I lifted a pair of shoes and Kyla shook her head, rejecting them. I huffed before throwing in them in the box that was supposed to be sent to charity. I showed her the next pair and she nodded, gesturing to the box that I will bring with me to college.

"Why are you packing so early, we still have finals to worry about," Kyla asked from her position on my bed.

"Because I only have about a week after graduation before I leave," I explained, sealing the box with packaging tape, "I don't want to spend the whole time doing this."

She hummed at my answer before going to the stack of books on top of my shelf. She carefully slid out one thin book and showed it to me, "Middle school yearbook?"

My eyes widened at the sight of the yearbook that had been piling dust since I got it. I rushed to her and grabbed it from her hands, "I can't believe I forgot about this."

I flipped through the pages until I landed on Jasper's picture, smiling at the awkward boy staring at the camera. I lifted a hand and allowed my fingers to trace the text below the image, my skin going over his name.

His hair flopped down, covering most of his forehead that I knew he used to be so insecure about. He had this crooked smirk that he did instead of a smile because he thought that he looked cooler than that, and judging from the multi-colored shirt, his fashion sense wasn't the best as well.

But either way, he was still the Jasper I loved.

He wasn't even in the basketball team in middle school, it wasn't because he didn't make it, but because he didn't have the courage to go to the try outs. If I wasn't there in freshman year to push him to the gym on that faithful day, he would have never earned his scholarship today.

I looked through the pages once again until I saw my picture. Kyla craned her neck to look at the picture before glancing towards me, "You haven't changed that much."

She was correct, I might have lost some weight and my hair was definitely longer, but I didn't change as drastically as Jasper did.

"Well Jasper did work hard during that summer before high school," I grinned at the memory, turning to the page where the different group shots were printed on.

I wanted to laugh at the sight of Jasper and I standing side by side. There was only about half an inch difference between us, but now, puberty hit him like a speeding bus as he now is a good six inches taller than me.

"Is that Tristan?" Kyla gasped at her boyfriend who stood at the back in one of the pictures. I squinted my eyes to confirm that it was indeed him.

I never knew we went to the same middle school.

"What are you girls doing?" somebody knocked on my door.

"Going down memory lane," Kyla replied, "Weren't you a little cutie."

Jasper visibly blush in embarrassment when Kyla lifted up the yearbook to show him his old picture. He scrambled around to snatch the book from her, slamming it shut and gripping it tightly by his side.

"Don't you dare," he said.

Too late for that, babe.

Kyla laughed and she bent down to get her jacket, "Well, it looks like I'm no longer needed here."

I frowned as I shook my head, "Stay, we can all go out to eat or something."

Her gaze switched from me to Jasper, her eyebrows rose as she showed her signature smirk, "You two enjoy, besides, I still have to get ready, I'm having dinner with Tristan and his parents."

Even with that excuse, I could practically see through that mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Fine," I mumbled and she smiled, approaching me to give me a small hug, "Thanks for helping me."

"Besides," I heard her whisper into my ear, "I don't want to be the one who cock blocks dear Jasper."

I pulled away and gave her a light slap on the shoulder, shoot her a dry look. That smile from earlier turned into a full grin before she started laughing once again, "See you two!"

Jasper looked confusedly at my best friend's retreating before turning back to me, "What was that all about?"

"Please ignore her," I picked up the box that we last sorted out and put it on top of the growing pile at the corner of my room. The huge amount of belongings were slowly disappearing, only leaving a few furniture for me to get back to whenever I come home.

He set down the year book onto the shelf and took a good look at my packed stuff, "When are you leaving?"

"A week after graduation," I informed, turning to him and I saw his distraught face. I froze on the spot as I slowly felt my heart breaking just from seeing that expression on him. He doesn't want to admit it, but I knew that deep down inside, he didn't want me to go.

Yet he kept his mouth sealed, but that doesn't mean I didn't catch the small glimpse of sadness that will sometimes overcome his features.

When a guy puts your happiness before his, you should never let him go. Just don't.

