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AS EVERYONE PILED OUT OF THE SCHOOL, assignments were thrown in halls, yearbooks were being signed and tears were being exchanged.

next year would be the first year audrey would have without anyone from middle school.

marina and lilith would be moving, marina to virginia and lilith to chicago with her mom.

"don't worry, we'll call all the time." marina sniffled as lilith cried into audrey's shoulder. "yeah, all the time." the girl huffed.

"and sometimes you can come and have free popcorn, me and armaan might work and the movie theaters next summer." audrey smiled at the two.

"y-you know it," marina sighed, trying not to cry any longer. "i'm gonna miss you, rina." audrey mumbled into the girl's shoulder, holding her close. "me too, babes." she whispered. "mwah." she smiled, kissing the girl's cheek.

"we gotta go, we leave tonight." lilith said, as she pulled away from the group hug. "nonono, stay, don't ever leave." audrey whispered, hugging the girl close. "i wish we could've gotten closer," lilith sniffled, "me too, lily." she said, hugging the girl tight.

"i love you guys to the moon and back," audrey laughed, tears streaming down her face, "we love you too odds." marina chuckled.

"don't change a thing. about yourself." the girl choked, "nothing, don't change for anyone. got it?" she nodded to audrey, who smiled and nodded back.

miles rolled his eyes as he watched from afar, everyone excitedly poured out of the school. he saw marina and lilith both got into the same van. his attention immediately went to audrey, if they left together, where was she?

miles scoured the entire parking lot for the girl, before seeing her sitting on the steps of the school. "what the f–" miles said, getting cut off by his realization as he got closer to the girl.

"hey, hey, audrey?" he mumbled, sitting down beside the distraught girl. "i'll never be able to sit in the same classroom as marina again." she whispered, as miles smiled softly. "may i?" he asked, holding his arms out.

"you're not supposed to ask, you stupid, idiot." she sniffled, wiping the tears off her face with the back of her hand. if it had been anyone else, miles would've lost it right then.

but this was audrey..

and besides, he knew she didn't mean it.

"you'll still be able to see her, doll." he chuckled, "no, she's moving across the country miles." she cried, as he hugged her close. "well it's not like she'll be gone forever." he mumbled, as she cried into his embrace.

"she was the first new friend i made at the middle school." she whispered, as he nodded, caressing her hair. "i know, you told me that already." he chuckled, "it's alright, hey, guess what?" miles smiled down at her, as she pulled away.

"i get my drivers license this summer, and when i do.." he trailed off, "we're going to go to the airport whenever you want, to go pick her up and see her." he offered, as she smiled, "really?"

the boy nodded, satisfied with the faint smile on his favorite person's face. "what if my parents don't let me?" she mumbled, "then they're stupid, absolute, morons."

"h-how?" she asked, nervous about her parents being talked about that way, "you lost someone you've connected with on a deep level for four years, and they're not going to let you see them?"

"i doubt they'd take you first thing they get there." he rolled his eyes with a smirk, "i know i would."

"why?" she asked, as her crying subsided, "because it would make you happy, and you're a sweet girl." he winked, "i'm sure the world would be much better if you weren't cranky." he smiled, lifting her chin up, as he wiped her face with his thumb.

"now cheer up, we're going to my place for dinner." he said, getting up as he offered her a hand, "i have to ask my pa–"

"marina already did. on my behalf, i talked to them." he said, as her jaw hung low, "are you crazy?" she mumbled, "you're going to brainwash everyone into thinking you're my boyfriend."

"you make that sound like it's a bad thing," he revolted, making the girl cross her arms. "it might be, my dad won't stop teasing me about something that isn't real."

"then let's just make it re–"

audrey covered her ears at the loud honk that filled the parking lot, "this woman is going to put me in jail one day." he muttered, clenching his jaw as kate's yellow car pulled up to the pick up zone in front of them.

"i was parked over there for the past thirty minutes," kate sighed, "yeah, yeah." miles mumbled, opening the back door for audrey.

"so, you guys excited for summer?" kate asked, as the two of them sat in the back together, playing a stupid game on audrey's phone.

audrey nudged miles, "wh–yeah, we are." miles mumbled, as she hit his arm. "ow!" he hissed, "thanks for the ride kate," the girl smiled.

"oh, psh, yeah no big deal." she said as they pulled into the large lot. miles immediately looked over to audrey.

"why'd you hit me?" he asked, trying to seem pissed but he cracked a smile anyway, "i hit you first 'cause you ignored kate." she reasoned, "why the second time?" miles asked.

"just cause it seemed like fun." she laughed, as she turned back to the window, admiring the estate's drive up to the gates.

he loved seeing her reaction to the residence. every time they pulled into the estates's large park way, she looked around in such awe. it made him want to marry her just so she could admire the place every day of her life.

