'll see you later. I'm not gone forever. I'll be back in a few months."
Lauren- "5 months is a long time. But when you come back it will be worth it... So I'll see you later." I said forcing a smile as I could feel years about to fall.

This is it. He is leaving. Four months can seem like a long time. But for us, it felt like a matter of minutes. But 5 months of being apart will feel so much longer than those four months that flew by. I told him "I'm yours" but I did it so he wouldn't be upset when he left.

I don't know if we can make it. I don't know how we could. I'm bad with distance and seeing him drive down the street made it so much more real that every mile he drives is a mile further that we are.

A/N
Let me know what you guys think in the comments below. Do you guys think Lauren and Jaiden will make it?