Secrets [m. clifford]

- 37 -

so this is the last chapter before the epilogue

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Knowing Michael read my text and still hasn't said anything makes me feel horrible. I thought by now he would've said something. I guess not.

"Grace? We're leaving soon." Bec says, not looking at me while standing in the doorway of my bedroom.

I take a deep breath before looking around my room.

"I'm gonna miss this. I can't believe I'm going." I mumble, finally smiling.

She weakly smiles, "I can't believe it either."

Most of the morning has been silent. Usually somebody is humming, playing music, talking, or something, but nothing today.

We're all pretending we're excited, but we're all worried, scared and sad.

Yes, I'm happy. I'm happy I'm doing this, but I know they're all not.

Ashton smiles at me as I come downstairs, and I force a smile back.

"Ready to go?" Mum asks.

I just nod, and we all head to the car.

Again, we're in silence. I don't know if I like it.

When we get to the airport, our goodbyes begin

"Here we are, saying goodbye at the airport, just months after our conversation about you wanting to leave." Bec says, trying to hide her sadness.

"I'm sad, but I'm proud of you." Ashton smiles, quickly hugging me.

I'm about to leave, I'm going to go to university. I'm going to live there, get a job and just get used to the area before starting school.

"I'm proud of you too, Ashton, you're going to do big things. You better call me all the time with updates on what you guys are doing."

"I will, I promise." He smiles.

"Okay, I can't do it!" Bec cries, running over to me and crushing me in a hug.

"Bec, you're making me cry." I sniffle, holding her tighter.

"You're both making me cry!" Ashton exclaims, pulling the two of us into a hug.

"All my babies are crying I can't do it." Mum quietly says, trying to hide her face.

I pull away from Ashton and Bec, quickly pulling my mum into a hug.

"I promise when I'm able to I'll come back. I'm not going to ignore you all."

"I love you." She mumbles.

"I love you, so much."

Bec starts to cry, almost sobbing, and I feel like my heart is shattering into millions of pieces.

"Bec, Becca." I whisper, pulling away from my mum, quickly rushing over to Rebecca.

"I'm going to miss you so much you're the greatest sister and I don't know what I'll do not being able to run into your room to talk to you and-"

"Hey, breathe. Bec, please breathe." I quietly tell her, needing her to calm down.

"Promise me you'll call me all the time and that I can visit you and that you'll come home and that you won't leave me forever and-"

"Hey, Bec, I'm not going to leave you. I promise you, we will talk all the time, okay?" I sniffle, looking her in the eyes.

She nods, "I miss you already."

"I miss you." I reply, quickly hugging her.

When I look up, I notice somebody who I didn't think was going to show.

"Michael..." I quietly mutter to myself, a small smile on my lips.

He weakly smiles and I leave my family walking over to him.

Neither of us say anything, his eyes start to water, making me cry. He pulls me into a hug and holds me tightly and I hear him sniffle.

We both hold onto each other for a while, not saying anything.

"I couldn't let you leave without seeing you." He mumbles, finally speaking up.

"I love you. I really do." I tell him as we pull apart.

"I'm so in love with you and I'm so sorry for reacting the way I did. I should've spent this last week with you, not ignoring you." He whispers, staring into my eyes.

"We'll still see each other. It'll be okay." I weakly smile.

"I don't want to lose you. This will work out. I promise."

"I'm so sorry." I whisper.

"Why? You're not doing anything wrong. I should be so proud of you, and I am."

"Hey, sorry to interrupt, but, Grace? You're gonna have to go, really soon." Bec mumbles standing next to me.

I nod and she goes back to our family, as Michael and I just stare at each other.

"I can't do this." Michael chokes out before pulling me close and pressing his lips to mine.

When we pull apart, he just stares at me again, and I weakly smile.

"I had a whole thing ready to say and I just- I don't know if I'd make I through it. I'll miss you so much, we're going to make this work, okay? I'll come see you as much as I can, and I expect you to come back and visit. We're both gonna be really busy the next few years but I swear to god, Grace, this will work. I love you, so much. Now please don't say anything, I'll break down if you do. Just turn around, say goodbye to your family and walk off."

"Michael-"

"Don't say anything. Just go." He chokes out.

"I love you." I whisper, before turning around and wiping my eyes as I walk back over to my family.

I take a deep breath before saying one last thing to them, "I'm gonna be okay over there. I'll miss you guys, and I love you. I have to go. But don't forget to call me. I wanna know about everything I'm missing. No secrets."

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hey I hope this was good.
two part epilogue coming soon.

(also I posted a new fic if u read it that would be super awesome thanks kids)