She spent almost every day with Theo at the lake house along with everyone else but ever since that letter she sent him, things were different between them. They were closer, more open about their feelings for each other.
He became her best friend too and not just her brother’s best friend. She can finally put her crush behind her, and put their friendship on a new level.
Theo on the other hand was able to keep his feelings to himself, although sometimes he couldn’t help make flirtatious remarks and got slapped on the back of his head by Max.
The one thing he said privately to Hazel was, “Long after he’s gone … I will still be here … I will be here for Thanksgiving, I will be here for Christmas, year after year until we’re grey and old that is something I think we’ll always have. Maybe somewhere in between, there will be time for you and me.”
His playful smile still mesmerized her. Maybe he was right, although she couldn’t see that yet. He will always have a special place in her heart and in her family, that much she knew for sure.
They ended up stalking on Peyton’s Instagram when she posted her upcoming memoir, “The Cheerleader Who Was Dumped at Prom.” They laughed. Being able to laugh at the hardship they once gone through was a good sign that things were changing for the better.
They predicted that Theo might have a tough time going through college with Peyton’s memoir. They were sure she was going to publish it and spread it around at UOG as revenge for what Theo had done to her. But Theo shrugged it off, he never liked being the popular jock at school, maybe being an infamous jerk would be a nice change. They laughed again.
Just two days after they got back to Chestnut, it was time for Theo to leave for college. It was quite a heartwarming goodbye. They hugged and hugged each other and promised to stay in touch.
He pinched her chin and looked deep into her eyes, “I’m gonna miss you, Mickey.”
She smiled, “Me too … come visit whenever you can.”
“Of course, get your grades up … so you can join me at UOG, I know you like that campus,” he said.
She nodded, UOG was one of her priorities but she wasn’t sure her grades will be enough to get her there. It was the best University in Gastonburry.
“Don’t spend too much time with your boyfriend, study harder,” he added.
It made her laugh, “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? He’s not my boyfriend … yet …”
There was a solemn expression on his face, she knew him well enough to recognize a hint of jealousy in his eyes.
“Not yet …,” he exhaled heavily. “If he ever breaks your heart … I’ll break his nose,” he touched her nose with his index finger. “When is he coming back anyway?”
“Tomorrow,” it was actually making her nervous.
His eyes softly stared at her, it was bitter-sweet to finally let her go to be with someone else. He curved his lips, wrapped his arm around her neck, and kissed her forehead. “You take care, Mickey.”
Tears finally fell on her cheeks as she hugged him one more time, “You too.”
“Okay … okay … break it up you two … my turn,” Max tapped Theo on the shoulder.
Hazel moved to embrace her brother and buried her face on his chest, she was sobbing.
“Oh there … there … you’ll be alright, I need you to take care of mom, Hazel … she’s a terrible mess,” he was holding back his tears too.
Hazel nodded, but he could still hear her muffled sobs on his chest. Her sophomore year will be an abrupt change, she almost never goes home without Max or Theo. She never spends her days at home without seeing her brother for a long period of time. And looking at his empty closet, his empty chair at dinner time, watching late-night movies alone would be so strange.
He wrapped his arms tighter around her and kissed the top of her head. “I’m going to miss you too … I guess childhood is really over now, huh, H.?” he managed to slip a light laugh even though it was sad for him too. She sobbed harder.
“I’ll be back for Thanksgiving, gosh … mom was crying like crazy too like it’s the end of the world or something … come on … you’re going to make me cry,” he was already crying, he quickly wiped his tears away and held her by the sides of her arms. “Hey … I’m only a phone call away, I’ll call you and mom every day until you both get tired of me, okay?” he chuckled.
She finally stopped crying and nodded with a smile.
He looked at his little sister, the only one he had and meant the world to him. He smiled and tussled her hair. “I love you H. come here … give me one more hug,” he pulled her close again before he finally lets her go.
“Ready, Max?” their dad was standing next to the car getting ready to go.
“Yeah dad, I’ll call you when I get there … ‘kay?” he said to Hazel.
She nodded, “Okay … have a safe trip … love you.” Their hands finally detached as he walked over to the car and waved to Claire who was standing by the door.
Hazel walked over to her mom who looked ten times worst than her. She hadn’t been sleeping the last few days, and they could hear her crying in her bed without knowing how to console her. She held Hazel in her arms as the car pass and took her son away from her. For the first time in their lives, they were separating and for Claire … it almost felt like dying. “Oh … my baby …” she said between her sobs.