Ruess boarded the train at eleven wondering if he was doing the right thing. The last thing he personally told Kyle wasn't exactly charming but he was glad that he had.
The train ride to South Salisbury made his butt numb from all the sitting but the green meadows and pastures he had past on the way were something of a change from the city and it was somehow peaceful.
He arrived at the train station at one thirty in the afternoon and since he had some time to spare, he let his feet took him to the Diner's. It was the first restaurant he took Ariel to. They had pizza and spaghetti with meatballs and chocolate milkshakes and banana split which was Ariel's favorite. Five years had past and it still felt like yesterday. She could still smell her, like the sweetest candy. She could still see her smile, hear her laugh.
He chose a seat on the corner right next to the window where he could see people walking and going on with their normal lives. Five years ago, he was sitting here with Ariel, listening to her talk. If there's one thing he knew about her that Kyle didn't is that she talks because she wanted to vent out her feelings. She doesn't need advice, just somebody to listen.
"You don't have to listen to me, you know." her voice echoed in the back of his mind. "You could just pretend to and nod at appropriate times."
A blonde waitress arrived with the menu, bringing him out of his reverie. He got himself a lasagna and two slices of pizza which he ate slowly to kill time. He was thinking of where to go next. Maybe he'll have some quiet time at the Book Nook, if that storefeelings still even exists. Ariel used to love that place. She likes spending time with books.
Ruess was so preoccupied that he hadn't noticed the people stopping by the place. And the certain girl who had been standing in front of him, waiting to be acknowledged.
"I just don't get it why you still eat peanuts." a female voice said. Ruess smirked. Now he was not only imagining things but he was hearing them. "You're allergic to nuts."
He looked up and when he did, his world had stopped. Just like five years ago.
It was Ariel. Yes! Ariel Prescott. His little mermaid. The only girl who can make his world stop. The only one who can stop the time by just smiling at him. The only one who can make him feel like everything would be alright whatever happens.
She might looked different than the cute little girl he used to care about. She was a woman now, with the right curves, the straight chestnut hair was now highlighted with blonde and curled. She was so beautiful. So blinding beautiful, it was too perfect to be true.
"Can I sit here?" she gestured at the seat opposite him.
He felt blissful yet hurt and angry ath the same time but this was Ariel, standing in front of him and he loves Ariel, didn't he?
"You're leaving?!" Ruess sputtered unbelievably as he watched Ariel packed her bags wordlessly.
She hadn't spoken the time they left the apartment. She hadn't said anything, She could have yell at him or punch him but no, she just followed him helplessly inside the cab and nothing. She was gone with the wind.
"Tomorrow." she answered shortly.
"Wait-" he said and spun her around. Her eyes weren't the warm ocean blue orbs he used to see. They were still blue, yes but arctic cold. His little mermaid was hurt so much, he wished he could take it all away. She hadn't cry. Not a single tear had fell from her eyes. She was trying to be brave but deep inside, she was still that young girl who did everything for her first love. Except that it was the wrong one.
"I have to leave everything in here, Ruess." she said, clearly. "I have to leave you, Simon, Nate, Elle, Lia and all those people I started to care about because I need to forget."
"But-" he started to protest.
"I have to do this." she said. "I don't want to hate you. To see your face and see Kyle's betrayal. I can't stay here any longer. I have so much ahead of me."
Ariel was right and he couldn't do anything that time but to nod miserably because she was right. She was always right.
"Thank you, like I said, for every..everything." her voice cracked. Thecoldness in her eyes was replaced by sadness, by pain and in that moment, Ruess realized that he had to let her go. "I care about you." she caressed his face and he closed his eyes. "A lot more than I had to but I had to bail out for now. Don't wait for me. Forget me if you can. And move on with your life like you never know me."
This time, it was Ruess turn to cry.
"You don't tell me what to do!" he wailed. He might looked like a child looking for his lost lollipop but he didn't care. "You can bail out all you want but I won't and if you think that its easy to move on and pretend like you never exist in my life, you better think again, Ariel."
A tear fell down from her cheek but she wiped it quickly with the back of her hands.
"Goodbye, Ruess."
"Goodbye isn't the end."
