Chapter 35: Summer Love
*Third Person Narration*
This was the day. The day tears fell and didn’t stop. The day hearts broke so violently they pushed the limits of repair. The day the smiles faded. The day distance ripped loved ones apart. The day relationships that had taken all summer to shape and form themselves came tumbling down to nothing. The day all of the love and effort ended up amounting to nothing. The day the summer ended.
Can't believe you’re packing your bags
Tryin’ so hard not to cry
Had the best time and now it’s the worst time
But we have to say goodbye
Louis and Julia stood in the airport hand in hand. Louis played with her fingers, clearly stalling as he refused to look into her eyes. Julia wasn’t doing anything to stop him, as she was too busy getting lost in her thoughts.Where do we go from here? How quickly will he move on? Will I ever move on? When will we see each other again? Similar thoughts and worries were mirrored in Louis’ thoughts, the seemingly strong couple internally crumbling like dry plaster. It was just terrible thinking that all the shit they had gone through together was being thrown away. All the fights, all the tears, all the kisses, all the silences, all of it wasted. That’s probably the thing that hurt the most; just as things were settling down, they had to say goodbye. Julia found herself questioning why she had even bothered to slave over one guy all summer.
Her question was answered when Louis lifted his head and stared at her with his bloodshot, crystalline blue eyes. Her heart pounded defiantly, making it impossible to turn away. She couldn’t think of anything other than him right in that moment. This is the last moment,she came to realize. It was a nice story, but now it’s coming to a close.
It’s over, he thought, clenching his jaw to control the trembling of his bottom lip. All the mixed emotions, drama, fights, kisses; all of it’s over now. He considered that maybe he should’ve been relieved that he wouldn’t have to worry about busting his ass to keep her anymore, as he had no chance anymore, but scrambling to hold onto something that’s already miles out of your reach is a lot more painful than Louis had expected. How could someone he was holding right in front of him be so far away? “So this is it, isn’t it?” he confirmed, breaking the silence. Julia nodded curtly, water rising to the surface of her azure eyes.
“Yeah, I guess it is,” she agreed. They stood there in silence for a few more moments. Of course, the airport was anything but silent, but the dark cloud that hung above them cast silence over them. “We- we’ll keep in touch and meet up sometime… right?” she choked, her throat closing up around her words. Louis nodded vigorously in a very enthusiastic response.
“Of course!” he replied, trying out a lighter tone. “I’ll visit you every time we’re in America.” He swooped down after a suspenseful pause, finally stealing a kiss from her lips as he had been longing to do, as he had longed to do so many times, before saying, “I promise,” making it final. Julia smiled through watery eyes, lips tingling and cheeks warming with a swirl of emotions. Neither one was so sure how easy that promise would be to keep, and the probability of moving on loomed over both of them, but in that moment they both silently decided to shove reality aside.
“I love you,” Julia breathed truthfully. Louis’ soft lips twitched into a sad smile, and they once again met Julia’s thin lips, setting off fireworks for one last time. Their lips unlatched, but their bodies clutched each other as they bit their lips, containing their sobs; neither were the type to bawl in a public scene. They pulled away and granted each other one last smile before Julia set off to find Megan.
Don’t promise that you’re gonna write
Don’t promise that you’ll call
Just promise that you won’t forget we had it all
A couple hundred meters away, Harry stood with Megan by the gates. They were just holding each other, not minding what other people might think of them. It was truly quite cliché; the couple who had bonded through tears and kisses and built a summer fling, forced to say goodbye and weeping about it in a crowded airport. Unlike Julia, Megan was never hesitant to cry in public, and she was currently sobbing into Harry’s chest. Well, maybe it wasn’t that she wasn’t hesitant, and more that she lacked as much control over her wild emotions.