"audrey!" flora squealed, as she ran up to the girl, hugging her. "hey munchkin," the older girl laughed, "look what i made you in class today," she smiled, taking a small origami swan.

"it's pink.." flora smiled in awe, holding the delicate flower in her hand. "yeah, your favorite color, right?" audrey grinned at the girl's reaction.

"thank you," she hugged the girl once again, wrapping her arms around her hips. "are you here to play today?" flora excitedly asked, running around her to hug miles.

"well, today i'm here for anything," the older girl replied, "i can hangout with everyone, cause school's over for us!" she smiled, tickling the younger girl.

flora burst into a fit of giggles, hugging onto miles tighter to avoid feeling the feeling of audrey's tickles.

as everyone laughed and talked about school, miles couldn't help but watch audrey and flora get along.

"hey i'm gonna take flora to her room for a second, she needs my help with something," audrey said, getting up as flora took her hand.

"oh what do you need help with, flora?" kate asked, not wanting the younger girl to bother audrey if it was something she could do.

"audrey wanted to show me something," flora said, as miles tilted her head in confusion, "can i come?" he asked, "no!" the two girls yelled in sync.

"o-okay geez." he rolled his eyes as he looked back over to the coffee table filled with snacks.

"be back soon!" audrey said, as the two girls ran away.

a few moments of awkward silence passed before miles got up and left. he was itching to see what flora and audrey were doing, what was so secretive that even his little sister wouldn't tell him.

and she told him everything.

miles paused at his sister's door, hesitating to open the door. the boy sighed before walking into his room, bored as ever.

he waited for what felt like hours, but had only been twenty minutes, strumming his guitar, laying on his bed, thinking of how he would write letters to audrey.

or should he just come clean?

"miles, miles!" flora screamed. miles immediately got up, running into the hall, "look!" she screamed, as she held up her hands, "flora you scared me!" he yelled, making the girl drop her hands in sadness.

"sorry," she mumbled, as audrey walked out, "did it work?" she laughed as she zipped up a small bag. "what, you told her to scream? i thought she needed help or something." he muttered, as he hugged his sister.

"be careful!" audrey quickly said, "you'll ruin them.." she mumbled as flora pulled away from the hug, showing miles her fingers.

"she painted them pink and sparkly!" flora giggled, "they're so pretty, right?" the little girl beamed, as miles smiled, "they are." he nodded.

"thank you, audrey you're the best!" she squealed, hugging the girl excitedly, "anytime, kiddo." she smiled, tossing the zipped bag on the little girl's bed.

"i brought some of my old nail polishes for her," she told miles, "there's a bottle of black polish too, if you're into that." she winked. miles knit his brows together, giving her a faint smile.

"time for dinner!" kate called from the living room. "c'mon slow pokes!" flora teased as she ran ahead of them.

soon enough, everyone had finished eating, and it became time for audrey to leave.

"do you have to go?" flora frowned, as audrey pulled on her jacket, "yes, but i'll come back over summer, 'kay? i promise, you won't be bored." the older girl smiled, hugging the younger girl.

"thank you for the nails," kate smiled, "i always wanted to paint them for her, but i didn't bring any from my own home with me."

audrey smiled at the comment, "if she ever wants to paint them again, i left a little case with a bunch of different colors for her to use." audrey smiled, as kate hugged her from the side.

"bye audrey!" flora waved from the front door, as she and kate stood watching miles and audrey get into the limo.

it was a hot summer night, and they streets were still busy. it wasn't too late, only seven pm.

"did you have fun?" miles asked, as he watched audrey play around with her fingers, her phone had died on the way there.

"yeah," she smiled to herself, remembering how all three of them hung out. flora's painted nails, playing tag in the garden, watching movies in miles' room.

"feel better about them leaving?" miles softly asked, not trying to awaken any forgotten emotions. "yeah, i'll still have you." she smiled up at him, making his heart throb.

she'd still have him.

"yeah, you will." he said, biting down on his lip to hide his boyish grin. "awh, are you all happy that you're all i've got now?" she chuckled, watching him shake his head, his curls pouncing every-which way.

"yeah, sure." she rolled her eyes, leaning closer to kiss his shoulder, before leaning on it.

miles' stomach tightened at the small action, he looked up at the roof of the car, trying not to seem all worked up over her behavior.

"thanks, for everything, mi." she whispered, as she held onto his arm, snuggling against his shoulder. "anytime, princess." he whispered, realizing she was probably falling asleep.

from here on out,

it was miles and audrey.

audrey, and miles.

the boy smiled, as he too, closed his eyes.

it was just them, together, he thought. he finally had audrey all to himself.

and hopefully, that's how it would stay.

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y'all this is the end of act i / part one :)

hope you enjoyed part one

MWAH TY GUYS SM FOR 600 READS SO FAR <33

BUH BYEE