My (Super)Hero [COMPLETE]

Chapter 26: Goodbye Again

Y/N's POV

Today's the day. Goodbye New York, hello Florida.

Yesterday was really awkward; I had to tell Dad that I was leaving. He thought it was his fault, which broke my heart because he did nothing wrong. I know he blames himself for Mom wanting a break, but that wasn't his fault, either. Mom has her problems, and I have mine. Dad shouldn't have to be the one to be hurt by them, but he is.

He's letting me go, though. He's devastated (even though he won't say so), but he's letting me go.

Part of me wanted him to say that he wouldn't let me leave, so that I'd have an excuse to get out of what I got myself into, but no. There's no easy way out.

Ethan's not terribly upset; but we'll see how he deals with no one to cook for him. And do the laundry, and the shopping, and the cleaning...

Dad couldn't get off work on such short notice to drive me to the airport (which he also feels terrible about), so I said goodbye to him last night. We went out to eat and got ice cream as a family. I made sure to let him know in every possible way that none of this was his fault, but he still feels sad and I still feel guilty. Not a good combo.

I'm currently staring at my suitcase, stuffed with the essentials. Dad and I have an agreement that I'll come back "when you've worked out what you need to work out", so I'm leaving most of my stuff here. Especially the stuff I want to forget.

Harry is coming to pick me up in a few minutes to take me to the airport, but in the meantime, I have to say goodbye to Ethan.

"Y/N?" He knocks and, after receiving the okay (I laid down some privacy rules that were enforced and instilled), he opens the door and comes in.

"Are you all ready for school?" I not-so-strategically avoid the elephant in the room, as per usual.

"N/N, I'm not a baby, you know. I can get myself ready for school."

"I know that, it's just hard to accept."

"That's hard to accept?" His tone shifts to something almost angry. "Y/N, we just started to be a normal family again, and now you're walking out on it. You know what's hard to accept? That your relationship with your friends is more important to you than your relationship with us."

"Ethan, that's no-"

"You know it's true. So does Dad."

"Ethan, I love you guys. You know that much, I hope. I know it seems like I care about my friends more than you guys, but that's not true at all. Family always comes first. And yes, I treat some of my friends like family, but you and Dad are special, okay?"

He doesn't respond, he only looks away. That's what he does when he cries, because he wants to seem like a tough guy at all times.

"I'm really gonna miss you, moody teenager-ness and all."

"I'm gonna miss you, too, N/N," he looks at me with his teary brown eyes, and I wrap him in a comforting hug. "I'm sorry for being such a bad brother."

"What? Ethan, you've never been a bad brother. A little moody, sure, but never a bad brother."

"But I'm supposed to protect you from getting hurt. And I didn't, so that makes me a bad brother."

"Not even Spider-Man could've protected me from getting hurt, Bud." With hot tears falling down my face, I bravely pull away so I can look him in the eye and set him straight.

"Promise you'll come back, right?"

"Of course I will. Just don't mess with my stuff while I'm gone," I ruffle his hair playfully, and even Mr. Doom-and-Gloom himself cracks a smile.