After only getting a few hours of sleep, it was a surprise to myself that I was awake and helping to load up the truck. Well, the couple mountain dews I'd already chugged this morning may have helped immensely. That and I wasn't actually moving much.
No, I was inside the truck. Being the smallest made it so I got shoved into the truck to rearrange the boxes that were brought down. Currently I was trying to balance between the couch cushions and a dresser, searching for a way to balance boxes while also not falling myself. It wasn't an easy task.
Balancing my way to the front of the truck to await more boxes I saw Jasper waiting for me. He arched an eyebrow at me.
"Are you coming?"
I flipped him the bird which got a laugh from him. "I'm trying. It's not as easy as it looks."
"Looks plenty easy from where I'm standing."
When I finally reached him I bent down to smack his shoulder, thankful for the new prosthetic he'd designed which allowed me to bend. It still took some getting used to, it was also the reason why I wasn't helping them bring stuff down from the apartment.
"Is it empty in there yet?" I asked.
He put a hand on the backs of each of my thighs, getting as close to me as he could manage from this angle. "It is a little bit."
I pouted. "It's a little sad." It truly was. This was the first apartment I'd very had, my first thing that signified my independence. It was where I'd gone to live in solitude after Blaine's death and Jasper leaving to Houston. It was the place I could be free from the memories of Blaine at every turn. His memory no longer haunting me when I walked down the hall. A piece of freedom.
"I almost don't want to leave."
"I know." He murmured. "It'll be alright though. We can do this. More importantly," he squeezed my thighs. "You can do this. I know you will."
I smiled when something caught my eye. Looking up towards the apartment I noticed that the stairs had been turned into a ramp of sorts. Carly was at the top of the steps carefully setting a box down before giving it a little push and watching it go down the makeshift slide.
My jaw dropped. Jasper followed my gaze and grinned mischievously.
"What is going on?"
Jasper laughed. "We improvised. None of us wanted to go up and down the stairs all day so we set this up. They put stuff on the ramp, I grab it and give it to you. Our own assembly line of movers."
I wanted to be mad but had to admit that it was a clever idea. So long as none of my things could be broken.
"My vinyl collection will not be going down that slide, Jasper."
"I know." He said and gently tapped a box with his foot, diverting my attention. "I'd never let your things be broken."
He really wouldn't. Just like with me, he treasured the things I loved, treated them with the utmost care.
I stood back up, Jasper's hands slid down the back of my legs. He sighed, lifted my box of vinyls up for me to grab before jumping up onto the back of the truck so he was standing at my side. After I'd come back from placing the vinyl box in a secure spot, I returned to him.
He held me close, swaying back and forth for a moment of peace. I was watching the makeshift slide, hoping like hell boxes wouldn't start shooting off like rockets. Jasper read my mind.
"They won't shoot off, they'll continue to slide along the mat we set up. Trust me, Sades, it's safe. Our possessions will not be broken."
That helped settle my unease. Then again whenever Jasper held me close I was at ease, he had that magical ability about him. Having him this close, inhaling his scent, seeing him sweaty from the heavy lifting, it made me want to drag him to the back of the truck for a few short minutes and have some fun. The thought sent a rush of excitement through me. Then, the thought quickly diminished as I heard the voices of my parents and Carly. I shoved Jasper away, we'd have to wait for some quiet fun time where we wouldn't be overheard or possibly caught.
"We should finish up if we want to leave on time, huh." He spoke softly, letting me go and jumping off the back of the truck. When he hit the ground, I began to laugh, unable to stop myself.
He stared back at me like I was a crazy person, perhaps I did sound like one but I had a good reason. He'd laugh when he found out.
"I've got a Star Wars reference for you, Jas."
He put a hand over his heart. "And that is why I love you!"
I stifled my giggle this time so I could get this out before we ran out of time. "I have the high ground, Jasper!"
He doubled over in laughter, I was doing the same on the truck. It got to the point where he'd fallen to the ground and I was leaning heavily against the wall of the truck.
Once Jasper collected himself, I popped my hip out in exaggeration. "That! That is why you love me."
"You have a point there."
...
The sun was just about to set when we finished loading up the truck. My father pulled the strap, sending the back door fluttering down until it shut and shuddered. With a click it was all set to go.
I leaned against the back of the truck, staring up at the apartment. So many firsts in there. My independence, my new relationship discovery with Jasper. First 'I love you' with Jasper. I almost didn't want to go, after admitting that to Jasper, it still set with me. I was excited for my new adventure, yet was still sad to see this one go.
Rosenwood had always been my home and now, it was about to become a part of my past. While my parents and Carly would still be here, it wouldn't be my home anymore, not my true home. My true home was wherever Jasper was.
Jasper came to my side as I looked at the apartment from afar. The doors were now locked, the keys in an envelope in a drop slot at the apartment managers office. It killed me to hand over they keys, though I was more than happy to have a place with Jasper that was ours, not mine or his, but ours.
"You doing okay?"
I held onto his forearm. "Yeah," I let out a shaky breath, willing myself to stay strong. It was only an apartment. I heard a sniffle from behind me and realize it wasn't just an apartment I was leaving behind. I gave Jaspers arm a squeeze. "We have to say goodbye."
"We already said goodbye to Blaine, do we need to say goodbye to the apartment too?"