"I'll be back some time in between, we'll be going to France with Kyla and Tristan, remember?" I reminded in an attempt to reassure him.

He seemed to be brought back to reality by my words and he quickly shook off that expression before giving me a relaxed smile, "Right."

When I pretended to busy myself by tidying up some parts of my room, I watched him open the yearbook he confiscated earlier from Kyla and flip through the pages.

His eye wishful and longing, probably reminiscing those days before the great fall of our friendship. If we didn't end it because of some stupid jealousy, we could've gotten more time to be like this. For all I know, we could have been dating since sophomore year and we wouldn't have to worry how short the days have become.

As much as it pains me to see him like this, I was glad it happened. It gave us time for ourselves. If I were to blindly continue on with our lives, I would have lived the life thinking that he actually liked Kyla. In fact, Kyla and I wouldn't be this close and the same goes for Tristan and Jasper. He wouldn't have branched out and dedicated his time to basketball, and I wouldn't be able to rethink my actions that would lead me to becoming the president.

And perhaps that one moment was what triggered our relationship. From a series of nostalgic feels to the ache of longing.

If we were always together, we wouldn't have experienced the pain of getting separated.

But, to be on the sensitive side, my boyfriend is still staring at a picture that was obviously in the past already. He shouldn't be doing that when we're currently in the same room.

They do say some distance is healthy for a relationship.

I grabbed a crumpled piece of paper and chucked it towards him. He lifted his gaze from the yearbook and turned to me, giving me a questioning look.

"You want to talk about something?" I asked, praying that he'll open up.

I understand that he's doing this for my sake, but I would explode if I learn that he's just bottling everything up.

As I predicted, he shook his head and closed the book. He forced a small smile and I responded by giving him a dry look. When he saw that I wasn't buying it, his lips fell into a frown and walked towards me, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear, "Don't worry, I'm fine."

I grasped his sleeve and my steel gaze didn't falter as he tried to reassure. You're quite forgetting who I am, I can see through that façade as quickly as you can see through mine.

"Jasper," I muttered, "Tell me the truth."

I won't be angry if he was to tell me that he was only pretending when he said that it was alright for me to go to that scholarship. With a sigh, I retreated his arm and it went limp to his side, "I don't want you to go."

Ah, there it was.

I took a step forward and wrapped my arms around his waist, burying my face into his chest as I felt his body become stiff for a second before he responded by embracing me in his arms.

If only there was a third option where I could go to that university on a scholarship yet still be able to enjoy a summer vacation with Jasper.

But in the end, I still have to do the responsible thing.

I reached down and took his hand in mine, watching as our hands intertwined, fitting perfectly with each other, "Just four years, please endure it."

"I will," he stated with the most determination he can muster.

It might be ridiculous to think that we can say the word 'only' to define four years. Trust me, half of that is the amount of time that we used up ignoring each other and if you multiply it by another four years, it would be equal to length of our friendship.

Four years is nothing to us.

We released each other and he pressed a small kiss on my forehead, "I'll wait for you if you're willing to wait for me."

No matter how long, I'll wait for him.

*

*

*

"Can't Celeste or Drew do something?" I grumbled under my breath from the kitchen island as I helped my mother in preparing for our dinner by cutting the vegetables.

She looked over her shoulder and clicked her tongue, "Savannah..."

"I didn't mean it seriously," I muttered, my eyes focused on the task at hand, "I was just thinking."

Even if she was carefree most of the time, she was strict with the life lessons. She taught me to never just live off of the wealth that my brother suddenly became part of when he married my sister-in-law. That was the main reason why I was working in that café.

But in times like these, I just want to use whatever power to my advantage.

"I though you and Jasper talked it out," she said, "What's with the worry again?"

"Well, I've learned that he straight up doesn't want me to go," I grumbled, finishing up with the slicing, "And I want to seriously go mad."

With a strong finger, she poked the back of my head, causing me to slightly tilt forward. Holding the spot, I turned around scrunched up my eyebrows in confusion to her sudden attack. Let me tell you, she was less than amused and with the knife she was holding, she looked like she was ready to murder.

