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It felt like everyone I knew was leaving. Melissa would be gone in a few months and soon Callie would be so busy I would hardly get to see her. Now it was Noah’s turn to go. We’d finished our final exams yesterday and classes were done for the semester.

He was excited to finally be done with Chemistry but his eyes still held a lingering sadness. I felt guilty every time I looked into them because I knew that I was the one making him feel that way and it hurt.

I’d told him that Ashton and I were officially dating now and he couldn’t stand the thought of me being with Ashton because he still didn’t like him.

Yasmine had left after the festival, complaining that she didn't want to leave Kevin, who she was sure was her future husband. Now today it was Noah’s time to leave. He was going all the way to the other side of the globe.

His parents were still bitterly opposed to him doing photography, but he stood firm and told them that he wouldn’t change his mind.

“Hey, Noe,” I smiled as he came into view.

“Queen E,” he sighed. “I’m going to miss hearing you call me that.”

“Me too.”

“I’ll text you every day.”

Ashton made a grumbling sound at that, clearly not agreeing. Noah ignored him.

For some reason he’d ask me to make Ashton come to the airport too. That request was strange, considering they didn’t like each other and wanted to fight every time they made eye contact, but I agreed because I wanted them to leave on a happy note.

“Look,” Noah said, turning to him. “I still don’t like you.”

“The feeling’s mutual.”

Okay, so maybe that wasn’t going to change anytime soon.

“Whatever. I wanted to tell you this, face to face,” Noah continued. “Make sure you keep her happy. She chose you for some reason. Don’t mess this up.”

“I don’t need you to tell me that.”

“You’d better remember that,” Noah growled. “Because when you screw up, I’ll be waiting, believe me.”

“That won’t be happening,” Ashton smirked.

Noah glared at him and then led me off further to a quiet spot because he wanted to talk to me alone.

“Elizabeth,” he breathed, taking my hand. “I’m really going to miss you.”

“Stop saying that,” I pouted. “It’s only making this harder.”

“If you ask me to stay, then I will.”

“You know I can’t do that, Noe. You have a scholarship and everything. GreenMont is waiting for you. Asking you to stay would be the most selfish thing I could do.”

He gave me a small smile. “I wish you would be a bit selfish right now.”

“Noe.”

“It’s fine,” he said, ruffling my hair. “It’s what I get for showing up six years later. You know, in the end it’s the bad guy who always get the girl.”

“I’m guessing Ashton is the bad guy?”

He nodded. “Figures. I never liked him.”

I chuckled at that. He sighed.

“Elizabeth, I will always love you, even if you just think of me as a friend. The way I feel for you won’t change.”

I stared at him uncertainly, but his eyes were full of sincerity. They were warm and comforting, just like they’d been years ago when he’d become my first friend. Those eyes, those smiling lips.

I wrapped him in a tight hug. I wanted to tell him that I loved him, but it wasn’t the kind of love he wanted.

He hugged me back, pressing me closer to him with a sigh. He rested his cheek on top of my head. We kind of just stood there like that for a few minutes. Then it was time for him to board the flight.

He released me slowly and then placed a small kiss on my forehead.

“Bye, Queen E.”

“Bye, Noe.”

And then he was gone.

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