The 17th comes. Our flight is in the afternoon. We leave in the morning, since the airport is an hour-long drive away, and we need to check our luggage in. I cry, obviously. Maryann also cries a little. I hug her for five minutes at a stretch. Olive makes bitchy faces. I think even Aristo is a little sad to see me go, seeing how he sits by the door, completely still, just watching his human beings be all sad and sniffly.

Hughes has the biggest car, so he's the one driving us. Maryann helps him carry the luggage to the car. Olive doesn't help but sits prettily on the porch steps and pets Aristo. I walk through the house, feeling sad and silly. I didn't even do my make-up this morning because I knew I'd be crying it off anyway.

Aaron comes to see me at the last minute. We were texting for a while last night, and had even said our goodbyes on there, so I'm surprised to see him turn up at Maryann's porch, holding what is evidently a book because it is gift-wrapped with Carrie's Stories gift-wrapping paper.

"Hey." I smile at him, pulling him into a hug.

"Hi. Sabine." Aaron says, tight-lipped smile on his face. "You look nice." He says.

"I do?" I look down at my very basic outfit. My worn-out jeans and a white bralette – and a green sweater that belongs to Maryann. I'm conscious of my face that is probably somewhat wet and swollen.

"Yes." Aaron says. "Anyway. Here." He hands me the gift.

"Ooh." I say, taking it from him. "I wonder what this could be."

"It's a book – shit, I wasn't supposed to tell you that."

I laugh. "Aaron, are you nervous?"

"Shut up." He rolls his eyes. He looks behind him, at Hughes' car, then back at me.

"Well, this is it." He shrugs. I nod. Aaron continues. "It was nice knowing you. And I wish you the best in your life ahead."

"Thank you." I smile. "It was nice knowing you, too. Thank you for the book. You're very cute, and I also wish you the best in your life ahead."

Aaron nods once. "Will you be visiting again soon?" He asks, tentatively.

"Most likely, yeah." I look at Hughes behind him. And Maryann. Then back at Aaron. "I've gotten pretty attached to this place."

Aaron chuckles. "Okay, that gives me some peace."

I smile at him, intently. His pretty face looks hopeful. "Hey, what if I told you I had an extra ticket?"

"Oh – " Aaron's eyes widen.

"I don't, though." I say quickly. "I was JK. Jokes."

Aaron rolls his eyes. "You should stick to being a wise-ass, jokes aren't really your forte."

Olive comes up behind me. "Stop flirting!" She yells into my ear suddenly, making me jump. She waves sweetly at Aaron. Then she walks on. That girl is violence personified.

"I gots some stuff to take care of." I say to Aaron. I put my hand on my stomach without realizing I do it. "You should, um, forget about me. Plenty of fish in the sea, right?"

"Mhm" Aaron smiles crookedly, his hands in his pockets. 

"Okay." I say, smiling. "I'm gonna go, then."

Aaron nods. We hug once more. Then I go to hug Maryann as well, who is standing at the door in her nightie, Aristo in her arms – looking very Victorian. I kiss her on the cheek, and I kiss Aristo on the top of his head. Then I walk hurriedly to the car before I can start crying again. I'm not even particularly sad (yet), but fuck knows if I know any other way to express myself other than crying.

Aaron and Maryann wave at us as we pull away. Hughes turns on the radio. He's wearing surprisingly funky aviators. The sun is slanting in through the car windows. It's a beautiful day. Olive is talking animatedly on the phone. I look at the gift Aaron gave me. There's a note attached to the back of it that I didn't see before.

Dear Sabine,

Please don't think it's creepy I saw the books in your bedroom and researched them. I picked this one out after careful consideration. I think you'll love it.

Keep in touch,

Aaron.

*

My tears are all dried up by the time we reach the airport. I actually end up sleeping away half the drive. Hughes shakes me awake when after he parks in front of the airport.

Olive is already out of the car, pulling our suitcases out of the boot. She's gleeful. I ask her snidely what she's so happy for.

"Um, because we're leaving this lame ass town?"

Hughes flicks her on the back of her head.

"Hey!" She yelps, turning around and trying to hit him, but he dodges out of the way, and they do that for a hot second – trying to hit each other in front of an airport.

"Bozos, help me!" I yell at them.

Once we get the suitcases out, I feel like I might start crying again. I look at Hughes, my lips pursed. "Awww." Hughes laughs. He pulls me into a hug. He ruffles my hair. "Don't cry, baby. Come on. Don't cry."

I pull away from him, sniffling a bit, but I'm not full-on crying.

"Can we go?" Olive asks. "Before Sabine has another meltdown?"

"Shut your mouth, Ol, I swear to god." I say.

Hughes slaps me on the back, leaving his arm around my shoulders. "I love you, but she's right." He says, and I elbow him in the ribs. He laughs as he winces out loud.

Hughes can't walk with us farther than the entrance of the airport, because then he'll get a ticket on his car. I hug him again. I don't feel like letting go. Hughes kisses the top of my head. Then he hugs Olive and flicks her forehead this time. I laugh, but it comes out as an ugly sob. Olive pulls her fist back, but Hughes doesn't even blink. Olive hmphs. They end up high-fiving and bumping shoulders before Olive walks past the sliding doors.

I half-hold Hughes' hand. Call me when you land, he tells me. I nod.

Olive returns and loops her arm through mine, pulling me away.

"You'd never come otherwise." She chides me as I wave and wave at Hughes before finally turning away as we walk out of his sight. My heart aches. She's not wrong.