Summers & Starbucks - Chapter 50: Chapter 50

Kaiden
The Europe trip was beautiful, to say the least. Our last destination was Italy and Nathan refused to come back. Me and him made love in every city, like the couple of horny teenagers we were.
Kane accompanied us obviously as we're still underage. He found a summer fling, a pretty brunette who kept him busy while me and Nate wandered around sightseeing and clicking pictures of every possible thing.
I was disappointed that we had to eventually return to our lives back in America but I am also buzzing with excitement.
All of my friends are starting their new lives in new places and there was no way I was missing seeing them off, Italy or not.
We're at Bella's home, as she's the first among us to leave. Stanford already has a month long summer course and she intends to attend. Ever the overachiever!
Max is way too emotional considering he's gonna be seeing her as much as he can.
"I'm gonna miss you my Bellie!" Raven sniffles, hugging her best friend tight. "We're gonna FaceTime every night okay?! I'll visit you as much as I can!"
Bella is trying hard to maintain her composure but she breaks down immediately once I join the hug. I pat her head, feeling choked up.
"I can't believe you guys are going to be so far from me! At least you can see each other often. We'll always be the Holy Trinity yeah?" I smile.
"Of course we will! You enjoy New York! Go steal something from the MET and live out all your Gossip Girl fantasies!" Bella chuckles through her tears.
"Definitely! Let's hope I don't turn into a Jenny."
"Ew no. You're too much of a Blair," she giggles.
Max hugs her last and they share a passionate kiss. As she gets into her car, waving at us, I realise just how close these people are to my heart. Bonds like these are rare. Even if we end up drifting away, they would always be a part of who I grew up to be.
Daniel is the next to go. We're at LAX, about two hours prior to boarding time. He doesn't seem too daunted by the prospect of leaving the country. His parents look proud.
Ryan and Sasha seem quite emotional. Nathan could not come, as he had some bank issues to sort with his father. The soccer team, Raven and I drove here to say goodbye to him.
He turns to me at last, having said his goodbyes to everyone else.
"Hey!" I smile, pulling him into a hug.
He sighs shakily.
"Kai - I'm going to miss you so much. And I want to say I'm sorry. I've been a dick to you this year and yet, you're here to see me off."
"Aw hey, it's alright. No hard feelings, I promise. I'm glad you are moving forward and realising that you weren't the best person. But I hope you make it better okay?"
He nods, smiling.
"Goodluck Daniel. Keep in touch!"
"I will! You keep in touch too, you brat. I know you'll forget us the minute you set foot in New York," he grumbles, punching my arm.
Ryan clicks a picture of us and I ask him to join in a selfie. Raven clicks another picture.
"You both are my besties okay?" Ryan smiles, pulling our cheeks. The picture ends up very goofy.
Sasha is crying in Raven's embrace, unable to see him go. He waves and eventually disappears inside, not even turning around.
Sometimes, it is better to not look back.
Alex and Ryan are next to leave. Ryan is hugging everybody and saying how much he is gonna miss and remember us. He has little gifts for all of us, much to our surprise.
They're custom keychains of our school logo and the initials of our group. The soccer team has separate ones, with jersey numbers for each player.
"Wow Ryan, even for you this is super sappy!" Calum chuckles but he seems elated.
We're in the front garden of Ryan's home, his and Alex's luggage packed and ready in the cars. They're going to drive down together so Alex's parents are here too, inside the house, letting us teens have our privacy.
"We should have a reunion in the coming year!" Ryan cheers. "It would be amazing to see how much we've grown and learned in college! I bet I'm gonna party my ass off."
"You haven't even left yet," Alex rolls his eyes at his dramatic antics.
"Oh shush you. College, here I fucking come! I hope the sororities have some hot chicks. What if it's like the House Bunny scene?"
"Ew Ryan, I'm surprised you even know that movie. It came out before you were even born!"
"You can blame my mum for that. Aw man, I wish we could all be together. I don't feel ready to be on my own you know?"
His face suddenly turns vulnerable and soft and I pat his back. Alex gives him a quick side hug.
"You know Ryan, it's no pressure. If anytime you feel like something isn't working for you, come tell me. Yeah?" Alex says. His words mirror everyone's emotions.
College is an investment - of time, money, effort and it is also a very big commitment. It is easy to feel stuck in a course you initially like but eventually lose interest in, or realised you are made for something better.
"It's perfectly fine if you think you wanna take a gap and find something more suited to your tastes, okay Ryan?"
Ryan nods, sighing deeply. Alex smiles encouragingly.
"You got this! We all got this! And you don't have to function according to a fixed timeline okay!" Alex says, looking at all of us.
"You have to do things that feel good for you, for your betterment. College will never be like highschool. It is a bigger field, with tougher opponents but your biggest opponent is always you. The scores and goals will always be against yourself and not any other team. So, if you injure an ankle, rest it. Don't run on empty, convincing yourself it doesn't hurt."
"Are you sure you wanna do engineering my guy cuz that shit is so deep, Socrates felt it in his grave!" Luke laughs.
