...the goodbye...

The doorbell rings. Brad Dinsmore opens the door with a large smile on his face:
-Hi, my dear! How are you this morning? – he says while he kisses Sara’s lips gently.
-Great honey, and you seem to be too. What’s all this happiness about? – Sara says as she walks inside the Dinsmore’s house.
-Well, I start at the NCU tomorrow. I’m already packing... Me, packing! Can you believe it?
-Yeah, that’s pretty hard to believe... – she answers, seeming slightly sad.
The summer they’ve had was so perfect she didn’t even notice that as it was ending, Brad was going to live in Wilmington. She wondered how stupid she was not to realize that Brad was already 19 and was leaving – for college. And all the excitement she had instantly disappeared, and all she could think of was how much she was gonna miss him.
-Hi Sara, how are you? – says Allison, Brad’s mother, while they walk into the kitchen.
-Fine, Mrs. Dinsmore. And you?
-I’m fine too. Would you like some muffins?
-No, thanks, I’ve already had breakfast.
-Sara! Ready to go to hell? – says Melanie, Brad’s sister, who suddenly comes down the stairs fixing her pony-tail.
-Sara! Watch the language! – Ally says, reprehensive.
-More than ever... – Sara replies, laughing.
Brad approaches her and whispers in her ear:
-What do you say about ditching hell today and staying here with me to enjoy my last day in Snow Hill? – and starts to kiss her neck.
-Hmmm... That’s very tempting... – she replies as she turns around to kiss him.
Melanie flicks his forehead and says:
-Don’t even think about it...
-Well, at least I’ve tried... – says Brad laughing. – See ya later, Sara... – he kisses her.
-See ya, my dear... Bye... Bye Mrs. Dinsmore!
-Bye mom!
-Bye you girls! – Ally replies.
Sara and Melanie’s friendship started when Sara’s family moved to the house next door to the Dinsmore’s two years ago. The girls instantly became friends, and a few months later Brad and Sara fell in love. They leave the Dinsmore’s house to go to Greene Central High, which they refer to as "hell". It is the typical High School, full of cheerleaders, jocks, geeks, freaks, nerds, artists...
It was hard for them to believe that it was already September and the summer was over.
Melanie sees Jeremy leaving his house and says:
-Do you mind if I go with Jeremy?
-Of course not...
Melanie runs towards Jeremy and kisses him. They were together since Christmas, and she was deeply in love with him. He was one of her best friends, understood her and respected her more than anything. He spent the summer in New York with his cousins, and returned to Snow Hill the night before. 
As the cheerleaders walk into the Greene Central’s hallway and 70% of the students stop what ever they were doing to watch them walk by. Stella Crawford, Mia Warner, Lindsay Appleton, Amber Carmichael, Hailey Thompson and Michelle Corbett, all great looking girls, wanted by most boys and envied by most girls.
-Look, who’s that? Is he new meat? – says Amber.
-It’s the kid who spent last year in Amsterdam with his sister - answers Mia.
-Travis Dempsey. He was gorgeous before he got messed up like this. – adds Lindsay.
Amber says:
-But he’s not a lost cause. If you take off those old jeans, he’ll...
-...be on his underwear! – says Stella, laughing maliciously. – Isn’t that the way you prefer, Amber?
Before Amber could say anything, Stella is already kissing Ben Maguire, her boyfriend since 9th grade.
-Hey babe... I missed you...
-Me too... Girls, will you excuse me for a moment? I have to do something urgent...
They all look at her very confused.
-Make out with my boyfriend! – Stella says as she and Ben leave the hallway and go inside the AV room.
Sara goes to her History class. As she takes her seat, a girl, with long blond hair and big green eyes, wearing old jeans, Converse sneakers and a cotton t-shirt, drops all her books on the floor right in front of her. Sara helps her to pick them up and asks:
-Are you from Snow Hill?
-Yes... – she answers, very shy.
-I’ve never seen you round here. What’s your name?
-Madeline White.
-Sara Hoffman, nice to meet you. Look, there you go, they’re all here.
-Thanks... – Madeline says, as she searches for a seat.
-This one isn’t taken. – says, pointing to the chair next to her.
-Oh, I haven’t noticed. Thank you. Again.
-Anytime.
