Star Gazers [BXB] [COMPLETED]

Goodbye

I wasn't at all surprised when Elliot, Jordan, and Holiday plopped down in front of me at lunch the next day. It was becoming a regular occurrence, and dare I say it, I was actually enjoying their company.

"Hey Cole!" Elliot greeted. "Your presentation was killer yesterday, by the way."

I smiled. "Thank you. I was afraid it might be too boring for some people, so I'm glad to hear that at least one person liked it."

"Are you kidding? It wasn't boring at all."

"The people sleeping at the back beg to differ."

"They sleep through everything," Elliot argued, waving his hand in the air to dismiss it.

"True," I chuckled softly, peeling open the sandwich bag that my aunt had stuffed full of goldfish cracker.

"So where did we leave off?" Jordan steered the conversation back to my story. Though he would never admit it, I could tell he was far more fascinated in it than he let on. For the most part, he still tried to put up an icy front around me, but I didn't miss the interest and curiosity gleaming in his eye every time I started talking about my past.

"Well, I'm afraid there's not much left of the story," I said, popping a cracker into my mouth. "The police arrested my father, Jason and I had to testify against him in court, and then I had to say goodbye."

I thought about what Jason had told me last night. How much it had hurt to let me go, not knowing if we would ever see each other again. I couldn't agree more. That day, even with all I'd been through, had been the worst.

×××

"Cole?" it was Liza's voice that called out to me. I turned my gaze away from the car window and looked at my aunt. She was worried. I could see it in the way her brows creased every time she tried to think of something to say. Eventually she settled on, "I'm sorry. For everything that's happened to you, and that I wasn't there for you when you needed me."

"You're here now," I assured her, though my voice was too numb to be convincing. 

"Are you okay?" she asked. "I mean, with coming to live with me?"

I nodded. It was for the best. I was still young. I needed a real roof over my head. I needed a real adult to take care of me. Not just Jason. 

"Can we stop somewhere before we leave town?" I kept my voice quiet, hoping that she wouldn't hear the way my voice cracked. 

"Of course," she said. "Just tell me where."

I gave her the directions, and it didn't take a genius to figure out where I was leading her.

When the car slowed to a stop, I pulled the handle and pushed open the car door. 

"I won't be long," I told her. "I'm just saying goodbye."

"Take all the time you need." She smiled kindly at me. "I'll be right here."

I nodded before turning and walking a short distance into the woods. I peered up at the tree house I had called home for these past few months. At the rope ladder I'd hoisted myself up so many times I could do it with my eyes closed. It broke my heart to know I was leaving it behind. It and the boy who lived inside it.

"Jason." I forced the volume to be higher so he could hear me, which unfortunately did nothing to conceal the crack in my voice. 

A few seconds later, he was peering down at me from one of the pane-less windows. 

His brows furrowed in confusion, but that didn't stop him from turning to come down to meet me.

As soon as his feet hit the ground, he turned to me and said, "What are you still doing here?"

"Did you honestly think I would leave without saying goodbye?"

He looked down at his shoes, chewing the inside of his cheek. "You don't need me anymore."

I couldn't stand it, the distance between us and the awkward air. I stepped forward and hugged him tightly, pressing my face into his shirt as I fought to hold back my tears. His arms wrapped around me, warm and gentle.

"I'll always need you." I whispered, holding him even tighter, as if that would prevent me from having to leave him. A painful lump was forming in my throat, making it hard to breathe properly or even speak. I did my best to swallow it down as I whispered, "I love you."

I expected him to freeze, or at least tense up a little bit at my confession, but he didn't. He was calm and relaxed, rubbing soothing circles on my back. 

"I love you, too," he said earnestly.

I lifted my head, looking up into his bright blue eyes. They were glossy with unshed tears, much like my own. He smiled sadly and pressed our foreheads together. I felt a tear fall down my cheek.

"I don't want to go," my voice was thick with sadness.

"You have to," Jason said. "You have a chance to start over. To have a family. I don't want you to give that up just for me."

"But... I don't want to lose you. I can't lose you."

"You won't," he assured me, placing a hand on my chest, right over my heart. "I'll be right here."

More tears slipped down my cheeks. I leaned forward and captured his lips with my own. The taste was salty from my tears, but I savored every moment of it. I did my best to memorize every detail about him. About this. The warmth of his skin, the lightly chapped lips, the soft black hair, the bluest blue eyes, the dark lashes, the slope of his nose, the scars on his back. Everything.

He was my angel and I refused to forget anything about him.  Even if I never saw him again, which was an extremely likely possibility, he would live on in my mind exactly as he his. 

My perfect angel. 

If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be alive right now. He saved me from the world and from myself. Somewhere along the line, he had become my everything. Nothing mattered but him, and now I had to walk away. 

I had to go back to the cruel, unpredictable world of bullies and monsters, and this time, I wouldn't have my angel to protect me. 

As I turned away, leaving him standing numbly at the base of the tree house, I made a promise to myself.

I wouldn't let myself be the victim ever again. I would protect myself by any means necessary. I had to, or else I wouldn't survive.

And I had to survive. I had to survive just for the chance that I might see my angel again.

Because any chance of that was worth living for.

×××
A/N

Hey guys!

I only have one week of classes left until I'm on summer vacation. Hopefully that will mean I have more time to write! Anyway, I'm thinking there's only going to be one or two more chapters to this book, so it's wrapping up. After that, I have a new story planned, a short one like Gravity, that I already have a few chapters written of and think you guys are going to like. I will start posting it as soon as this book ends!

Also thank you to everyone who has either bought a physical copy of Lab Partners or have been reading the Paid Stories versions of it! Y'all are helping me pay for my next year of college. Remember that even in these weird times, you can still order books online through actual bookstores and have them shipped to you. Some stores, like Barnes & Noble are even offering free curbside pickup for books you order. Remember to support your local bookstores if you can! And your favorite authors!

Thanks!
-Mora Montgomery