To The Sun And Beyond

28. BEGINNINGS

IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF
October, And the start of an age. The leaves had all changed. The sky turned a light gray color, and the trees became bare and the air was crisp and cold. I stood in front of Astrid high, and watched as it was slowly being rebuilt. I sat at the bench in front of the fountain, and shivered as a wind blew through. It had only been a few days since the battle, but it still felt like everything had changed. A light fog rose from the ground, and I could see rain clouds coming in. I began to worry.

Relief filled me when I saw him walking from the distance.

I stood up, and he began jogging towards me, and we embraced once he had made it to the courtyard.

"Mason. I thought you had already left."

Mason shook his head. "I'd never leave without saying goodbye."

Mason told the others he was leaving two days ago, and he had said his goodbyes. The best I could get Fin to do was shake his hand, though.

I made Mason promise to see me the morning he left, because I wanted to see him as much as I could.

When we parted, Mason looked me directly in the eyes. "I promise I'll come back every summer."

I smiled at him, and we both sat beside eachother on the bench in front of the fountain.

"My sisters were crying today," He began. "I'm going to miss them."

I looked at him. "It must have been hard on them."

"It was. No one was talking to father anymore. They were all mad at him," he started. "I really thought that family was the one."

"Mason, I know this is so hard, moving around, being separated from your siblings. I could never imagine what that feels like. But always remember, no matter how far you go, you still have a family here at Astrid high."

Mason gave me a weak smile. "I'm going to miss you, Sunspot."

It was after he said that, when I realized the tear falling down his cheek. He ducked his head down sheepishly to wipe the tears with his sweatshirt.

I lifted his chin with my hand so he was facing me, and stared at him. After a few seconds, I placed a soft kiss on his nose. "I'm going to miss you too, Moondancer."

Mason smiled at me. "Hey, I thought I said you couldn't call me that!" He argued playfully.

I shook my head at him and smiled. "Nope." I said, bounding down the courtyard.

"Hey!" Mason screamed from behind me, and the two of us pranced around the yard, playful laughes escaping our lips.

I was running when I felt his arms lock around me, and we tumbled to the grass, laying beside eachother. We laughed together, and for a moment, I forgot that we were saying goodbye. When the laughter settled, Mason stared at me.

"I'll miss you guys. And I promise I'll come back. Every summer until I graduate. Then I can move back here and we can do whatever we want. Until then I'll never stop thinking about you, I'm sure of that. And I'm so sorry I have to leave." Tears began to form in his eyes, and he wiped them away quickly. I reached over to touch his face, and he held my hand there.

"I never got to tell you this, but i think I'm in love with you, too." I whispered.

He looked at me, a smile growing on his face.

I smiled at him, and we stared at eachother for a while, memorizing eachother's faces, too afraid to let go.

It wasn't long until we heard a car horn honk loudly in the background. We both were startled, and we sat up and saw the same shiny black car that had taken me here. We stood up, hand in hand, and walked to Mr. Nelley, who was waiting patiently.

"I'm here for Mason Cooper." He said, his voice raspy.

"Hello, Mr. Nelley." I greeted. He nodded at me, approvingly.

"Miss Ray."

Mr. Nelley opened the door for Mason, and he hesitated to get in. We looked at eachother, and then back at the door.

"Oh, I get it. I'll be waiting in the car, Mason." He mumbled, slamming the door shut and walking around to the drivers' side of the car.

"I don't want you to leave," I begged, beginning to panic. "Please, is there anything I can do to make you stay?"

Mason put his hands on the sides of my face. "If you could do anything to make me stay, you've already done it. I would give anything to stay here with you. But I have to leave. I promise I'll come back here for college. I promise."

I shook my head frantically, and Mason wrapped his arms tightly around me. "I'll never forget you."

He let go, and I pressed my lips against his, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck.

"Please don't go." I begged once I had pulled away.

"I'll come back, I promise." He said before hugging me tightly. He let go, and squeezed my hand before opening the car door, and climbing in.

Hot tears fell down my face, and I was suddenly weak. He rolled down the window to hold my hand one last time, and then the car sped down the road, rounding the corner.

I fell to my knees again, and the rain began to pour down, wetting my hair and my face. The tears kept coming, and I sat there in the cold rain until the construction workers came to fix the school.

"Are you alright, miss?" One of them asked.

I nodded. "I'm fine, thank you." And I got up from the ground, and began walking home, my heart left there, on the sidewalk.