Our days at the Novak's house became gloomy. Especially when my father had spoken to Declan's parents about his recent realization. Even from my room, I heard Mrs. Novak's constant pleads and sobs ripping my heart in half. It tore my heart apart, but I couldn't stop myself from listening to their conversation.

"By doing this, Lana will be able to give up on Declan," my father said.

"Please don't!" Mrs. Novak sobbed. "I will convince Declan!"

"Mrs. Novak, this matter is between them as parents. We shouldn't interfere and force things to happen. It would only cause them to rebel," my father advised, earning a storm-shattering wail.

"It's not that I won't accept any girl who comes to this house, but Lana is something special. Lana is so cheerful no matter how down things become, she is full of courage and not afraid of anything. She's one of the most loveable people I've meant, always caring about others before herself. She's the best daughter anyone could ask for," she bawled, sending sharp knives into my heart.

The vulnerability in her voice snapped whatever pieces were left of my heart. 

I'm so honored she felt this way about me, yet it made it much harder to let go. As I slowly folded my clothes into cardboard boxes, I couldn't help but let the tears stream out. My eyes wandered towards my girly decorated bed, reminiscing about the memory of when Mrs. Novak revealed my new room. I'm going to miss her so much-- she was the closest thing I had to a mother.

However, my dad played both roles for years, and I knew he will continue doing an amazing job at it.

"Lana would be very happy to hear you talk about her like this. I'm sorry," my father stated.

There was no more talking after that, only crying and crying and crying from both Declan's parents. Suddenly, loud thuds came from someone running upstairs. I pouted, wishing maybe Declan would come into my room and beg us to stay.

Why am I so hopeless?

A knock on my door captured my attention. "Lana?" Her sweet, strained voice called out.

"Come in." I sniffled, folding another shirt into my beaten cardboard box.

Once the door opened, ear-piercing sobs erupted from her lips as she took in the emptiness of my room. The only thing I haven't packed was the bedsheets and extra stuffed animals that couldn't fit in my other boxes.

"I'm going to do everything in my power to get your father to change his mind," she insisted, kneeling down at my side and wrapping her hands over mine.

"Maybe my father has a point... I don't want to leave either, but maybe this is for the best." I gulped, swallowing the harsh reality down my throat.

"No! You can't give up Lana! I know my son and he will come around." She wailed.

"We both have to realize that life doesn't always give us what we want and we can either be upset about it or pick the pieces back up," I said, staring at her tear-stained face.

"Lana, you always look on the positive side of everything. I'm going to miss you so much!" She cried as she wrapped her arms around me for a final goodbye hug.

I shut my eyes and took in a deep breath, inhaling in her mixed, fruit-scented hair as I tightened my arms around her.

"I appreciate you so much. I'm so glad to have met you." I sniffled, resisting the burning sensation coming from my eyes.

"Your mother would be so proud to have a daughter as incredibly strong like you." She broke away from the hug, wiping the tears spilling from her eyes. "Even though I've only met her a few times, I can already see so much of her in you."

I smiled, shyly. This was only making the move harder. Why are the right things always the toughest things to do? Declan Novak, you came into my life so unexpectedly, and just like that, you're leaving it without a trace. Nothing came from our months together, but I'll never forget our kiss together.

However, it's time to lock Declan into a box and throw away the key.

"Goodnight." She kissed my head. "Don't sleep too late, you have to get going early in the morning."

"Goodnight," I whispered, missing her warmth from when she hugged me.

The next morning, my alarm clock vibrated on its bedside, waking me up almost instantly. I wished everything was all a dream, but when I heard the moving vans pull up into our driveway, I noticed there was no going back.

Mr. Novak helped us load the truck with our luggage. He explained how Mrs. Novak was too heartbroken to see us off, and I completely understood. Besides, I knew if we said goodbye again, I would burst into tears. Still, as I watched Mr. Novak wave goodbye to us, the tears slipped right from under me.

This was the last time I'll ever be here.

Goodbye Declan Novak. I hope everything goes well for you.

"Lana, let's go. You have school in a few hours," my father yelled, closing the driver's door behind him.

Obeying, I sat in the passenger seat, trying to contain every single motion inside me.

"Everything is going to be okay, Lana," my father reassured, caressing the top of my head.

Jerking my head up, my eyes connected with my father's worried gaze. He gave me an apologetic smile, the one that's tight-lipped and uneasy, but I could see the sympathy in his eyes. My vision became cloudy as tears gushed out of my eyes and the loud sobs escaped from my mouth. I wailed, wiping the snot on my sweater sleeve. My chest shook with pain and it got harder to breathe.

One last cry was all I needed.

My father drove for around twenty-five minutes into a small apartment complex with a stair railing, bringing us up to our house. I waited in the car while my father requested the key and I tried to distract myself by using my phone. Spoiler alert-- it didn't work.

When opening the door, I was slightly disappointed, considering the major shift in size from Declan's house. The apartment was one-bedroom with a small living room and kitchen complex. There was barely room for a dining table but there's no reason to complain out loud.

"This is it," my father announced. "Just kidding. The previous tenant just moved out from our new house so we will stay here until our house is ready. This is our temporary apartment." He opened the window, admiring the busy streets we were located by.

"Then why didn't we stay with the Novaks until the house was ready," I muttered, disappointed.

"If we stayed any longer, it would only hurt you more. It's better to move on once and for all," my father admitted.

Why are parents always right?

"It's only going to be for a little over a week, so go on and start getting ready for school. I'll take the couch until then," my father stated.

A new life without Declan Novak. Here I come.

"You moved out of Declan's house?" Catalina gasped, her hazel eyes bulging from their sockets, and Meadow's face palmed in defeat.

