4Ever & a Day : The Next Generation of R5

Saying Goodbye

Cameron

I laid in my bed with Embry snuggled up to me as close as he could get. His head was on my chest and I absently twirled a strand of his hair with my finger. I couldn't believe I had to leave him tomorrow. He had been gone most of the summer touring with the band and now after only a week I was leaving for college. The good thing was I had chosen to go to Berkeley which was only five hours away. I knew I could have gone to an Ivy League school like Yale or Harvard but the thought of being that far from Embry wasn't an option for me.

"What am I gonna do at school without you?" Embry asked.

"You'll be fine. We always knew this day would come," I said.

"I know it's just I feel like we didn't get to spend the summer together like we had planned," Embry complained.

"I know but I understand why your dad enforced the no boyfriends or girlfriends rule after all that happened last summer. At least we did get a few visits in," I said as I kissed his forehead.

I glanced at the alarm clock on my nightstand and noticed it read 11:50. We only had ten more minutes before Embry had to be home. Embry having a curfew sucked and the fact that his dad was so against him spending the night even though it was my last night here. I just wanted to spend as much time as possible with him before I had to leave in the morning.

"I'll be home for your birthday," I tried to reassure him. "And you can visit anytime on the weekends. Its only five hours away."

"My birthday isn't till November," Embry pouted.

This was going to be harder than I thought. I didn't want Embry to just sit around and count the days till we saw each other again. Part of me wished I could see him every weekend but another part of me wanted to be able to experience college without having to worry about what he was doing. I mean I love him with every fiber of my being but he could be a little clingy sometimes. I knew he was my destiny.

I felt his phone buzz against my leg. He sighed as he sat up and fished it from his pocket. I knew it was his dad reminding him of the time. I hated his strict parents sometimes. I just wanted to him to stay here in my arms all night. I wanted to fall asleep next to him. Now who sounds clingy, I thought to myself.

After staring at his phone for several seconds, he sent a text back to whoever it was and laid back down. He reached for my hand and held it. I turned my head to look at him. What was he doing? He had two minutes to get home or he would be grounded. He turned his head and smiled at me.

"You're not gonna believe this but my mom said I can stay," Embry said.

"Really?" I asked. I didn't want him to get in trouble.

"Do you want to see my phone?" he offered as he got his phone out of his pocket and tried to hand it to me.

"No I believe you," I said. He had never lied to me before so I had no reason to believe he was lying now. Besides he was a horrible liar.

We got up and stripped down to our boxers and climbed into the bed under the covers. Embry turned onto his side and I spooned him. "I love you," I whispered in his ear.

"I love you too," he said back in a sleepy tone.

The next morning I woke up first. Embry was lying next to me with his arm across my stomach and his leg in between mine. I didn't want to wake him. He was so cute when he slept. I listened to the sound of his even breathing and then he surprised me when he moaned my name in his sleep. He rocked his hips against my leg and I froze. I didn't want to wake him. I wondered what he was dreaming about.

His eyes flutter open and I flipped him over so he was on his back. I pinned his arms over his head pretty easily. He never put up much of a fight. I liked always being in control and he was glad to give it to me. It was yet another reason we were perfect for each other.

"What was that dream all about?" I asked.

"I'm not going to tell you," Embry said smiling mischievously.

"It better have been about me," I said back looking him in the eyes.

"What if it wasn't?" he asked.

"Who else would you be having naughty dreams about?" I said as I ground my hips into his.

"You're right it was about you," he said. "But dude you're breath stinks."

"Yours doesn't exactly smell minty fresh either," I said back laughing.

I buried my head in his neck as we continued to laugh. I stopped laughing and started to kiss Embry's neck. I sucked hard and he bucked his hips. I let go of his hands and placed my hands on the side of his head. His hands traveled down my bare back. He tilted his head back giving me better access to his neck.

I froze when the bedroom door opened. "Have you ever heard of knocking?"

I knew it was my mom. She just couldn't resist invading my privacy one last time. I didn't have to look at her to know her face was red from blushing. This was innocent though. If she had waited a few more minutes to walk in she would have gotten quite the show.

"I did knock. When you didn't answer I thought you two were still asleep," she said.

"Well as you can see we weren't sleeping," I mouthed off.

"Are you being safe?" she asked.

I sighed and counted to five in my head before I spoke. "Yes mom, I keep condoms and lube in the nightstand drawer. Now can you please get out?"

I heard the door click shut. Embry busted out laughing and I knew the moment was ruined. I rolled off him and laid on my back. He turned on his side and propped himself up on his elbow to look at me.

"I never knew she was that nosy," Embry said.

"Dude you have no idea. She is always so concerned about me having safe sex like one of us could get pregnant or something," I said.

"When my dad found out we were sexually active we had the same talk. He was worried about STDs," Embry said.

"But it's not like either of us have been with anyone else," I said. "Someday I want to know what it feels like not to have a condom on."

"Okay let's make a pact on our wedding night we'll find out," Embry suggested.

"Deal," I agreed.

An hour later I was standing in my driveway next to my car. My parents were in their car at the curb waiting for me. I hugged Embry and a sob escaped his throat. I was trying hard not to cry but the fact that Embry was crying didn't make it any easier. I hated to see him cry. It broke my heart because it reminded me of the last time he had cried in my arms.

"Embry I gotta go," I whispered.

"I know," he said as he pulled away for the hug.

"I'll miss you," I said.

"Not as much as I'll miss you," he said back.

I kissed him and got in my car. He watched me as I backed out of the driveway. I stopped at the end of the driveway and mouthed I love you. He mouthed it back as I finished backing out. As I drove away I knew he was standing there watching me until he couldn't see my car any more. At that moment, as tears slid down my cheeks I knew I would be the one counting the days until I saw him again.