Save Me

[18]

The next couple of days were hectic. After the party, Leah and I got to work on getting everything we needed before our flight. I also spend the last few days just being around Kristin and Taylor. We had a movie marathon one night and then we spent the next day making all different kinds of cookies.

On our last full day together they helped me go over everything I packed already to make sure of what I had. When it was done Uncle Trent came over and we had a family meal together. If I knew that it would be the last one we would have had for three years I would have savored it more. After we finished eating Uncle Trent loaded the car and we all made our way to Leah's house.

We thought of just meeting each other at the airport but decided against it because I wanted to say good bye to Lauren and Nina. The mood was dim as I made my way inside the Lupo-Vera household and walked upstairs to Leah's room. She just finished packing everything up and started to take everything downstairs.

I turned around and made my way to the middle child's room and opened the door. Lauren looked up from her phone and I could tell she has been crying. I sighed and walked over to her bed and sat down on the edge.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Lauren asked and wiped away a tear that fell.

"Because we didn't want our parents to say no, so we just thought it would be best to not tell them until we had too." I answered honestly.

"Well you should have told me Erica. We tell each other everything and now you are moving half way across the globe!" Lauren said.

"We aren't moving, we will be back." I said.

"Yea when?" Lauren asked. I couldn't answer because I didn't even know when. "Do they know that you aren't really planning on coming home?"

"We are going to be coming home, we just don't know when. We didn't want to put a time frame on it because we just wanted to go live our lives. I know that this isn't something you wanted to hear but that doesn't mean you can come to me with things. My phone is still going to work, the only change is that there is going to be a six hour time difference." I said.

Lauren didn't say anything for a few minutes but just nodded. She moved closer to me and wrapped me up in a hug. I sighed in relief and held onto her tightly. When we pulled away a wiped away a tear from her eye. Over the past year Lauren and I have grown really close. Sometimes I like to think I know her better then Leah. With our mutual challenge she ended up gravitating to me a bit more when she needed advice on some things that she didn't think she could get from Leah.

Leaving her behind is one of the things I've hated the most about leaving. Lauren got out of bed a few minutes later and we walked downstairs together. Nina was already waiting at the bottom of the stairs and she jumped onto me to give me one of her koala hugs. I almost didn't have the strength to keep us both up when I felt Leah's hands come up behind me to settle us.

When we broke apart I gave Lauren one last hug and then we were out the door. As a graduation gift Carmen is letting Leah and fly to Boston on her private jet. She is also letting us use it to fly to Europe as well. Needless to say both Leah and I were surprised at the gift but neither of us were going to deny it.

Once their car was loaded up Carmen and Gabby pulled out of their driveway and Taylor followed behind them to the private airfield. I watched as Leah's house got small and smaller behind us. It only took about a half an hour to get to the airfield and we could see the jet already waiting for us on the tarmac.

Uncle Trent got out of the car first and closed the door behind himself to give me a moment alone with Kristin and Taylor. I moved up in my seat and both of them turned to face me. I took both of their hands in mine and clenched my jaw trying to pick the right words to say.