Harry wasn’t doing much better, and he was clenching his watering eyes shut as tight as he possibly could while holding the girl in his arms as though his life depended on it. He was beating himself up mentally, questioning his intellectual capacity and the ratio of control between his head and his heart. You knew this was going to happen, he scolded himself. You knew it was going to end like this. You set yourself up for disappointment. Then, a cold, heart-wrenching realization seeped into his skin. You set her up for this heartbreak. He had so much regret balling up inside of him. Why did you have to fall for her? Why couldn’t you have stuck to mourning alone? Thousands more thoughts just like those to pulsed in his skull. He had once again allowed himself to become far too attached, and now, once again, he was losing what had become his world. He knew very well where that had led the first time; everyone knew all too well. Just the thought of going back to that dark place made Harry shudder.
Then another worry arose: Megan was there to fix him when he was a wreck over Dani, but who would fix him when he was missing Megan? No, now he wouldn’t just be missing one girl. He would be missing two. And he knew, he warned himself right then, that it would be even worse. “Do you really have to get an education?” he asked in a strained, raspy voice, secretly only half joking. Megan laughed breathily, pulling away from the embrace. She went to brush the tears off of her flushed cheeks, but Harry’s were quicker. He wiped them away, caressing her face delicately in the process.
“Unfortunately, I think I do,” she replied, smiling through the ever-falling tears. Harry sighed in response, leaning down and stopping a tear in its tracks with a kiss. A blush rose to Megan’s cheeks, which made Harry smile. “Y-you’re not gonna forget me…right?” she asked timidly, looking up at him through wet and matted black eyelashes. Harry’s heart sank at that terrible word. Forget. But then, he croaked out a chuckle.
“I don’t think forgetting anyone is something I’m very good at,” he scoffed, lightening up the mood. The corners of Megan’s rosy lips quirked up in a small smile, though the fight against tears was clearly still raging on. He once again brought her face to his, kissing her passionately. “I love you,” he mumbled as they leaned their foreheads together.
“I love you too,” she replied simply, holding onto his wrists as his hands continued to caress her head. “I love you so much.”
“Don’t go,” he requested, despite the knowledge that that wasn’t an option.
“I don’t want to,” she responded, pulling away but keeping a hold of his large, warm hands as she stared into his eyes, “but we both know I have to.” Harry sighed before nodding curtly. Her bottom lip began trembling, and Harry quickly swept her back into his arms.
“Shh, it’s alright,” he cooed. “We’ll keep in touch. This isn’t the end, I swear,” he vowed, pouring his heart into his words. Right then, he made the decision to never let her go. He would do everything and anything to keep her in his life; she wouldn’t slip through his fingers. Although, the voice over the intercom had other plans, and put quite the damper on Harry’s hope. The couple quickly broke apart, fear, regret and sadness, along with a mirage of other emotions apparent in the four green eyes.
“So this is it,” Megan concluded, swallowing the lump in her throat. Harry nodded ever so slightly, gripping onto whatever strength he had managed to muster up. He could fall apart once she was through the gates. “Goodbye, Harry.” Shatter.
“Goodbye,” he croaked, a physical pain in his chest due to those horrible two words.Goodbye Harry. Her soft hands slipped out of his, and he watched as she turned and walked away towards her plane, so many unsaid words on the tip of his tongue. She had just fled from his grasp, slipped away, just like that. He let out a sob as she gradually blended in with the crowd, not once turning around to grant him so much as one last look.
Little did Harry know that she couldn’t turn back around, for if she did she would never board her plane. If she looked at Harry once more, stared into his bloodshot emerald eyes, she would’ve unraveled. And they both knew that wasn’t allowed. So just like that, they were separated, left to find their own ways in separate lives.
Harry had just lost his love for the second time and Megan had let go of the only boy she’d ever loved.
Wish that we could be alone now
If we could find some place to hide
Make the last time just like the first time
Push a button and rewind
Michelle fiddled with her train ticket, flicking it between her fingers absently as she studied the platform intently, smiling as Zayn’s voice flowed into her ears beautifully. He was singing under his breath, and his voice was helping to calm her down. She wasn’t scared to go back to school, but life was always so much harder without Zayn. “You okay, babe?” Zayn asked again, making Michelle’s head lift up. She smiled at him, just as she always did, her cobalt eyes colliding with his topaz ones.
