“Me neither,” he said. “But I think your parents might come looking for you if I don’t get you back there today.”
I let out a sigh. “Probably.” I was supposed to be happy about returning to my parents, but now I knew they were safe, I only felt sad to be leaving Aiden.
I moved slowly as I started getting ready for the day. Everything felt hard, and I was seriously dragging my feet as I showered and put on some fresh clothes. I’d packed my bags the night before, and I tried to avoid looking at them. They were stacked neatly in the corner of the room, and every time my gaze landed on them, my throat seemed to tighten. I had wanted to go home as soon as I got here, but now it felt so wrong.
Aiden helped me carry my bags down the stairs, and as he packed them in the back of his truck, Elliot and Jade came to the front door. They were both trying to look happy, but their smiles didn’t light their eyes. It felt like their positivity was just for show. They had come to feel like family to me, and it was going to be hard saying goodbye. As Jade gave me a tight hug, I knew she felt the same way too.
“Do you really have to go?” Elliot asked. He wasn’t pretending to smile anymore, and his downcast eyes betrayed his sadness.
Jade placed her hands on Elliot’s shoulders. “Clary’s parents are home now, and she wants to be with them.”
“But she wants to be with us too. Don’t you, Clary?” he said.
I pulled my lips into a sad smile as I nodded. “Of course, I do. I’m going to miss you guys so much.”
Elliot ran over to me and threw his arms around my waist in a tight hug. A surprised breath escaped me at the impact, but I hugged him firmly back. I’d never had a brother before, but Elliot had grown to feel like one over the weeks I’d spent here. I was going to miss how excited he got about his gaming, and how he was always trying to annoy his older brother. I was even going to miss his bad attempts at flirting and the silly nickname he’d given me.
When Elliot let go of me, I bent over to pick up my backpack and slung it over my shoulder. It was finally time to go.
“You’re welcome back here whenever you want once restrictions lift,” Jade said. “The house is going to feel so different without you.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled. We had no idea when restrictions would ease though. It could be months before I was allowed back here again. “Okay, well, I better get going.”
I wanted to hug Jade and Elliot again, but I resisted the urge. It was only going to be harder if I dragged this out. Aiden took my hand, and we headed for his truck. I didn’t look over my shoulder as I walked away. It felt too much like I was saying goodbye, when this was supposed to just be see you later.
I leaned my head against the window as we drove away from the house. Jade waved from the front doorstep, and Elliot ran out onto the street to see us off. I hadn’t realized how much the two of them cared about me until this moment. I guess I hadn’t realized how much I’d grown to care for them either.
“This sucks,” I murmured, as Aiden turned the corner, and Elliot disappeared.
Aiden tried but failed to smile. “I know, but it’s just for a short while.”
He was trying to be positive about it all, but there was no way he could know how the pandemic would unfold and what the future held. All we could do was guess. The news said a potential vaccine might not be ready for at least a year. What if we were stuck in lockdown until then? I wasn’t sure I’d survive that long holed up with my parents without seeing Aiden.
I was silent as we drove, only speaking up again once we drew closer to my house. The sky had darkened overhead, signaling an incoming storm. It seemed fitting that my last day with Aiden had been filled with sunshine and the day we were separated was going to be drenched with rain.