Nathan whacks him upside the head for ruining the moment. He looks a tad bit surprised at the words leaving Alex's mouth. But I have always known him to be this philosophical so I know under the indifferent aura, Alex cares deeply about everything.
Eventually their parents come out of the house. I watch as they exchange their final goodbyes and the two friends get into their cars.
We wave until they turn around the corner and are out of sight.
Nathan smiles at me as we walk to his motorcycle. Now it's just us left.
D-Day!
After another week of packing, planning, weighing and re-weighing bags and suitcases, me and Nathan are ready to move out! Mum has been a crying mess all day.
Our flight is tomorrow morning.
It is the final month of summer before our fall semester starts.
I have my apprehensions and anticipation too. My bags are ready and packed. Everything is in the carry on.
Dad had to leave for his ship so neither him nor Kane are here.
"I can't believe you're going to be by yourself!" Mum sniffles for the hundredth time. "My baby Kai! You've grown so much and so beautifully. I'm so proud of you my son."
I smile up at her, her fingers running through my hair, my head in her lap.
"I remember being so terrified when you came along five years after. You were a very unexpected baby, you know?"
I chuckle.
"We were planning to move here and then found out I was expecting. By the time we wrapped up our jobs and documents, I wasn't allowed to fly anymore. So your dad took a break from the ship and came back midway. But you were a welcome change in our lives, my baby boy. Kane loved you so much."
"You were this crazy ball of energy, so curious and always getting into trouble. Even when we moved here, the young you found it easiest to make friends, until we moved again. You were pretty shy during middle school. It worried me sometimes that you were getting bullied."
"Meh, I was a new preteen, what did you expect!" I laugh.
"Your high school was so smooth. You are such a good kid Kaiden, any parent would be lucky. I'm so happy I got you in my life. You're my sunshine."
I hug my mom tightly, trying to commit her scent and her warmth to memory. I'm going to miss her so much, it's painful to think about.
The bell rings and I break the hug, wiping her tears. She sends me to open the door.
"Nathan?" I smile, rushing into his arms. I sigh against his neck, feeling safe and secure.
"Would you like to go on a picnic with me?"
"Sure? It's almost sunset, where are we going?"
"Not too far. Before we leave tomorrow, I wanna take you somewhere it all started."
"Really?"
"We'll be back by midnight. Tell your mum."
I obliged and soon, we are on his bike, riding along the highway, outside of the city limits. I hold him tight, enjoying the twists and turns of the road as it leads up the mountain.
It is almost an hour since we left home, the sun beginning to set in a plethora of vibrant colours. A familiar view comes into sight and I realise where we are.
We are going towards the summer camp!
It would probably be empty right now but the view would be beautiful, perfect to watch the summer sunset. He stops near the lake, one of my fondest memories of the camp.
"I can't fucking believe you brought me here!" I laugh, hugging him tight. "Wow Nate, this is just perfect!"
He pulls out a paper bag from his backpack. In it, there are two venti Starbucks coffees.
A wide smile rests on his face as he hands me one. We sit down beside the water, looking at the magnificent sunset shining in the water, the highway far down below, the cars looking like fireflies. I sit between his legs, head leaning against his shoulder, back against his stomach.
I'm absolutely content.
He kisses my neck, making goosebumps rise up my body.
"Remember how that girl came up and was hitting on me when we were swimming? And you pretended to drown just so she could leave me alone?" he laughs. "You did me a favour."
"Yeah well, she stole my alone time with you. I was jealous."
"Seriously? You were jealous?!"
"Of course I was. Imagine if I knew then, that one day, you'd be here with me, right before we left for college- I'd have probably drowned for real," I laugh, sipping on the coffee.
A silence settles around us, as the last rays of the sun disappear, marking the end of another gorgeous summer.
"It was a beautiful summer wasn't it?" I ask, a pang of nostalgia filling me.
Nathan shifts so I sit up, turning to face him. He places the coffee aside and cups my cheeks, lightly kissing my nose.
"You are an endless summer, my Kaiden," he whispers. "And I was a boy, unworthy of your love, seeking solace from my cold life."
The raw emotion behind his words makes me tear up instantly.
"You're my sunflower, always reminding me to look towards the sun. And I love you so much, with every bone in my body . You are the only one that I will ever want. You are my home. I look at you, and somehow I can see 50 years from now on the front porch of some old house in the middle of nowhere and we're together. You are the only thing that matters. You are my good, my summer and my warmth."
I kiss him, softly, because what does one say to a confession like that? I kiss him to let him know I'll be with him wherever he goes.
"One year," I smile against his soft lips. "It's been one year of us being friends, lovers and even enemies."
"I know! I wonder how it is real and not some big lie. That you'd want to be with me for a whole year. It sounds surreal."
"You're right. It does."
He pouts slightly.
"Because I don't wanna be with you just for a year. I want to be with you forever."
The smile that blooms on his face takes my breath away. We kiss again, the sunlight disappearing but the warmth in our bodies coming from each other.
Summer was our best season.