Us In the Dark || S. Fisher

Chapter 18

A long awaited chapter, finally. I made it longer bc I feel bad for taking too long to upload. This begins the beginning of the ending to this story.

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Five Years Later...

Paranoia is something I've struggled with my whole life. Superstitions and anxiousness were just pluses to my fucked up equation. And in the blink of an eye, they doubled. Five years. Once again I find myself moving from one place to another, but this time it's of my own free will and I'm actually happy about it. Five years. My high school life came to an end a while ago and I've got nothing but trauma and a damn piece of paper to show for it.

"Hey Sal? Have you seen my old-"

"Right here."

"Oh, thanks!"

The move has been an emotionally exhausting process for me. From packing up my old room, to taking out my favorite mug from the kitchen cabinet. Sure it's all sentimental but that's not the only thing. It's that damned message that kept playing in the back of my mind. Five Years. My dreams have only gotten worse and it's made me lose sleep. There was this one dream that particularly stuck with me but it's too devastating to talk about. It's just too much loss for one person.

"Okay Y/n, we have one last box then we're good to go."

"Thanks again Sal."

"Anything for you."

With college going on, that just added more stress on my already hectic life. We lost a member of our group - Ash went to art school - and it just hasn't been the same since. As the last box was put into the trunk of the car, I decided to say bye to Rob. I know we're going to only be living a couple blocks away but it still hurts to leave family. I entered my apartment and found him in my room just sitting on my bed surrounded by an empty box of where my life used to be.

"Rob?" His head pops up and he has a shocked look on his face. I couldn't understand why he was so surprised to see me.

"Y/n? I thought you left already."

"You really think I'd leave without saying goodbye? Rude."

"I was kind of hoping that was the case, yes.

"Why?"

"I don't do well with goodbyes," his face saddened. "I hate that you grew up right before me. Stay young for me, will ya?" I walked over and sat beside him, engulfing him in a warm hug. I get the goodbye part. I basically had to drag myself back into this apartment to say it.

"You know I'm only right down the road. If anything, jog on over and I'll be right there."

"I know but it's the fact that you're no longer right next door. Now you're in a whole 'nother house." I can feel myself tearing up a bit. He was right. From when I was younger we didn't get to see each other often. We both lived in different states so jobs made visits scarce. Then I moved here and I got to see him everyday. Now, I'm leaving again and I know it hurts him. It hurts me too.

"I'm always next door... I love you"

"I love you more."

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By nightfall all of my boxes were put away. I managed to successfully merge my things in with Sal's without ruining his original set up. This would be the first time I'm sharing a room with somebody; but Sal isn't just somebody, he's my boyfriend. Yeah, I still get all giddy saying that. Anyways, It was around 9pm and everyone was too tired to cook anything so we had some pizza, just like the old days.