✔ LITTLE MARA! ― (BRANDON ARREAGA)

fifteen

"Good morning, sleeping beauty." I said, taking my shoes of of the suitcase and sitting on the bed. I heard him slightly chuckle as he walked into the bathroom. I slid my shoes on over my childish ankle socks and tied them. I stood up from the bed as Brandon walked out of the bathroom. "Do you know if any of the boys have aspirin or something?" I questioned looking at him.

"I honestly don't know baby, why?" He asked furrowing his eyebrows at me.

"My head is freaking killing me." I said, feeling completely drained of energy. I sat back down in the bed and he sat beside me.

"You okay?" he asked. I nodded and placed my head on his shoulder. "You're burning up." he whispered, placing his lips on my forehead softly. His phone dinged in his pocket and he pulled it out, "Come on, the guys are heading down to the lobby right now." he said, patting my thigh before standing up.

I stood up alongside him and walked over to my bags. I rolled the suitcase and carried my other bag. Brandon was right behind me going out the door. I guess all the others had already made it to the lobby considering no one was on our floor other than us. The ride in the elevator was quite. Nothing but soft jazz music playing in the background. The ding was heard and we both made our way out.

You could feel the sadness as we entered the group of boys that were now my second family. Well, one of them was my actual family but you get what i'm saying. I sent a small smile and they all returned it, "Vans outside guys, We need to go," Simon said making his way through the hotel doors.

I walked slowly out the hotel, trying to savor every last part of the trip before I had to return back to school. I had to bite my lip just to keep the lump in my throat from coming up. The ride to the airport was the most miserable thing i've ever had to endure. The boys that you seen on stage, the happy, energetic boys, were not here. It didn't even feel the same.

"FLIGHT 232 to THE BRONX, NEW YORK NOW BOARDING." There goes Edwin. He wrapped his arms around me and we just stood there for a few minutes.

I sniffled when he pulled away. "I'm going to miss you so much. You're like my best friend now, you need to come visit me." he said, staring me dead in my eye.

"Of course, you're like my brother now. I could never not see you again."

"Oh my god, i'm going to miss you so much." He said, hugging me once more before the robotic voice appeared on the intercom once again, notifying flight 232.

"Text me when you land." I told him as he let go of me. He nodded slightly and began making his way to his gate. He glanced back at all of us standing there in a group and waved with a small smile.

Brandon has his arm around my shoulder and I turned slightly placing my face in his chest. His large hand rubbed my back as he tried to soothe me with calming words, it helped some but soon another one of us would have to go. Not long after Edwin had left, Zion's flight was called, and then Austin's. we exchanged goodbyes as I had done with Edwin and they were off to their gate.

"I have to use the bathroom." I told Brandon, glancing around for a bathroom. Once I found a bathroom, I quickly did my business and as I was washing my hands, the robotic voice rang out again.

"FLIGHT 237 TO TEXAS IS NOW BOARDING." Crap, that's Brandon. I quickly grabbed a napkin and dried my hands, throwing it away in the trash as I ran out the bathroom.

I made it back to the main area to see that Brandon was still there waiting for me, a look of distraught plastered his face.

Brandon wasn't just my boyfriend, he was my right arm. Over the course of the summer, he became my best friend. I wrapped my arms around him tightly and he did the same to me. "I don't want to say goodbye." I muttered into the crook of his neck.

"No, we don't say goodbye. Goodbye means forever. See you later, Lily." He said cupping my face with his hands before placing a kiss on my forehead.

"When did you get so deep?" I laughed softly as a tear fell down my cheek to the corner of my lip. He smiled slightly and shrugged his shoulders before bringing me back into a hug. "See you later, Brandon." I said as we released. "Text me as soon as you land." I kissed his check and watched as he grabbed his luggage. He planted a kiss on my lips and sent me a smile before making his way to his gate.

I made my way back over to Nick and sat beside him, "This is so hard." I whispered, placing my head on his shoulder. I sniffled and wiped my nose once again as I closed my eyes and tried to process the fact that this summer had actually came to an end.

"FLIGHT 239 TO ENGLISHTOWN, NEW JERSEY NOW BOARDING." I huffed out an exasperated sigh and stood up alongside Nick. He sent me a small smile and grabbed my hand tightly.

"Let's go home," My brother said before we made our way to our gate.