CHAPTER 3: The Last Summer
359 Words
The summer before college passed too quickly.
Daniel had been accepted into a university three hours away.
Emma was staying in town.
She had gotten into the local university and planned to study design.
They told everyone distance wouldn't matter.
"We'll call," Daniel said.
"We'll text."
"We'll visit."
"We'll make it work."
They believed it.
Or perhaps they simply needed to believe it.
On Daniel's last night, they climbed onto the roof.
The air smelled like rain.
Emma sat beside him.
"When are you leaving?"
"Six in the morning."
"That's too early."
"I know."
"Maybe you shouldn't go."
Daniel smiled.
"You're only saying that because you're going to miss me."
"Maybe."
He looked at her.
"I'll miss you too."
Emma looked away.
There it was.
The thing she had been afraid to say.
She loved him.
Not just as her best friend.
Not just as the boy who had been there her whole life.
She loved him.
She wanted to tell him.
But she was afraid.
If she said it and he didn't feel the same way, everything would change.
So she said nothing.
Daniel reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small photograph.
It was the picture from the disposable camera.
Emma smiled.
"You kept it?"
"Of course."
She took it.
On the back, he had written:
Willow Street. Summer. Us.
Emma swallowed.
"Don't lose it."
"I won't."
He looked at her.
"Don't forget me."
"I couldn't."
Daniel leaned forward and hugged her.
Emma held him tightly.
She wanted to tell him.
She wanted to say everything.
Instead, she whispered:
"Call me when you get there."
"I promise."
The next morning, Daniel left.
Emma waited for the call.
Six hours.
Twelve.
One day.
Two.
Nothing.
She called him.
No answer.
She called again.
Still nothing.
She sent messages.
No reply.
A week passed.
Then another.
Eventually, Emma stopped calling.
She didn't know that Daniel had tried to call her too.
She didn't know that he had gone to her house before leaving.
She didn't know what had happened.
All she knew was that he was gone.
And she had been left with a promise he hadn't kept.
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