I smacked his arm. "I meant Carly, you dork."
"Oh."
We both slowly turned to face her. She was expecting us. Tears already stained her cheeks. I broke away from Jasper to get to her first. She hauled me into a bear hug, squeezing until I nearly ran out of air.
"You be good over there, Sadie! You call me when you get there! You call me before you get there! You call me your first day! You call me when you finish moving in and your parents are on their way back. You call me when you finally unpack that last box!" She took a deep breath as she pulled back to stare into my eyes, they were just as tears eyed as hers. "You understand me?"
If I spoke, I'd burst out crying. I nodded instead and pulled her into another hug. I didn't want to let her go, she was my second mom, my idol, my inspiration. I didn't want to be away from her. I knew I had to say something though, a nod was not enough. Not when it came to Carly.
"I'll miss you. I'll call! You need to call me to! Let me know of any updates in the lab! And Carly?"
She quirked her head as she smiled. "What's up darling?"
"Thank you! You're the reason I'm getting all of this! Thank you! I'll never be able to properly repay you!"
She brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "Don't you even think about repaying me in any other way except doing your best! You do what you do and you do it well! That's enough for me!" She kissed my cheek, glancing over my shoulder to where Jasper stood. "I need to say goodbye to him to and give him his early birthday present."
"Okay, I love you."
Another kiss to my cheek. "Love you too, my girl!" Then she left to go say goodbye to Jasper. Leaving me staring at my car, my keys dangling from my fingers. This would be the first time I drove since I sat in it to decide I wanted it. Jasper did the test drive for me. I reached for the handle when I heard a car roaring towards us before the owner slammed on their brakes and jumped out of their car nearly crushing me in a hug.
It was Brittany.
After my stay in the hospital, we'd become close friends. She gave me advice and answered my questions then would get mad at me when I didn't followed her advice and didn't ask questions that I should have. Many nights we'd watch Titanic or Father of the Bride while eating ice cream right out of the tubs. On those nights Jasper would either go to bed early, join us for the movies that he'd say out loud he hated but deep down he actually enjoyed them or he'd go out to the bar.
She was my best friend and now I was leaving her too.
I held her tight. "You made it!"
"I did." She agreed, pulling back, running a hand through her natural hair. She grinned as she followed my line of sight. "Got tired of people telling me how to wear it and decided I was gonna wear it however the hell I wanted to. It's my hair and my hair doesn't affect how I do my job. I'm a black woman and I am proud!"
"Good for you." I managed to say through a sniffle. "I'm really going to miss you."
Her smile faded. "I'll miss you too. And just so you know I have vacation coming up and I'll be using it to come down to Florida and see you. One, I'll need to see my best friend and make sure she's healing alright." Though I'd healed just fine since it's been months since the accident, but I didn't say that out loud. "And two, who doesn't want a trip to Orlando, Florida? Theme park heaven! We'll have to go!"
"Duh!" I responded, smiling once more. "Main reason I said yes to moving there, I've always wanted to go!" We didn't have theme parks in Rosenwood like they did in Orlando. It'd be a great time.
She winked over her shoulder suddenly, I was confused so I had to follow her gaze and saw Jasper stand straight up like a soldier standing at attention. She laughed. "I love making him nervous. Leia says I'm mean for doing that so him."
I was in agreement with Leia.
"Will you bring Leia to visit with you?"
It was her turn to go smart-ass on me. "Duh, we're a package deal now. She stuck with me and so are you."
Brittany and Leia came out officially just after Jasper and I got back from Paris. It was their Christmas gift to the world, they'd told us. If they're were happy, I was happy. Two best friends for the price of one.
"I am happy for you both."
"Same." She winked at Jasper again, he looked away, turning Carly to speak in another direction, one where he wasn't in Brittany's line of sight. "Whenever you get wedding details or need help with them, let us know. We'd be more than happy to help, but," she held a finger up, "only when you're ready for that. It's your wedding, not your moms or his moms. Remember that!"
"I will." The sun sank lower and I heard shuffling feet behind me. I have Brittany a sad look. "I have to go."
"I know!" She hugged me one more time and turned me right into Carly's for a final hug.
When we broke apart, I wiped a tear away, sidestepping towards my car. "Bye! We'll be sure to call!"
"You better." Carly called after me.
I climbed into the keep, buckled and sighed as I gripped the steering wheel. My breaths were coming fast and shallow, I could feel my heartbeat increasing.
Jasper was at the window, I rolled it down. "Remember what we said. If you need to stop and switch, let us know. It'll be okay." He leaned through the window and kissed me, I returned it with a unspoken question. "Don't be afraid, Sades, you've got this. I'll be right in front of you, you're not alone. You can do this."
I could do it. I gave him a nod and watched as he climbed into his own car, my parents did the same with the moving truck behind me.
We pulled away and it took everything in me to not stop and go back to Carly and Brittany who stood side by side in the rear view mirror. Even though I'd hugged them tighter than I ever had before, it wasn't easy to see their figures getting smaller and smaller until they disappeared altogether. It nearly broke my heart.
Then I refocused on the task at hand. Driving the car, moving to Orlando, starting a new life with Jasper. With another long breath, I pressed the gas a little harder, speeding down the freeway in my way to my new life.
I could do this.