Andy had kicked us all awake not that long after we all fell asleep. The bus is stopped in a parking lot to Emma's apartment building. Its time for goodbyes.
We all grabbed something that belonged to Emma. I got stuck with the heavy ass merch from Warped. I don't know how she managed to get this much stuff but fuck. It is heavy.
We all headed inside. Me, CC, Jinxx, and Ash too the elevator and Andy and Emma headed for the stairs. The elevator is small. It squeaked going up. And occasionally stopped for a second or two each trip. So long story short its creepy as fuck. The three of us jumped from the elevator as soon as the doors opened on the third floor. Andy and Emma beat us there and was already opening the door when we approached them.
It is quite. Like really quite. Really awkwardly quite. I know why though. We're all sad. Sad that we have to leave for another two months without Emma. We had all gotten really close to her. She feels like family.
I dropped the box of merch where she directed me too then backed to the rest of the group of men. Emma looked at us with tears brimming and we all rushed in for a group hug which knocked us all to the ground with a thud. We all giggled and lay there together. Someone in the hall walked by and looked at as funny when they passed the still open door.
Emma suddenly got to her hands and knees and crawled to her backpack near the couch. She shuffled inside and pulled out the photo booth pictures. We had all went to the mall together and ended up cramming all 6 of us into the tiny photo booth. It was a tad uncomfortable, what with being squished and all. But the pictures are priceless.
She handed the picture strip to Jinxx with a sad look, "so you don't forget about me." A tear rolled down and Jinxx pulled her into a hug reassuring her we won't forget her.
I was probably the saddest of everyone. Well maybe not Andy since he, like, loves her, or whatever. But definitely the next saddest. Well, actually, maybe not as sad as CC who is openly sobbing because he's leaving his best friend. But I'm sad. Really sad. Trust me. I got really close to Emma teaching her to play electric.
We all took turns hugging her and saying happy words. "You need to practice," I told her, "every day. Twice a day. I expect to hear the riff in Walk Away by the time I come back." She nodded sadly and I pulled her into another hug.
It was hard leaving her. We all kept thinking of reasons to stay. But if we wanted to be a couple states over in just two days we need to leave.
The worst thing in the world people have to do is say goodbye.