Calum's POV

Rylie and I swayed in each others arms.

"You think they believed it?" She asks.

"Believed it? Hell, I'm sure they're worshipping this performance." I smile.

"Thanks. I have no clue what Neptune or Michael would think if they found out that-" she stops talking.

"Found out what?" I ask.

"Uh..that Blake and I are dating." She sighs.

"You-you and Blake are what? I thought this was a prank on them?" I ask.

"He asked me at baseball practice today." She stares at the ground.

"You can't say you didn't feel anything when we kissed?" I ask.

She shook her head no.

"Blake isn't a good guy. He's horrible. I saw him kissing Kaley today during study hall. He smokes, he drinks, he gets high. It's not your scene." I sigh taking her hand.

"You wouldn't know! All you've been doing for the past few weeks is pout about how I didn't choose you over Michael. I smoke too and maybe I'm not about getting high or drunk but he's who I chose! Not you." She pulls her hand away from me. "I'm leaving. You're drunk. And stupid."

"I'm getting on a plane and going to the UK tomorrow and not coming back for so long. We can't close the book, this is an unfinished chapter." I stutter.

"I'm going to Blake's house." She sighs, picking up her bag and slinging it over a shoulder.

"Ryles, wait..." I begin.

"Don't give me some sob story...and quit calling me Ryles. I'm not a child. My name is Rylie." She mumbles.

"Fine but if you're going to his house, don't smoke. That shit isn't funny. It's slowly killing you." I say.

"You're not my mom, oh my god." He groans.

"Every time you smoke, I will too." I say.

"You're fucking ridiculous." She rolls her eyes and pulls a cigarette and lighter out of her pocket.

She lights the cigarette, takes a puff then flips me off.

She walks away with Neptune on her heels but Neptune eventually settled back in with Luke.

God I fucked up.

**the next day**

Jesus.

I hold my head in agony. I was on Ashton's couch. What even happened yesterday?

I just remember getting really wasted.

**Rylie's POV**

My alarm wakes me up and I sit up, seeing that I'm in my car.

What happened yesterday?

Oh yeah...

I get some clothes out of my trunk and change into those, then head to the airport.

I stand by their gate and see them, ten girls, and Neptune approaching me.

"What happened yesterday?" Neptune asks. "Between you and Cal."

I shrug. "Nothing really."

We talk and talk and we all reminisce in old memories and new ones to come. The whole time Neptune seems a little out of it and sad.

Luke leaving is really gonna fuck her up big time.

Once their gate was being called, we sighed and started the hugs.

I hugged Ashton.

Then Calum.

Then Luke.

Then Michael.

And then I started crying. Neptune was already sobbing.

"Why are you just now crying?" She asks me, hugging Luke.

"Because I used to think Michael was so cute when we met on the boardwalk and it turns out he's gay." I joke.

Everyone laughs and then we say goodbye.

"Bye Ashton. I'll always miss how you gave me a hard time." I laugh and he chuckles, giving me a hug.

"Bye, Luke. Better treat Neptune well or I'll stab you. I'll always miss how we kinda used to hate eachother." I laugh.

He laughs too and ruffles my hair.

"Bye munchkin. Better treat my girlfriend well or I'll stab you." He sniffles.

"Bye, Michael. I'll dye your hair the next time we see eachother. I'll always remember when you used to think you were straight and in love with me and I told you that you didn't love me and I was right. Because you're gay." I laugh and he laughs too.

"Take care, Ryles." He hugs me.

"Bye, Calum. I'll miss you." Is all I say.

"Bye, Rylie. I can't stop you from dating Blake so at least make sure he doesn't treat you anything less than a princess. And don't get sucked into his bad boy ways. Stop smoking, babe. It's killing you. And promise to not change much while I'm gone. Kay?" He asks.

I nod and hug him tighter than most of the guys. I hold his hand while we walk up to the gate and then they all finally get on. Tears streamed silently down my face and I smiled. Neptune was bawling her eyes out, hugging Luke. They kissed and then they were gone.

Just like that.

Without them our lives were nothing.

We were boring average people.

We were social casualties.