Page 236 of Promising You
“Then I’ll see you later, Jade.”
We have one last hug before leaving.
* * *
Back at Moorhurstit’s total chaos as people pack up cars and moving trucks with all their stuff. I get out of my car, still trying to comprehend the fact that I am now a millionaire. A multimillionaire.
I’m not ready to go back to my room, so I sit on a bench under a big maple tree. Everywhere I look I see things that remind me of Garret. There are so many memories here. This is where we met, where we became best friends, and where we fell in love.
I get up and walk to the edge of campus over to the trail that leads into the woods. A few people are running on it today and I wait for them to pass me. Then I sneak down and go deep into the woods to the tent so I can see it one last time.
But it’s gone. Everything’s gone. Like it was never there.
I collapse down on my knees and the tears start pouring again. I know I said I wouldn’t cry, but I can’t stop myself. I feel like I’ve lost everything. And I’m afraid that soon I’ll turn back into the old Jade who didn’t trust people and didn’t believe in happy endings.Good things never last, Jade.That’s what my mom used to say and I used to believe her. But now I’ve changed and I don’t want to go back to the person I used to be, but part of me thinks that I will.
My phone rings and I see that it’s Frank calling. I sit up and take a deep breath before answering. “Hi, Frank.”
“Hey, I just wanted to wish you a safe trip.” He sounds really happy. “Ryan and I will both be at the airport tonight to pick you up. We can’t wait to see you.”
“Yeah. It’ll be good to be home.” I do my best to match his happy tone but it doesn’t come out that way.
“Are you okay, Jade?”
“I’m fine. Just tired.”
“Well, we’ll let you sleep in tomorrow. See you soon.”
When he hangs up I check the phone for any messages. There’s one from Harper. She’s driving to California with Sean. They left yesterday and her message says they’re somewhere in Pennsylvania.
The alarm on my phone beeps reminding me I need to head to the airport soon. I make my way up the hill and back to my dorm room. The suitcase Garret bought me last year is packed and ready to go, sitting next to the door. I packed all my other stuff in the car. My room is as empty as when I arrived here last fall.
I sit on the bare mattress on my bed and look around. It doesn’t seem like that long ago that I walked in this room for the first time, feeling really sick because I was scared to death to be so far away from home. And then I met Garret on that very first night. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He was the hottest guy I’d ever seen. And he was nice to me from the second we met. I pretended to be annoyed with him, but deep down I liked him right away. I liked talking to him and hanging out with him. I liked that he kept forcing me to do things with him. He made me feel welcome, and after just one day with him I forgot all about missing home. And even after I told him we couldn’t date, he stuck around. He was my friend from my first day here and ended up being the best friend I’ll ever have.
Garret’s at his house now, so I go up to his floor. Guys fill the hallway, carrying boxes and furniture. Music is blaring and guys are yelling stuff to each other. I squeeze past some guys carrying a couch and make my way down to Garret’s room. The door is open and the room is completely empty, just like mine. I go inside and shut the door. It still smells like him and I feel the tears forming again and realize that coming up here probably wasn’t the best idea. But I had to see this room one last time. This is where Garret first said that he loved me. And where I first said it to him. It’s where he hugged me, again and again, until I finally learned how to do it right. It’s where he talked to me and listened to me and helped me get the voices out of my head.
There are so many memories between these four walls. And on this campus. In this town. But it’s time to let them go.
It’s not at all what I want. I don’t want to forget. I want to remember everything. Everything Garret and I shared since the moment we met last September. All the movie nights in his room. All the trips to Al’s Pancake House. Racing each other on the track and in the pool. Every hug. Every kiss. All of it. But I can’t. I have to find a way to shove those memories in the back of my mind where they’ll never be found. And then force myself to never go looking for them. It’s the only way I’ll ever move on without him.
My phone dings reminding me it’s time to leave. I go back downstairs and wheel my suitcase into the hall, then look at my empty room once more before shutting the door for good.
When I go outside, a taxi is there waiting to take me to the airport. The driver takes my suitcase and puts it in the trunk.
As the taxi drives away, I say goodbye to Moorhurst. Not ‘see you later,’ but goodbye. Because I know for sure that I’ll never come back here again.
CHAPTERFIFTY-SIX
Back in Des Moines,I wait until Sunday night to tell Frank about the money. Ryan is out with Chloe, which is good because I didn’t want him around when I talked to Frank. Ryan can’t know the money came from me. For one, he knows nothing about my relation to the Sinclairs and two, he’d feel weird taking money from his little sister.
“Frank, I need to tell you something.” I’m kind of nervous to tell him this. I’m worried he’ll get mad at me for accepting the money or take offense that I’m offering him some of it.
“What is it, Jade?” He turns the TV down.
We’re sitting in the living room, him in his recliner and me on the couch.
“Well, as you know, I spent a lot of time with Grace and Arlin the past few months and I really got to know them.”
“Yes, and I’m glad you did that. It was good for you. I’m just so sorry about Arlin.”
