Cassidy
This had been a private joke I’d started back before I knew exactly what nuts and bolts were. At the ti, he’d laughed hysterically, then explained the sexual connotation I’d inadvertently voiced, but still, the joke had stuck and it had been our thing.
"You’re coming back, right?" he pressed.
"Are you?"
"Yeah, Cass, I’m coming back."
I slipped my hands into my pockets. "Well, so am I."
He wrapped his arms around and drew close. I pulled my hands from my pockets and hugged him back. I loved him more than I would ever admit out loud, but that was a story for another day. For now, it was ti to grow up and figure out how to live my life without my crutch. It was sothing my mother had urged to do... figure out how to exist in a world without Carter Quinn, but I’d always brushed her off, thinking one day, I’d have him forever. That he’d see for sothing other than his best friend. But when he’d been recruited for the Air Force and jumped at the chance to be a hero, I realized he’d never see the way I saw him, so I knew I had to let him go.
"I’m coming to the airport," he said, his voice low with emotion.
I squeezed my eyes shut. "You better."
"I’ll email you every day that I can and you better do the sa."
I smiled and leaned back to look up at him. "Do not go get all emotional and shit on ."
"Don’t use that fuckin’ language. You’re too pretty for it."
"You’re a dork." I laughed and shoved at him. "FroYo and a movie? I’ll buy."
"You’re not payin’, Cass, but yeah, FroYo and a movie’s good."
"Do you want to climb back down the tree or use the front door like a regular person?"
We had a huge tree that happened to have a sturdy limb that was like a ladder directly to my room. Carter had snuck in on more than one occasion, mostly when I was mad at him and refused to answer his phone calls. I’d tease him because if he didn’t talk to at least once a day, he couldn’t seem to function.
"I didn’t know your parents would be gone," he countered.
I giggled. "Whatever. I personally think you prefer the tree. Of course, it’s the middle of the day, so you ringing the doorbell would have been perfectly acceptable."
He grinned. "Keep it up, buddy, and there’ll be no movie for you."
"Oooh, you scare ," I retorted as I grabbed my keys and followed him out the door.
One week later, I stood with my dad and Carter at the end of the security line, not quite ready to say my final goodbyes as I headed to my next adventure. Daddy was flying to Paris with and checking everything out before flying ho, and Carter had offered to drive us so my mom could say goodbye at ho. She was a wreck, so had readily agreed to do her sobbing in private. My sisters on the other hand had a life outside of and were happy to wave at Carter’s truck as we were driving away.
I was consud with the fact that Carter was leaving in two days for his tour with the Air Force, which ant we’d maybe have a day or two to email or Skype, but then nothing was guaranteed.
I had done a really great job of keeping my warring emotions at bay. I was excited to go to Paris. I an, it was freakin’ Paris after all, but I knew I’d miss my family. We were tight. Like Carter and his family, only we were sisters, so we fought a little dirtier, but we loved each other and our parents rocked.
But leaving Carter made sick to my stomach. I didn’t know where he was going or where he’d be stationed... neither did he. The not knowing was the worst and if anything happened to him, I’d be the eighth to know, unless one of his brothers called before my parents did. I blinked back tears at the thought, saying a silent little prayer to keep him safe.
"You okay?" Carter asked.
I forced a smile and nodded. "Yep."
"I think this is where we leave you, Carter," my father said.
Carter nodded and shook his hand. "Have a safe trip, sir."
My dad smiled and nodded, and I lost it, throwing my arms around Carter’s neck and sobbing against his chest. "Ohmigod, Carter, if you get yourself killed in so Middle Eastern country, I will hurt you."
He chuckled, hugging tight. "I’m not so easy to kill, Cass. I’m going to be fine, okay?"
I leaned back and he cupped my face, wiping my tears away with his thumbs. "Please stay safe," I whispered.
"I will. A bolt must return to his nut after all."
I rolled my eyes and nodded. "I love you."
"Love you too, Cass." He leaned down and gave a gentle kiss on the lips. Not a romantic one, just one that reminded he was my best friend and he adored .
Dad and I walked through the point of no return and as I was putting my shoes back on, Carter waved to , and I know he waited until he couldn’t see anymore before leaving. Don’t ask how I knew. I just did.
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