Adelaide's Point of View

The wand gripped onto my eyelashes as I coated each fiber of hair with another coat of waterproof mascara. Normally I wouldn't even bother putting on any make-up whatsoever to ride an airplane, but I knew he was going to come today and I wanted to look cute before he had to see me leave.

Okay, I didn't know for sure, but Calum has yet to contact me with a solution and today was his last chance to beg me to get back together. I knew Calum, and I knew he would want to make some grand gesture. We could totally have one of those cliché aiport scenes where he would chase me down and cup his hands around my cheeks and kiss my lips with every ounce of passion inside of him. It was obvious, and slightly predictable, that this would occur and I was eagerly anticipating the chick-flick moment.

Michael and Lucy threw me a going-away party last night, except Mikey refused to call it a going-away party because he wanted to pretend I wasn't actually going away. So instead, the three of us celebrated my twentieth birthday that will be in October. This included ice cream cake and party hats (which Michael decided to put around his mouth as a beak and then around his hips as a penis) and we all agreed that there would be no crying about my departure, only happy times.

I heard the tires of Michael's car swerve into my driveway and I let out a sigh. The nerves were bubbling inside of my chest as the realization that I would probably never be in this house again filtered through my brain. I let my palm trace over my bedroom walls as I shut the light off, smiling sheepishly as I glimpsed at it again. Although I was basically leaving behind all of the memories between these constricting walls, I was very aware of the fact that I would never be able to forget them.

"Hey, are you ready to go?" Michael called from the bottom of the stairs. It was in a gentle tone that I wasn't used to. His voice wasn't laced with even a pinch of humor. It was completely hollow.

I let my brown irises scan across every inch of my home. I kept getting flashbacks of Calum in every room I peered inside of. The living room was where we spent most of our time, especially when we had first met and Calum proceeded in tickling me, then there was the infamous marinara sauce fight in my kitchen, and then I kept having a reoccurring image of him grinning up at me as he munched on the crappy cereal I made him at the dining room table.

My nostrils inhaled the fresh aroma of beach and coffee that would consume my nasal passageways for the last time. I was going to miss every tiny thing about Australia, not just the people. "Yeah. I'm ready," I told my best friend, grasping onto my giant suitcase handle.

"No, Addy, I got it," Michael insisted, swatting my hand away so he could carry my luggage to his car for me.

Lucy was sitting in the passenger seat and she motioned towards Calum's house. His car wasn't there. Jesus, I was getting my hopes up even more now. My toes curled against my leather sandals in an eagerness to get to the airport and see the boy I'm absolutely in love with assure me that we were going to be okay.

I twisted the key into the lock for the final time, then pressed a kiss onto the key to cherish this moment even more. "I love you, Australia," I whispered to the air around us, which seemed incredibly weird, but I couldn't be more blessed for the opportunity to embark on such an incredible adventure in such a few short months.

My butt slid against the backseat as I entered the vehicle. I pressed my hands and face against the window like a child inspecting a toy in the display case as Michael drove away. I was really going to miss living here.

A sad tune pierced our eardrums as the radio turned on. The three of us didn't even utter a word. We just listened to the melancholy melody and tried to keep our bodies still as the twisted road called for many potholes and bumps.

The airport came into vision and I could feel my heart pounding against my chest a mile a minute. Michael parked the car and retrieved my bags and I linked my arm with Lucy's as we approached the small international destination station. Usually you aren't allowed to go past security without a ticket, but Lucy's brother works here and she somehow managed for the three of us to be able to wait together at my gate.

My head continuously swiveled around as I tried to spot anyone who resembled Calum, but I hadn't seen any cute boys with a beanie covering their fluffy hair. Lucy placed her hand on my bicep and lightly pushed me forward to get rid of the gap that had formed in the line while I wasn't paying attention. I placed my shoes and carry-on backpack in a tray and watched it zip underneath a surveillance type product as I walked through a metal-detector archway. This was all becoming real.

After the three of us had finished with the checks, I folded my boarding pass and ticket into my pocket and purchased a water bottle. I attempted to stand on my tip-toes and try to see if anyone new had shown up at the airport entrance, but it was still empty.

I plopped down in a royal blue chair in between Michael and Lucy. We were all silently nibbling on the free peanuts we were given and I curled my legs together. My eyes subconsciously kept checking the time on my phone. It was nearly fifteen minutes until I had to board and I had zero messages from a certain someone.

"So this is it," I spoke quietly, shifting my gaze between the two of them. They were a beautiful couple, one that I will always be credited for matchmaking, and it still astonished me how despite all of the drama surrounding us, we altered from coworkers to best friends.

"No, it's not the end. Don't think of it that way. We're going to stay in touch no matter where you are in the world. Mikey and I will visit you or you will visit us and we can do weekly Skype dates. This is only the beginning," Lucy promised me, slapping the top of my thigh in a friendly manner.

I let my lips curl into a wide grin. "You're right," I agreed happily. None of this had to end because of my temporarily living situation. They were far from temporary in my life. "I'll miss seeing you guys all the time though."

Michael swung his arm around my shoulder, pressing a kiss onto the side of my temple. "We're going to miss you more, Addy. Who am I suppose to tease about how terrible their bouquets are now?"

I giggled. "Well Lucy's aren't perfect."

"Hey!" Lucy whined defensively, crossing her arms across her chest and making her vibrant red hair stick to her forearms. "They may not be perfect but they are better than yours."

