37 | g o n e

"I don't want you to leave me," the voice beside me murmured before throwing an arm around my waist, snuggling into me. Ace had been extra clingy the last few weeks, knowing he wouldn't be able to stop the inevitable; the two of us being separated and going off to our different schools.

I was leaving first, a whole two weeks before Ace would go off to Sacramento State. And as much as he wanted to go with me, to help me move in and get situated, I wouldn't let him. I wanted to just be able to say goodbye to him and try to forget that I wouldn't be seeing him until Christmas.

So Ace probably wasn't the only one who had been extraordinarily clingy.

When I felt Ace's head lay against my chest, I kissed the top of his head and wrapped my arms around him as much as I could. "I don't want to leave you. But i've heard a college education is kind of important."

"More important than me?" I could almost feel the puppy dog eyes he was sporting. He wasn't even facing me and I could still see the frown he was sure to be wearing.

I chuckled a little and ran my hand through his hair, calming him a little. I felt his shoulders melt from their stiff state. "Nothing is more important to me than you and Lilli. But you don't see Lilli holding me down on her bed, clinging to me like a baby monkey."

"Lilli isn't in love with you," he concluded.

I gasped. "She isn't?"

Ace snorted and sat up a little, only to lay his head back down were it was, facing me. "Lilli calls you every hour and comes over here every single day. Don't try and tell me she isn't acting clingy too."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. And it's not like I mind all the attention. It's more than i've gotten in my entire life," I sighed.

Ace brought one hand up to cup my cheek and he smiled, bringing my body warmth. "You deserve all the attention in the world. And I bet you at Emerson, you're going to get it," his voice turned playful. "It better not be from any guys."

My heart swelled at the affection clouding his voice. I needed to change the subject before I turned into a puddle. "You're mother is going to kill us, again."

He swatted a hand as if brushing off a fly. "We're adults, she can't do anything."

"So what was two days ago?" I saw him blush a little after Anna walked into his room, claiming to need his dirty laundry, when she caught us heavily making out. But I told myself we were lucky it was only that.

"It wasn't that bad," Ace rolled his eyes.

I gave him the girlfriend look, the one that told him to shut up. "We were banned from seeing each other for twenty-four hours, Ace. We live in the same house. She might as well have locked us both in our separate rooms for a whole day."

"Okay, so maybe she can still get us in trouble. But we're only cuddling. What is she going to get mad about?"

I looked down at our bodies that were covered in the bedsheets.

Only the bedsheets.

"Alright, then get your cute ass up and get ready for the day without me then," Ace moped.

I tried to wiggle out of his grasp but he wasn't exactly helping me get to my feet. "You gonna move, or am I supposed to just shove you off the bed?"

"You can get up if you move me, sweetheart," his smile was charming, supposed to keep me from leaving the bed. But I truly didn't want to go through another lecture about birth control with Ace's mother.

"I have my ways baby," I warned him.

His smile twisted, into the mischievous smirk that made my insides pool with heat. "Do your worst, beautiful."

I moved my hand down his chest and down, and down, and down. Ace's features immediately softened and his face contorted in pleasure. His eyes closed. And I-

Shoved him off the bed.

"Ah!" Ace squeaked, laying on his back on the floor.

"That's a good look for you, sweetcheeks. But you might want to put on some clothes before your mom comes in," I told him and then got up from the other side of the bed, stretching and looking around for my clothes. When I found them crumpled on the ground across the room, in various places, I sighed and went to Ace's closet.

Ace still hadn't moved. "What are you doing?"

"Borrowing your hoodie," I told him, pulling one off a hanger. I walked over to the multiple piles of clothes and sifted through them, pulling out the necessities. I lifted the hoodie over me until it billowed out around my thighs.

Ace finally stood up and started dressing too, the two of us in comfortable silence getting ready for the day. One day I hoped this would be our everyday.

I decided that I hated the airport. I hated the airport because it was the place that would be taking me away from my life for the next four years, starting now.

I had only twenty-three minutes before I was due to board my flight to Boston. So I spend the majority of them making out with my boyfriend while my mom awkwardly sat across from us. It wasn't my smartest moment, I'll admit. But I wasn't going to see Ace for three and a half months.

She understood. But I also understood that I wouldn't be seeing her either for three and a half months. And I had just started getting used to having her around again.

I had stayed at Ace's house even though she was here again. She couldn't afford a place for the both of us quite yet. But she was working toward better things. She was currently working two jobs, one for her rent and bills and the other went toward her savings.

She was adamant on putting me through college.

After making out with Ace for a good half an hour, I chatted on the phone with Lilli since she was unable to come to the airport since she had left for school three days ago.

When there was ten minutes till boarding, we all stood up and they walked me to the line I was supposed to be in. Ace held tightly onto my hand and I did the same. My mom walked on my other side, her hand brushing back my hair a few times.

The gate was just ahead of us when I heard Ace's breath stutter a little bit. I stopped and turned toward him, taking both his hands in mine. "I love you," I told him, looking up into his sad eyes.

"I love you more, sweetheart," he whispered and pulled me into a tight hug. I could feel the tears well up in my eyes but I refused to cry. It wasn't like I wouldn't see him ever again.

After we let go of each other, albeit reluctantly, I turned to my mom who I had quickly been able to forgive and love wholeheartedly again. Unlike me, she didn't hold back the tears. A few ran freely down her cheeks, but she bore a smile.

"I'm proud of you angel. I'm going to miss you so much," she whispered, barely getting the words out.

I practically ran into her arms and squeezed with everything I had. "I'm going to miss you too mom."

"I love you Melon."

And I loved her too.

And although I told myself I wouldn't cry, as soon as I got on the plane, my sob couldn't be held back.

And I was gone.

This is really emotional. This is it guys. This is the last chapter before the epilogue. I genuinely can't believe we made it.

This book is literally my baby. (To the point where my first tattoo that I get is going to be a spade (♠️).

This chapter has over 1,300 words:) thank you for being a reader! And a voter and commenter;)

See you in the epilogue.