“Yeah,” she sighed, taking one of his hands in hers and swinging it. “I’m just afraid of losing you again,” she admitted quietly. The corner of his perfect lips rose a bit in a small, bittersweet smile. He planted a quick kiss on her soft cheek, making her heart flutter.
“You’re not losing me,” he murmured in her ear, an involuntary smile spreading across her face in response to the gesture. He placed both of his hands delicately on her waist, pulling her into him. “We’re just not going to be as close as I’d like.” Her smile faltered at the reminder.
“Well, even this isn’t as close as I’d like to be,” she joked, trying to lift the suppressive mood. Zayn snickered in response, pulling back to admire Michelle’s perfection as he continued to smile down at her. She threw him a wink, acting as if nothing was wrong; after all, that was her talent. Zayn’s eyes travelled noticeably down her face, and she smiled in anticipation as they let the sexual tension build up. Eventually Michelle got fed up and put her hand behind his head and pulled his lips down to hers. They stood there, kissing passionately, too young and in love to give a fuck about what the people around them were thinking.
Two hearts sunk suddenly with the blow of a whistle and the ring of a bell.
The starry eyed lovers broke apart, cold realization splashing across both of their faces. “I’ll see you for fall break,” Michelle reminded him. The pounding sound of train wheels screeching against the rails was becoming louder and louder, closer and closer. Goodbye was becoming louder and louder, closer and closer. Zayn nodded, though sorrow was evident on his unshaven face. “I love you,” she said definitively.
“I love you, too,” he replied before quickly granting her one last kiss. She quickly grabbed her bags and boarded the train, leaving a more than slightly torn Zayn on the platform. He watched the doors close behind her, sealing the deal. He tried to find her familiar figure through the windows of the train, but the windows were tinting black. She was gone. Out of sight for at least two months. Still, Zayn was staying until the train departed.
Inside, Michelle searched for an empty seat. She chose one quickly, keeping to herself as she squeezed her bags in with her. She felt the train lurch forward, and she frantically stared out the window, easily finding Zayn’s sad eyes. She smiled and waved a bit, but the only reaction she received was a sad look.
Don't say the word that's on your lips
Don't look at me that way
Just promise you'll remember
When the sky is grey
The birds chirped merrily around Sydney and Liam as they sat on the lawn, Liam’s arm wrapped lovingly around Sydney’s freckled shoulders. She was busy absentmindedly twisting blades of grass around her fingers and pulling them out of the ground while the warm August sun beat down on them. It was an ironically nice day for such a somber occasion. “You know,” she said, breaking the silence, “I’m visiting when I’m on break for Thanksgiving,” she reminded him for the thousandth time.
“I know, I know,” he replied, burying his face in her golden red hair and kissing her on the head. “I just wish I could have more of you,” he whispered, tackling her to the lush green grass with a hug. She giggled giddily in response, turning her head as he planted multiple kisses over her head, cheek, jaw and shoulder. He pulled back finally, smiling down at Sydney, who was still pinned beneath him. She made a face at him, but it vanished as he planted a kiss to her lips. After all, it was their last day together for a while. Why not enjoy it?
“Maybe you can have me for Christmas,” she teased once he pulled away, his face hovering mere inches above hers. A small smile played at his lips as he admired all of her features, taking them in for memory. Then he realized that he should capture the moment, for memory’s sake. He sat up suddenly, causing Sydney to glance at him curiously. He gently took her hand and helped her sit up as he slipped his phone out of his pocket. She positioned herself next to him as he pulled up his camera. She rolled her green eyes, but she still scooted closer.
“Just something to look at until I can see you again,” Liam gushed, positioning the phone in front of them. Sydney smiled, as did he, and he snapped a picture.
