It Starts with Coffee

Seventeen

"And maybe, for now, a happy ending doesn't include a relationship. Maybe it's you, on your own, picking up the pieces and starting over, freeing yourself up for something better in the future. Maybe the happy ending is just moving on.
-UNKNOWN

~~

Six months later.

I've just finished packing away the last of my belongings and leaving the box beside the front door with the rest of them. I'm going to miss my little apartment in the city. It's been my sanctuary for the last five months.

When I moved out of Liam's a few weeks after returning home after being offered a job in the city, I was so scared of what the next few months would be like until I started Kempton Prep in the new year. It was so hard in the beginning. Being alone for the first time in my life...it was hard but I did it. Liam drove up to see me every fortnight and stayed the weekend. It was lovely. We never did process on our relationship because I need to be single. He understood completely when we confessed our feelings for each other shortly after coming home and he respected that I wasn't ready to be in a relationship anytime soon.

He's been my rock and he's my best friend.

We have our new apartment in Kempton and who knows where our relationship will go. I'm finally ready to start dating so who knows. I'm going to shoot my chance. Liam still gives me the cafe look, I can see his love for me in his eyes.

Staying single over the last seven months has been amazing. I've finally got to connect with myself and find out who I really and turns out I really love myself. My mental health is doing well. My depression has lessened, my anxiety still gets bad but my relationship with food has improved. I've joined a support group for people who had similar relationships to mine. It has been so helpful and I made a group of friends and joined a book club. I'm sad to say goodbye to my life here but I know I'll be happy in Kempton. I'm a nice person, there are groups and clubs there. I'll be fine and I have Liam.

As much as I love Liam, I refuse to allow him to be my entire life like Jack was. Liam wouldn't want that anyway. He's already sent me a bunch of links to groups to join. I'm so excited!

Speaking of Jack, I haven't heard from him since that day. I haven't heard anything about him. I don't know if he's still at Augustbrook or if Liam sees him. I don't know if still with Brianna or if he talks to his parents. I don't want to know but I hope he's found some peace.

A car beeping interrupts my thoughts. I grin as I open the door and Liam is walking on the small flight of stairs. As soon as he enters he lifts me up and gives me a tight hug. I melt into him as take in his scent. He smells like home and it's one of the things I love about him.

"Ready to take part on our twelve-hour car trip to Kempton!" Liam smirks as he puts me down.

"Yes!" I squeal, "As long as you're excited to listen to me sing badly to twenty-one pilots the whole way."

"It's nothing I'm not used to."
I just shove him as we giggle.

"Let's get all this in the Ute and then we'll be off" Liam continues. I nod as we both grab a box each and walk to his Ute. It only takes fifteen minutes to pack all the boxes, I don't own that much stuff and we already sold all the furniture from both his place and mine, apart from the couch I brought and our TVs. They're already at our new places along with the majority of our belongings.

After we place the last box in the back, we both get into the car as Liam starts it. I automatically get the music ready and Liam just chuckles as he watches me.

"Oh! How could I have forgotten!" Liam grins as he lifts up a coffee cup from the cup holder and hands it to be. I take a deep breath as the peppermint scent hits my nose.

"We're going on a twelve-hour road trip. It has to start with coffee."