"I can't argue with that," I stated, sharing a laugh with the others. It distracted me for a bit but then I was right back to searching for Calum. I would have to get onto the plane soon and there was still no indication of his presence.

"Hi we're going to start boarding the first class riders of today's flight to New York. Everyone else just please sit tight. We will be finding your seats shortly," A peppy female voice said into the loudspeaker and I involuntarily let out a gasp.

"I'm leaving guys. This is actually happening," I murmured, pinching my skin fiercely to try and wake myself up from this horrid nightmare I was currently forced into. "What if he doesn't show up?" I choked out.

"Michael texted him yesterday and he said he was planning on coming. Maybe he's just caught in traffic or my brother is giving him a hard time of coming back here. Cal still has a few minutes. Relax, okay? He'll be here soon," Lucy promised me, her eyes pleading with mine to make me believe her. I nodded my head as I bit my down on my lip in anticipation.

"I love you both so much. I'll call you guys when I get settled, okay? Thank you for everything you've ever done for me. I honestly appreciate it and I am so thankful to have you in my life," I confessed, talking in that sappy voice that I usually hated.

Although I wanted to make eye contact to stress the sincerity of my proclamation, I couldn't peel my gaze away from the hallway that led to the waiting area in front of this gate. I was sick of daydreaming about him sprinting towards me, barely unable to breathe, as he shouted my name. I wanted it to just actually happen already.

"Okay," That same perky and much too cheerful flight attendant spoke into the speaker. "It's time for all of you folks to board Plane 1B to New York City. If you need any help finding your seat please feel free to contact me for assistance."

I sprung up from my seat and collapsed into Michael and Lucy's arms, desperately trying not to cry in public. But I was officially about to leave Australia, the place where I had found true love and friendship and discovered a mystery and discovered myself.

"I love you, Addy," One of them mumbled against my neck. The words were too quiet and muffled for me to make out who had spoke it, but I knew it was true for both of them. They had always showered me with love. Even when they barely knew me they tried to protect me, ironically it was from Calum, and I knew a friendship like this would be hard to find again.

I hugged on even tighter to them as I replayed all of our inside jokes and laughter and even the incident with Eric. They had endured all of this with me. I had made an impact on their lives also.

I was stalling. I didn't want to get on the plane. Not until my baby ran up here and kissed me again.

"I'm not going to say goodbye, okay? Goodbyes hurt. So I'm going to leave it as see you soon," I told them as we untangled ourselves from the group embrace.

Lucy smiled, intertwining her fingers with Michael's as she leaned onto his body for support. Tears were swelling up in her eyes but I shook my head. I didn't want to see either of them cry over me.

"This is the final call for Plane 1B to New York City," The flight attendant declared.

I whipped my head towards the entrance as my stomach tied in heavy knots. He wasn't here. Either he didn't make it in time or he realized that I wasn't worth the stress of a long-distance relationship. "Oh my God," I mumbled, taking out my boarding pass from my pocket.

Michael hugged me quickly again, his hands rubbing circles onto the back of my shirt. "I'm really sorry, Addy. I truly thought he was going to be here."

Me too.

"It's okay. It's not like he ripped my heart out or anything," I said sarcastically, taking a deep breath as I waved to them. "I'll see you soon."

"We love you! Have a safe flight!" Lucy screamed as I approached the tunnel that connected to the plane.

I glanced over my shoulder one last time, but my favorite person on the entire planet still was nowhere in sight. At this point I didn't care if he didn't come here to make me his girlfriend, I just expected him to have the decency to say goodbye. I haven't spoken to him since the day he told me he was still in love and needed to think things over. I thought it was going to be an obvious answer, that the two of us deserved to be together. But maybe he didn't know that. Or maybe I was never as important to him as I thought. Maybe I was just his way of getting over Ellie, and nothing more.

I shuffled into my seat and I couldn't hold in my tears. They were literally a waterfall. It was impossible for them to stop streaming down my cheeks. I felt pathetic and beyond heartbroken after getting my hopes up that I would somehow be given a happy ending.

The man sitting next to me handed me a tissue and I smiled as I remembered how lovely human beings can be sometimes. I murmured an apology to him, I was probably the annoying seat-neighbor that everyone on a plane dreaded to have to encounter.

I wiped underneath my eyes with the back of palms as my chest caved in even deeper than it ever has before, almost as if it was about to puncture my internal organs. I had to accept it now. Our relationship was over. Calum and I were officially broken up, with a distance and emotional barrier preventing us from ever feeling that star-crossed lover frenzy that had taken complete control of us before.

Maybe we were just always meant to be one of those wild summer flings that not only leave footprints in the sand, but also leave footprints on your heart.

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Author's Note: THE END

just kidding, the next chapter will be from a certain someones point of view though ;-)

i'm so so so sorry this took me so long to update but luckily i only have two finals left so i will be able to get back on track with my updates okey dokey love you guys so much im so sorry for this ok thank you for 600k reads and all of your support

OKAY AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW IF YOU DON'T KNOW IS LITERALLY SO ACCURATE FOR THIS STORY LIKE WHAT DO THEY READ THIS OR SOMETHING

dedicated to mukeings bc she always leaves a ton of comments and they are super sweet

also the chapter title is because i was thinking of that rihanna song where its like strip clubs and dolla bills and idk just dont take me seriously im a dork