Do not cross my mother, that's my warning for you.

"I've been watching in frustration as you two go through your different loops," she told, her tone getting lower, "Time to stop acting like children in the playground and start thinking like adults."

"What?" I gaped and she grabbed my wrist, turning off the stove behind her and pulling me with her to the door. She took my jacket from the coat closet next to our front door and shoved it into my arms before pushing me outside.

Again... what?

She pushed back her hair and gave me a stern look, "Fix everything now because I don't want to see my daughter moping around anymore."

She closed door in front of my face and I was left there staring wide-eyed at it.

Well, that was an interesting development.

I looked to the house next door and let out an extremely loud sigh, putting on my jacket before taking the short trudge.

Ringing their doorbell, I was less than surprised to see that it was Jasper who answered it, "Hey?"

Don't worry, I question my reason of being here as well.

"So my mother kind of kicked me out," I explained, making him more confused than before, "And I guess I have no choice right now but to talk to you."

"I don't really get it..." he trailed off before opening the door wider, "But come on in."

"Are your parents there?" I asked, trying to peek past his figure. He nodded and I blew out a breath as I nudged to my end, "How about outside instead?"

He quickly agree, yelling to his parents that he was going out before he quietly closed the door behind him. We slowly started to walk leisurely to the sidewalk right into the familiar neighborhood that we've grown in.

The people in the houses that was passed in had come and go, only a few families actually stayed. We've come accustomed to it though, from dressing up in order for a friendly dinner to simply delivering some gift to show hospitality.

The ones who were here since the day we moved knows Jasper and I well enough to give a small wave when we pass by their dwelling.

"Savannah, Jasper!" we heard the lady living in the quirky blue house call out. We offered her a polite smile and nod, but before we could continue on, she waved for us to come over.

"You two have grown," she grinned, "Last time I've talked to you two, you weren't even in high school."

We laughed at her words, trying to find our way around the conversation so we could go on our way, but nope, she kept going, "Come by more often or else the next time I see either of you, you're already married."

She let out a hearty chuckle and we only managed to let out that forced amusement before our eagerness started to shine through, "We should really be going."

"But then again, you two still have college to worry about," she reminded the one topic we were both sensitive about.

Please ma'am, if you want any of us to preserve our sanity, please let us go.

"Well, I don't think you two went out to talk to me," she finally said, "I'll see you two soon, alright?"

We offered her another forced smile as we walked as quickly as possible away from her. Now I remember why we purposely avoided her house.

That lady kept yapping and yapping away.

"Now that I think about it, I should really go back and help my mom with dinner," I remembered, looking back at the direction we just walked through.

He let out a chuckle at my statement as he maneuvered us back, "You cooking? Don't make me laugh, Savannah."

I gave him a playful glare, "I would have you know that I'm starting to get good at the culinary arts."

"Getting ready for marriage like that lady said?" he joked.

"Who am I getting married to?" I shot at him.

He paused in his steps and gave me a surprised look, "Who else but me?"

Did he just indirectly blurted out a proposal?

I also halted with my movement as I stared at him. Realizing what he just did, he started mumbling under his breath, "Never mind."

My shoulder slumped but as he walked pass me, he took my hand and held it in his as we continued with our walk, "Someday, I'll do it more properly."

Suddenly, I felt like my insides were lit up as I started practically skipping beside him.

Yup, four years is nothing if the end game is that.

---------------

Hold on as I sob because oh my gosh, we're almost done.

Happy New Year, my darling peaches! The past year was an amazing ride and thank you so much for being part of mine and allowing me to be part of yours.

Let us end 2015 on a good note, alright?

I love you guys so much and I shall see you all next chapter. Don't forget to leave a vote, comment, and follow. 'Till next year!

P.S. Falling For The Opposite (the predecessor of this story) is officially published. If you're asking, that is what I was so busy about, I've been trying to get it nice and done for you all. Go head on to that book and into the chapter titled 'Published' for more information.