Charlotte Bradshaw enters the classroom, late as always. She waves to Sara and sits next to Theo Warner, Mia’s twin brother. The teacher, an attractive man in his thirties, enters the classroom and closes the door as the bell rings. -Good morning class, I’m Christian Kane, and I’ll be teaching History this year. I plan to make you learn that History isn’t just dates or facts. Actually it’s a group of questions: When? Why? Which? What? Who? In fact, it’s about knowing what caused the historical fact, who done it, what consequences it brought, its relation to other events.
He sits on the his desk and shakes his black short hair, to make it look even messier.
-Now, who is able to tell me who wrote the first American Constitution?
-That’s so easy. Thomas Jefferson. – said Amber, which wasn’t a bright student at all.
-That’s right, Miss...
-Amber Carmichael.
-Yes, Miss Carmichael, that’s right. But can you tell me a contradiction that was set based on the Constitution values?
She stood in silence looking at him, who seemed very disppointed.
-I can... – said Charlotte.
-Yes, Miss...
-Charlotte Bradshaw.
-Go on.
-Well, it says that we’re all equals, no matter what, and we’re all free, under all circumstances. But actually after the Independence, black people were still slaves, and that wouldn’t change because it would make the Southern farmers lose money.
-That’s correct, Miss Bradshaw. Sometimes, we tend to believe that everything is perfect in the US, "the home of the brave", and let precious historical information go by. My advice to you is: don’t. Pay attention to every single detail, ask as many questions as you can, try to understand the whole historical context. Go further!
He starts talking about what made him choose History for his career, what he’s supposed to teach them, when after 15 minutes a really pale girl with long black hair and black eyeliner on her blue eyes raises her hand:
-Mr. Kane, may I please go to the loo?
The whole class starts laughing.
-Loo? Are you British?
-Yes sir, I am.
-Yes, you may go to the bathroom.
As she leaves the classroom, Stella and Amber talk:
-Oh my God, where does she think she is? A Sex Pistols concert?
-Yeah Amber, totally... that striped shirt underneath the Radiohead t-shirt... she looks like Beetlejuice. Poor girl, no sense of fashion... Can I borrow your lipstick? It looks so good on you...
-Yeah, sure... Here you are.
Sophie Davenport had moved from Chelsea, UK to Snow Hill, NC a week before. She hadn’t have made any friends yet, but she didn’t care. One of the things she knew best was how to handle life on her own. She entered the bathroom and lit a cigarrette. She sat on the floor and thought about her dear England which she had left.
At lunch time, Sara takes Madeline to introduce her to her friends.
-Hey Sar!Over here! – Says Melanie, waving. Sara and Madeline go towards the table which they’re sitting in.
-Madeline, these are Melanie, Jeremy, Mike, Casey, Charlotte, and Ethan. Everyone, this is Madeline.
-Hi... –she says, blushing.
-Hi... You don’t have to be so shy, we’re not going to bite you! – Says Charlotte.
-Nevermind Charlie, she thinks she’s so witty... – says Ethan, looking cinically at Charlotte, who sends him a kiss. Ethan blushes and everybody laughes.
-C’mon, join us! – adds Sara.
Madeline sits with them, completely embarassed. She didn’t have friends at all in Snow Hill, other than her grandmother and her uncle. Still very shy, the group of friends talked about their summer, and all she did was listen, wondering how could she get out of there. Not that they weren’t nice, actually no one in school has ever been as nice as Sara, but she just wasn’t feeling comfortable yet.
The last class of the day ends and Stella and her girlfriends start to organize a party in Amber’s house to happen on the next Saturday. Amber’s father was the owner of Carmichael Motors, the biggest car dealership in the state, and because of that Caleb and her mother, Angela, spend most of the days in Raleigh, so Amber, who’s very wealthy, spends most of her days home alone throwing massive parties and spending lots of money.
Charlotte, Mike, Jeremy, Melanie and Sara leave the Greene Central High together, when Charlotte notices that the old building next to the Crawford’s house is now a music store called StereoManiacs. They decide to go check it out when Sara suddenly notices Madeline on her own, carrying 7 books.
While they go inside the store, Sara runs towards her and says:
-Hey, let me help you.
-Oh, that’s not necessary.
-Come on, it’s no big deal. Give me at least three.
-Ok. –Madeline hands her 3 books. – So, may I ask why are you so nice to me? No one’s ever been.
