Dedicated to Khanbikeh

My things were packed and I was ready to go. Aunt Jackie couldn't keep smiling which pissed my dad off so much.

I wanted to laugh and tease him but I knew he was angry because this was the first time that we wouldn't be together in a long time.
It had always been me and him facing the world and now there was a possibility that it wouldn't be me and him again.

I left the house and went to Ella's to say goodbye. Her place was a bit far from my place and I wished I had a bicycle that could take me there without having to walk. Maybe I could blackmail my aunt into getting one for me.

Lazy young me.

Twenty minutes later, I got her place and knocked.
Mrs. Clarke opened the door and the stiff woman I met her the last time looked more care-free. Her hair was hanging loose and there was a smile plastered on her face.

"Jade. Here to see Ella? Come in," she ushered me into the house and told me that Ella was in her room.

I walked to her room, remembering that it was the one with the bite me sign on it.

Ella was on her bed with ear buds in her ears. I tapped her and she removed it, a grin on her face.
"What were you listening to?"

"Joyce Meyer podcasts. I love that woman," she told me as she patted her bed for me to sit down.

The last time I came here, she'd given all of us a death scare and now here she was, listening to Joyce Meyer.

"I can't stay for long. My aunt and I are leaving and I came here to say goodbye," I said.

She got up from where she was and hugged me. "You've done so much for me Jade. I can't tell how much I appreciate you. Thank you so much."

"You've added happiness to my life too, Ella and I'm going miss you so much."

"We'll have Skype and WhatsApp. There's no way any of us will feel alone this vacation," she pulled out of the hug.

"Definitely. You guys should have fun on the road trip and please make sure that my dad eats well or else he will just drink water and nothing else."

"I will. Don't worry," Ella laughed.

"Well, I have to go. Call me when you are about to leave."

"You are like a grandfather Jade," she laughed again.

"A very sexy grandfather," I winked at her.

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My next stop was David's. His aunt and cousin were around and he was doing laundry so I couldn't stay long.

We'd gone through a lot together and I didn't want to think about not seeing him for three solid months.

Before I left, I said to him, "Make sure you don't come back single."

"Trust me bro, Ella has a huge surprise coming her way."

Finally, I went to Grace's place. I was hoping that her brothers weren't around. I'd promised them to never leave Grace and here I was coming to say goodbye.

I rang their bell and just as fate would allow it (always not on my side of course), her dad opened the door.

"Mensa. What do you want?" he asked me.

"Looking for Grace, sir. Is she in?" I replied.

"In the living room," he replied with a gruff voice, ushered me in and continued, "I can hear everything you guys say and do so don't try anything."

He still didn't like me and my dad but that was okay with me. When I came back, I would prove to him that we weren't the bad people he might have probably painted us to be.

"Grace?" I called out for her.

She got up from a sofa and threw her hands around me. I held on tight and knew her dad was looking at us.

"I came to say goodbye. My aunt and I are leaving today."

"This isn't goodbye Jade. I'll see you again and we'll talk all the time," she said but her eyes were teary.

"I'm sure I love you Grace," I hugged her again and whispered to her.

"I'm sure i love you too" she said back to me.

I pulled out of the hug and walked towards the door. Her dad stared at me with his arms crossed and said to me just as I opened the door, "You're a fine young man Mensa."

"Thanks sir." I looked at Grace and winked at her.

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It sucks that Jade has to go doesn't it? Please leave a vote in memory of him?