Chapter 7: Time to Move On

Evan

Both Shayla and Evan's parties had come and gone. It had now been three weeks since they graduated high school. They had both been so busy with everything happening since graduation that they hadn't spent much time hanging out.

Evan got a text.

Meet me at our spot. I miss you.

He wasted no time jumping in his truck and speeding to that dirt road that now belonged to so many of their memories.

As he pulled in, he saw her Jeep. He couldn't believe that thing still ran, especially with the way Shayla drove. But it was still kicking it.

He made his way down the hill to the creek. She was already sitting on the rock, feet soaking in the water and the sun glistening off her smile.

"Hey, you," she said as he pulled himself onto the rock next to her.

"Hey. How's life? I feel like I haven't seen you in, what, a week or so?"

"You haven't, silly. That's the longest we have gone without hanging out in forever. Probably since you moved here," she said.

"I know. I didn't like it. Let's not do that again."

"Actually, I need to talk to you about something," she said.

He didn't like the sound of that. He braced himself for whatever she was about to say.

"Okay. What's up?"

"So, you know how we made plans to attend Seattle University together?" she asked.

"Yes--"

"I can't. As much as we have talked about going to Washington and going to school and building lives and careers, I just can't. I must stay here for Hadley. I can't leave him."

He felt the color drain from his face, then his torso and melt all the way to the floor. He wanted to understand. He knew she had given up so much of herself and her life already. Why couldn't she just do this one thing for herself?

But it wasn't for her. He wanted this for him. He was the one who wasn't ready to give her up. But hadn't it been long enough? He had been fighting for her to love him back for years now and she hadn't budged. He had thought this whole time that they were meant to be.

But he must have been wrong.

But he couldn’t be wrong. He felt it. He knew, in his heart and in his body, that she was the one he was destined to be with.

Maybe he just needed to let her go and pretend he was happy for her decision. They'd still be friends, but maybe distance is what was needed.

"I think you are making the right choice," he said.

"You do, really?"

"I do. I know the local college will be happy to have someone like you. Plus, then you could still take care of Hadley. You're such a good person, Shayla."

He just wished she saw how important she was and treat herself as such.

"Thank you, Evan. You are pretty amazing too and you'll make a great psychologist in no time at all. Seattle will be lucky to have you and I will miss you like no other. Not sure how I will get through the days without you."

Evan had decided to go into psychology when he watched Shayla struggle. It gave him an overwhelming desire to help her or help anyone that needed it. He had always been a great listener. Now he would be one with a degree.

They sat silently on the rock, letting the sun touch their skin, both wishing things could be different and knowing that they couldn't be.

He would have to say good-bye soon to her. It wouldn't be forever, but it would be long enough to hopefully get over her. If that was even possible.

They stayed thirty minutes longer and then both got in their vehicles and drove home.

***

The summer was coming to an end and though Evan and Shayla spent many days together, it was never enough. At least not for him.

He started packing for his move to Seattle. Shayla came over to help him.

"Are you really taking that old thing?" she asked as he folded his holey Motley Crew t-shirt and placed it in his suitcase.

"Yes I am. They are classic and my mom gave it to me. How could I not take it?" he asked.

"Aw, you are so cute," she said as she tossed a random shirt at him.

"Now this thing is ugly, and I will not be taking it," he said as he tossed the shirt back at her.

D*mn. I am going to miss this.

And she would, too. More than he knew.

***

Two days later it was time for him to go. He loaded up his truck with suitcases, bags of food his mom insisted he bring, and his goldfish.

Shayla helped put things in his truck. He watched her closely, trying to memorize every inch of her as if he didn't already know her by heart.

His stomach turned in knots as he faced her to say good-bye. He hated this so much, but he would never let her know that. He couldn't make her feel bad for this. He would come back. He knew she would realize they belonged together once he was gone. He just needed to wait, longer.

"I am going to miss you so much. How am I supposed to do this without you?" he asked. He was fighting back tears. He wanted to cry for leaving her and he wanted to cry for everything he could never tell her. It all came bubbling out of his eyes. She would never know the true meaning behind his tears.

"You can and you will because you are amazing."

She wrapped him up while he sobbed.

"I love you, Shayla."

Words he had been dying to say and dying to hear.

"I love you too, best friend," she said in his ear.

Her words didn't hold the same meaning as his, at least not to his knowledge. But he took them and held them close anyway.