The bus station was eerily quiet, and the dawn sun shone through the darkness, slowly blinking out the stars as it rose.

Audrey snuggled herself further into Eli's sweater, something he'd insisted on giving her. She looked over to Eli and felt like she wanted to say a million things.

There was suddenly only minutes left, and too much left to say. She tried to believe there would be more time later. That it would be a matter of weeks at most before they were back together.

Dust billowed off of the quiet road as the large bus drew closer. Eli's heart beat a lot faster than usual as he watched it approach.

The small bus station was all but abandoned except for their presence, and Audrey drew closer to Eli, abandoning her case and latching on to his arm.

With a screech, the muddy bus came to a halt in front of them, and people started to spill off of it. Audrey clenched her eyes closed as Eli pulled her into a tight hug, wrapping his arms around her back.

Audrey barely bit back a sob, clutching his shoulders so tightly that it hurt. She wanted to beg him not to go, to shout in protest, to drag him to the airport with her.

But, Eli wasn't a bird.

Eli closed his eyes and squeezed her tighter, he didn't want to forget a single thing about her, he didn't want any memory of her to fade.

The bus driver honked the horn and the pair reluctantly pulled apart. Audrey didn't bother with the tears on her face, knowing they'd just keep coming.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take you to the airport?" He asked softly.

"I can make it to the airport," Audrey almost laughed at his consideration, "This is the only bus leaving today."

Eli stared at the girl in front of him. Her fragility, her strength. Her unfaltering eye contact. Those dazzling eyes and beautiful curls. That perfectly smooth, tan skin.

Audrey squeezed his rough hand and stared right back at him. The early morning light bounced off of his hair, golden and bright. His dark, expressive eyes burned right into her as his freckles danced constellations around his face.

****

Eli craned his neck to see if Audrey was asleep. Her head rested on his shoulder as they lay on the blanket. While he read she had been tracing lazy circles around his chest, but now her hand was limp and her shallow breaths blew hot air onto his neck.

He decided to drop his book and close his eyes, soaking up the warmth of both the sun and her body pressed against his, smiling to himself at the way her leg had linked into his own.

"Eli." Audrey broke the comfortable silence. "You're a good reader."

"Thanks." Eli laughed in that short way he always did.

"Do you ever write?"

"Not really."

"Not really?"

"I mean, I've thought about it."

Audrey started to draw circles again, "What would you write about?" She asked.

Eli smiled and sighed lightly. "I don't know." He lied.

****

Audrey kissed Eli desperately, as if the right kiss might stop time. She could feel his tight grip on her waist, these small, silent yet meaningful communications that he didn't want to let go. He simply had to.

The bus driver honked twice and Audrey thought she might just march right up those steps and give him a piece of her mind.

Eli's hand paused her flash of anger as he brushed it through her curls gently. He pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead, taking in her lavender scent one last time, and then pulled away.

He backed up slowly, and then all at once let go of her hand and turned around, unable to look into her heartbroken eyes any longer. All he wanted was to look back on their time together and smile. He didn't want to cry, not now.

Audrey's hand drifted in the open air for a few moments as she watched him climb aboard the bus, her hand feeling tingly without his; empty and misguided.

She pulled her hand back to herself and cuddled in closer to his sweater, hoping his nutmeg scent would stay forever. Eli rushed to take his seat at the back, making sure he could still see Audrey out the window.

Quickly, he pulled out his worn leather journal, determined to write her every detail down ten times over before the bus pulled away.

He froze on the page. Underneath his last entry, there was new, messy, cursive handwriting.

I'm in love with you too, Eli. I think I always will be.

Audrey

Eli blinked down at the message a few times, tears like raindrops splashing down on the yellowing pages. Despite these silly, unstoppable tears, Eli smiled.

A small smile at first, and then his mouth pulled up until he was fully grinning, a small laugh even escaping his lips as his head snapped up and he looked out the window.

The way she looked at him then, hopeful and proud and honest, the hood of his sweater pulled up over her head; Eli knew he'd never forget her. Not in a million years, not across a thousand galaxies.

He smiled at her, even through his tear streamed face and blurry vision. And somehow, through her gripping heartache and waterfall of tears, she smiled back.

The bus doors creaked closed and it lurched to a start. Audrey started to wave frantically as it pulled away, brightest smile and all, and Eli turned to watch as she got smaller and smaller.

He waved as well, wildly as he possibly could, illiciting strange stares from the passengers around him. A smile somehow plastered on his face as he did so.

They pair of them stayed focused on each other far into the distance, Audrey waving, and Eli eventually pressing his palm against the cool back window, reaching out for the impossible.

The sun and the stars were separated once again as a new day brought its radiant light over the horizon.

((A/N: This is the end ! :( Thank you all for the reads and votes and comments!! I was thinking of an epilogue, maybe? Let me know what you guys think. Much love, Tia..))