All during English and psychology, I acted as if everything wasn't going to dirt and I was happy just being around my girls again. They helped distract me from my troubling thoughts, and to shift myself into a clear positive headspace. However, I decided to admit my short little secret during lunch.

"Yeah, we're living in a small apartment temporarily until our new house is ready," I explained, staring at the white poster board which had the lunches available today.

"I thought you would stay there forever," Meadow commented.

"Me too," Catalina agreed. "But since you moved out, you'll lose one of your only connections with Declan."

Meadow smacked her shoulder and gestured for her to seal her lips. "Cata! Zip your mouth!"

"It's okay if I lose it," I revealed calmly. "I've given up on Declan."

Catalina dramatically gasped, placing her hand over her chest. "Huh? You never gave up no matter how mean he was to you."

"I told you to zip it!" Meadow imitated the gesture once again and Cata copied it.

"I'm not who I was before. I'm not going to waste my time chasing after him anymore and I don't plan to spy on him at his science and engineering department either," I declared, my chest filling up with pride.

Should I go with macaroni and cheese with cornbread or grilled chicken salad with ranch dressing? Both good options-- maybe Ambrose could give me both. My stomach grumbled eagerly since I haven't eaten much the past few days after finding everything out.

"What in the world happened? Where did our little Lana go?" Meadow asked, her eyes still wide from the continuous, new information.

"My father made a point I hadn't realized." I sighed, staring off into the distance like I was reliving my dinner with my father. "He made me rethink a lot of things..."

"Lana..." Meadow drawled out.

Turning to face her, I flipped my frown upside down. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Starting today, I will forget about Declan. I'm going to enjoy college to its fullest and find a nice boyfriend." the smile radiated off from my face.

Suddenly, Ambrose appeared in front of us with a gigantic coral pink cake that reminded me of Max and Ruby's cake. Ten candles were surrounding a cake forming a heart with 'Happy Birthday, Lana' in the middle of them.

"It's not my birthday," I muttered, my eyebrows furrowed.

"Another cake just for Lana. Not fair!" Catalina grumbled, her lips pouting.

"She's right! I want my own cake," Meadow added, narrowing her ginger brown eyes at Ambrose.

"This is an Ambrose's specialty," he proclaimed, clicking the lighter causing the flames to erupt from its tip, and lit the candles. "Lana is reborn. She's evolving into a beautiful woman. So as an expression of speech, today is Lana's new birthday."

"New birthday," I repeated, nodding my head.

"Alright!" he yelled, clapping his hands after finishing lighting all the candles. "Happy birthday to my favorite girl in the world!"

"Thank you, Ambrose." I smiled, brightly.

His cocoa brown eyes softened. Love seemed to waver in them. "I'll be the better man and help you forget all about Declan, so cheer up, okay?"

Closing my eyes, I wished for life to stay positive no matter what, and blew the candles with the help of Catalina. She always had this weird obsession over blowing out candles. It started ever since her sister blew out her candles every year until Cata was fed up and yelled at her. That was an interesting birthday party.

"At least you don't have to torture yourself at soccer club anymore," Catalina added.

My eyebrows scrunched together. "I never said I was quitting," I admitted.

"What's the point if you want to give up Declan?" Meadow asked a reasonable question.

"I just feel like I have to continue. I don't want to seem like a loser for giving up," I explained.

Either way, it's not like Declan ever came to practice. The only times I would worry about having to see him were during our official games. Now, hopefully, I don't see Sophia and him flirting that would certainly kill me at least right now. Give me a few months and I won't care anymore.

Hopefully.

"How are you and Nate doing?" I asked as we walked to our signature table.

"Ugh... we haven't hung out since the carnival. He's too preoccupied with school to even answer my messages, so I don't know where that's going," Meadow exposed. "We're better off without guys! They're all horrible." Meadow slumped her shoulder as she took her seat at my side.

"Cheers to that." I laughed.

"I can't relate. I got guys lined up for my attention," Catalina joked, biting into her cornbread.

"I always wonder who would be the guy to tame you," Meadow commented, earning a flick of Cata's macaroni and cheese in her direction.

"We are too young to be tied to one guy." Catalina winked playfully. "As fresh eighteen-year-old, we should be living life."

"Cata, I am living the life." I laughed, slicing a piece of the heavenly cake.

"Oh yeah, I know! I'm talking about Meadow over here." Catalina smirked, mischievously.

"I'm perfectly fine waiting on my bed for a text back," Meadow defended herself, only to see her cheeks flush pink. "That sounded better in my head."

"Have you seen this cute puppy TikTok?" I interjected, placing my phone between them.

The day went by like a breeze, and for a moment I was truly happy, but as I opened our new front door, I imagined seeing the Novaks again. I know, I'm guilty as charged for thinking about him and his family again, but I couldn't help it. When my eyes fluttered open, I sunk into the reality of lonely nights reappearing again.

With my father always working late at his restaurant, the evenings and nights are going to be quiet. Honestly, I hate getting a taste of being with a complete family and always having someone with me because now I had to get used to being alone again.

No! Lana, snap out of it! You made your decision so strongly, stand by it.

Turning our lights on, I strolled into the living room, throwing my bag onto the ground, and collapsed onto the couch. After retreating the controller, I flicked through the channels hoping I'll find something to distract myself from.

You can do it, Lana!

Oh gosh, soccer club is going to be a drag, isn't it?

Kind of a sad chapter :( but yk our girl Lana she always picks herself up no matter the situation! I wonder how she's going to do now.

Who's ready for the 'new' Lana

Love you guys and I can't wait for all your comments!!!! They always make my day!!