Alone [IkariShipping/Paul x Dawn]

Goodbye for Now

"So how'd it go?" Gary asked, excitedly wiggling his eyebrows. Drew laughed at his bluntness, I had hardly walked through the door.

"She's leaving."

Both of the boy's eyes widened, "WHAT?"

"She's heading to Korea for a few months," I explained, trying to keep the story as simple as possible as both boys were glaring at me, clearly upset.

Drew asked, "What are you doing about it?"

I caught my breath. "She's made up her mind, so I'm just trying to be supportive," I reasoned. "But long distance never works so I'm just not so sure."

"I'm so upset," Gary sighed.

Though, Drew seemed decently collected and he told me to stick with it. Dawn had never been anything but supportive of me, so I needed to be the same for her sake. And it's true, I was incredibly happy for the opportunity and that she could see her mom after so long. I couldn't explain my joy. But my sadness was deeply overwhelming, and overtaking all my other possible emotions. So unlike me.

~X~

"And you have everything?" I asked, watching the girl grab all of her things.

She heaved the suitcases into the car and sighed, "I checked three times. Everything in the house is empty." She fixed her hair into a messy bun on the top of her head.

I was an organizational freak, so it wasn't the first time I had asked Dawn if she had everything either. I think I was trying to compensate for the fact that she'd be gone in only a few hours.

We were alone in the car, playing the radio softly for a few minutes, until I asked, mumbled really, "So is your mom going to pick you up from the airport?"

The girl nodded, she seemed distant and tired. She was red faced, a frown pulling at her lips.

I gazed at the girl, whispering, "Hey, hey, hey. What's wrong?"

She turned away from me, staring at herself in the mirror closest to the passenger seat. "I shouldn't have done this."

I furrowed my eyebrows, Dawn captivating my attention, though I was forced to pay attention to the road. Looking at the time, I noticed we still had plenty of time to make her flight, so I pulled over to the side of the road. Other cars whizzed by as I asked, "What do you mean?"

She sniffled, "I shouldn't have taken this opportunity. I don't know what I was thinking." The girl wiped a falling tear, and I quickly grabbed her hand, she tensed with the motion. "And I'm leaving you and Ash and everyone I've ever really known."

I leaned toward the girl, taking her cheek in my hand, "Troublesome, this opportunity is one in a million. I'm happy you took it." And that's when she burst into uncontrollable tears. I was shocked, "What?!"

"I don't deserve you," she continued to cry and cry.

And I was so taken aback by her words, I had no idea what I could or should say. I managed, "What?"

"I'm literally the worst, and here you are hating my decisions, but supporting them anyway. I'm leaving to go across the world, and all you're worried about is my safety and happiness."

And I was worried about her self-harm. Those cuts I had seen a month ago still pulled at my conscious. But now wasn't the best time to bring that up. I simply hugged her to the best of my ability, with the seatbelt restraints and all, and whispered, "I wish I could hold you so tight until you leave, but you don't know how to drive and we'd never get there."

~X~

When we arrived at the airport, her flight was scheduled to leave in an hour and a half.

As the blunette rolled her suitcase along the spotless tiled floor, I grabbed her hand quickly. I held it firmly in my own, pressing my lips onto them. Dawn smiled lightly, tracing my eyes with her own beautiful orbs. I studied her features for as long as I could, her moving towards the check-in area. They took her bags for her and she returned back to me smiling. We walked to security.

"I guess this is it for awhile," it was melancholy. Dawn was leaving for a few months, but she'd be back soon.

I inhaled, "Make sure you eat on the plane."

"Okay," Dawn giggled, smiling. Though I could see her face becoming red and tears forming in her eyes.

I resisted the urge to hug her for eternity. But both of us knew that that could make everything about the situation worse.

"Call me when you get there."

"Okay."

"And make sure to send me occasional updates so I know everything that's going on."

"Okay!" She laughed, a small tear running swiftly down her cheek. She leant up on her toes and kissed me gently. I then resisted other temptation and hugged her tightly, leaning down to meet her. When we both let go, she said, "I'll see you."

"I-I love you."

I saw her eyes widen, shocked at my words. Though, she almost instantly relaxed. "I love you too."

It felt all too soon when she finally went through security.