Before she knew it, the week had already passed. Mel and Jo had spent the whole week doing fun things with Kathy. They went to the movies, restaurants, biking and the beach. Jo had insisted on making, what he called a "Fun day activity raffle". This boy was probably the weirdest Mel had ever met.

A "Fun day activity raffle" was basically just writing down the different ideas they wanted to do together, putting them in a bucket and pulling a different one out each day. There were simpler ways to do this but, why not?

Mel walked up to her friend's house. She had been there a million times, but this day it felt different. "Hi hi", waved Kathy as soon as she opened the front door.

"Hello", Mel replied, walking into the house.

"What do you think?", asked Kathy.

Mel gave her surroundings a look. The house was empty. There was nothing left. "It feels bigger".

"I know right."

Mel held back her tears. How could Kathy be so happy right now?

"Hi Mel", smiled Jo. He was coming down the stairs that lead up to the master bedroom, a bathroom and Kathy's room.

"What were you doing up there you pervert?", joked Mel.

"I was helping Mrs. Willows zip one of the suitcases."

"That is the stupidest excuse I have ever heard", smirked Mel.

"It's true", Mrs. Willows was walking down the stairs, suitcase in hand. It was pretty obvious she was struggling with carrying it, but they just watches as she walked down the last step. "I had stuffed it with so much clothing, it just wouldn't close. So I asked Jo here to help me."

The three kids just laughed. Nothing actually funny had happened, but they just laughed and laughed. They laughed for maybe five more minutes. Then Mrs. Willows decided to ruin the mood. "Kathy, I'm gonna go help your father pack this final suitcase, it's time to say goodbye."

She walked out the house and only the three friends were left. They stared at each other in silence. Jo broke first, he began to get teary. Tears rained down his cheeks and then grabbed Kathy. He wrapped his arms around her, tightly. "We're gonna miss you so damn much."

Then Kathy broke, "I'm gonna miss you guys too. I'm gonna think of you every single day." She squeezed Jo even harder.

Finally, Mel broke. She ran to her friends and joined the hug. And they stayed there for what Mel wanted to be an eternity. Mrs. Willows walked in and told Kathy it was time to leave. They left the house and watched Kathy enter the backseat of the white minivan.

They heard the engines start, then saw Kathy lower the window and wave at them. "Bye!". "Don't forget me!". "I love you guys!". This was it. The car was out of sight and it was just Mel and Jo standing in front of the now abandoned house. Life was going to be different now. It was gonna be strange. But they would get through it, all three of them. No matter what they would always have those memories of each other to help them get through any tough time. All the tears and laughs, they would never fade, those moments would alwaysbe with them. They weren't letting go of each other, they were only amplifying the distance. In one way or another, they would always be with each other.



That's the end.
© Azul Morales