-I kinda like you. You seem to be a very sweet girl.
-Well... thank you... you do too.
-Thanks... I gotta go now, my boyfriend’s waiting. See ya tomorrow!
Sara waves to Madeline, who smiles back at her, and runs to get home very fast.
Sara gets home and checks if Jake, her brother, is out. Then she sends a message to Brad, who shows up at her house immediately. She goes downstairs, opens the door and he comes in. As she shuts the door, he starts kissing her but she stops him.

-Wait wait wait... I’ve got a surprise for you. Follow me.
She leads him into her room, asks him to sit down on her bed and starts talking, standing in front of him:
-Look Brad, I just don’t know if you have any idea of how much I’m gonna miss you, because just thinking about you leaving me just hurts so bad. You were the first boy I’ve ever loved, you were my first boyfriend and you are so special to me in so many ways that I...
-Please, Sar, don’t say you’re breaking up with me because of the distance, Wilmington is not so far, you can... I can... we can go through this. Don’t ever doubt that I love you, because I do, and...
-No silly, I’m not breaking up with you, and I was already aware of all these things you just said. But as I was saying, you were my first love and my first boyfriend and... right now I want you to be the first... in everyway.
-Are... you sure you want to do this? Cause I love you and I don’t want to do anything to rush you.
-Yes, more than anything. I love you.
He kisses her gently whith his hands on her waist. He lies her in bed and she kisses him, feeling something she had never felt before. She was certain that he was the one, and to do it with him made this more perfect than she could ever imagine it would be. He takes his shirt off and takes her off then. They kiss and hold each other really strong. They both knew it was time. He had waited so long for it that he couldn’t believe that it was better than he expected, and better than all times he did it. It was a sublime sensation for both and, when they finished, he held her very strong in his arms and tears fell from her eyes.
-What is it Sara? Is something wrong?
-I... I can’t believe I’m losing you... I wish you didn’t have to go...
-You’re not losing me... You’ll never lose me... I’ve been yours for more than a year, and that’s not gonna change now. I have to go now, hon... I’m moving tonight, remember? The bus leaves at 7:00.
-Go, but promise you’ll come back here again...
-Of course I will. – he kisses her forehead.
Brad goes down the stairs and leaves the Hoffman’s house, while Sara, crying, takes his jersey off, changes her outfit say goodbye, washes her face and goes downstairs. She stands in front of her house’s front door, creating courage to open the door and say goodbye to Brad. For the last time.
In the Dinsmore’s garden, Brad, his parents, Ally and Gregory, Melanie and their 3-year-old sister Aimee were all hugging and crying.
-Son, I just wish you know your mother and I are here for you, for eyerything - said Greg.
-Yeah, dad, I know that... - he says as he holds his parents. – Mel, come here...
-Gosh, you know I hate being called Mel – she says as she cries.
-Yeah... I know... I’ll miss teasing you...
-Oh Brad, you’re so annoying you’ve managed to make me miss you too! - Melanie says, as she cries and laughs at the same time.
-Aimee! – he picks her up and holds her high, and she laughes – I’ll miss you so, my little doll!
-Me too Lee!
They all laugh of the nickname. Once, when Aimee was one-and-a-half years old, Ally was mad at Brad and yelled "Bradley!", and Aimee kept repeating "Lee". Until that day, Aimee only called him that.
Brad’s bus was coming down the street, and he looked to Sara’s front door hundreds of times, because he needed to say goodbye to her again. When the bus stoppes in front of his house, Sara comes out crying, runs towards him and holds him real close.
-Don’t cry my dear. You know I love you.
-I do, but... Oh God, the bus driver’s shouting at you. Go honey, and be safe.
-I’ll call you when I get there.
Brad gets on the bus and they all wave at him. The Dinsmore’s, except Melanie, go inside their house. Sara and Melanie hug.
-My dears, are you coming in? - asks Greg, holding the door .
-Come Sara, stay with us for a while... – says Melanie, looking at Sara’s eyes, full of tears.
-No, go home, I’ll be fine... – Sara kisses her cheek.
Sara goes in her empty house and runs upstairs. She closes her bedroom door and lies on her bed, holding Brad’s jersey. Then she opens her window curtains, and looks through it, seeing Brad’s bedroom. He put a big yellow poster there, with only one sentence, written with red paint, in it: "I’m yours."