“Ugh, my hair’s all messed up now,” Sydney complained jokingly, playfully shoving Liam, of course to no avail. He smirked and helped pluck a few blades of grass out of her strawberry mane as she fixed it to the way she pleased. They smiled at each other for a moment before stealing another kiss. Sydney giggled as she heard the camera go off. The smiled at the picture together, love drunk and smitten. Then, the terrible, fateful noise of tires against pavement approached. The couple looked up in dread at the cab that would take Sydney to the airport. They stood up, brushing themselves off and sharing sad smiles. Sydney pecked Liam’s lips once more, savoring the kiss; after all, it would have to last her a while. He helped her load her bags into the backseat as she slid in and directed the driver to airport. With her hand on the door handle, she gave Liam one last smile. “Send those to me.” And with that, she shut the door and was off.
Liam waved weakly and watched the car drive away, craning his neck until his love was completely out of sight.
And sure enough, only minutes later, Sydney received two multimedia messages from Liam.
So please don't make this any harder
We can't take this any farther
And I know there's nothin’ that I wanna change
Haley and Niall sat on the couch, throwing Hershey Kisses at each other while Doctor Who played on the television. Neither of them followed the show, but Haley’s brother Billy was really into and said it was amazing, plus there was nothing else on, so the two agreed on it. Haley was also really attracted to Matt Smith, but she didn’t share that detail with Niall. Not that it even mattered, considering they weren’t even really watching it; they were too caught up in their kiss war. Haley swatted the air blindly, failing to deflect any chocolates. She threw a pouty face in Niall’s direction, though he was still laughing. She then defiantly took one of the kisses, unwrapped it, and popped it in her mouth, chewing slowly as she kept her eyes locked on Niall’s. He did the same, and they both burst out laughing for no reason.
It was just them in the house, the house back where Haley had first moved in with the boys. Everyone else was gone, Jesse having left that morning, Zayn and Liam out together, and Harry and Louis having lunch before the long drive back from the airport. Haley once again thanked whatever great force of the universe that had allowed her to stay with Niall, because right in that moment with him, there was just them. Yes, it hurt that her friends had left, but she could only imagine they pain the other boys were in.
Her thoughts were disrupted when Niall playfully tackled her to the ground and pinned both of her wrists above her head. “You ate my ammo,” he teased. A smirked appeared on her lips as she stared into his brilliant blue eyes, his body close enough for her to smell his familiar cologne and feel his hot breath cascade across her skin.
“What are ya gonna do about it, Horan?” she taunted, purposefully provoking him. Of course, she probably wasn’t very intimidating, seeing as how she was the one pinned to the floor.
“I’m gonna steal a kiss from you, see how you like it,” he retorted before placing a kiss to her lips. A giggle was caught in her throat as she moved her lips with his. Her heart clenched warmly, as per usual, her ears and cheeks blazing with bashful pleasure. Niall pulled away, smirking victoriously, hands still pinning Haley’s wrists down.
“You’re really bad at punishing me, ya know that?” Haley giggled, making Niall smile immensely which, as to follow their system, made Haley smile. When you smile, I smile.
“Well, I could never punish my beautiful captive,” he cooed, nuzzling into her neck playfully. She let out a huge laugh in response, the ticklish sensation making her limbs flail. Niall and pulled back, unfazed as he was now used to her reaction to being tickled.
“Thank you, master,” she breathed before their lips connected magically once again. Sparks flew around them magically as they stumbled, head over heels, out of the fairytale ending of their summer and into the first chapter of the rest of their lives together.
Cause you were mine for the Summer
Now we know its nearly over
Feels like snow in September
But I always will remember
You were my Summer love
You always will be my Summer love.
A/N***
My heart is literally in my throat as I post this. Because, well, this is it. I mean there's gonna be an epilogue and the Naley wedding, but, still. This is the last chapter.
OKAY NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO GET EMOTIONAL, THERE WILL BE A VERY LONG EMOTIONAL NOTE AFTER THE NALEY WEDDING. COLLECT YOURSELF.
So, keep on voting and commenting!!!!
I love you all and want to thank you♥
Z.
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