Evan pulled his bag down the front steps.
Leo let out another large sigh.
“Are you inflating a hot air balloon?” Evan asked.
He turned back around and saw Leo’s crestfallen face.
“It’s only two days early. I promise I will be okay.” Evan said.
Leo nodded sadly. “I know you will. I just feel bad, I wish there was something I could do to change it. But I understand why you feel the need to go back right now. Don’t worry, no one told him.” Leo added to the end as if he had just realized that could be a possibility.
Evan chuckled. “Dummy it's five am we are the only two out here. No one else knows, how would he know. I know you won’t tell anyone who would ever tell him.” Evan stepped forward and ruffled Leo’s hair. “You will tell everyone how sorry I am, and say goodbye to them for me, right?”
Leo nodded once firmly.
Evan chuckled. “Oh and make sure Mrs. T knows this isn’t her fault either. The two of them looked like they were going to have a heart attack.”
Leo nodded. “I will let them know.”
“Tell your dad sorry I can’t help him with the car. maybe ..” Evan paused, not finishing his sentence. He couldn’t even promise to come back later. Not if it meant Niles would be right there down the street.
Leo looked like he was about to cry. His bottom lip trembled and his eyes were wide and sad.
Evan smiled sadly and shook his head.
“See you at school.” he said softly then turned and got into the taxi cab.
Leo waved at him.
Evan shut the door of the taxi.
“Airport please.” He said.
The cabby nodded, started the meter and pulled away.
Evan watched Leo slowly get smaller and smaller until they finally turned the corner and he was gone.
But so was the house he grew up in. So was every good memory in it. And so was the man who held his heart in the past. Tightly greedily owning something he had no right to. But then again Evan had given it willingly and easily. He had been young. He had been in love.
‘I know better now. I am not that Evan anymore.’ He thought, and looked out the window getting lost in the row upon row of similar looking houses that whizzed by.
‘Pressure, all I will feel if I ever come back here is pressure. Maybe this is the end. Maybe this will be the thing that makes the mountain unscalable. Maybe this is goodbye for good. I thought I could never let go of it. I thought this was home. I was wrong. A house is just a building with walls if there is no one inside it you love anymore.’
Evan paid the cabby and got out grabbing his bag and walked back into the airport.
He smirked. I didn’t think I would be back here the very next day. I suppose there are worse things than a last minute flight.
“Evan!”
Evan froze at the sound of his name being called.
“That, that is worse.” he thought in a knee jerk reaction to hearing his name called when he wasn’t expecting it.
‘Definitely not a good feeling being back here anymore.’ He thought. But he took a deep breath and turned, then shook his head at his own stupidity.
‘How did he not recognize her voice?’
“Sorry to startle you. I drove like a speed demon. You think you can escape without a proper goodbye for your adoptive sister? did n’t we make an oath?” She asked.
Evan grinned at Sarah. “Sorry I was feeling down. I didn’t even think.” She punched him in the arm. You think I don’t know that. Who was there for you when you had nowhere else to go after that jackass tore out your soul. Seriously. Are you okay?”
Evan nodded.
“I know you are not okay, okay, but like you know what I mean.”
Evan nodded again. Chuckling.
“Yeah. I was starting to feel like there is nothing here for me anymore. But I guess I was so caught up in those feelings I forgot. I forgot what was important.” He said.
She grabbed him and hugged him tightly.
“You are like the older brother I never had.” She said their inside joke.
He laughed wholeheartedly.
“As long as I am here you will always have a home. Okay.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
“Alright. Text me when you are home.” She said,
Evan put his hand in his pocket to grab his phone and frowned.
“Oh, I left it at your moms house, I was in such a rush this morning. Mornings are already not my thing.” He said.
“Her mouth dropped.
“You can’t leave without that! Not in this day and age!” She said, flabbergasted.
Evan looked down at the ground, not really wanting to wait around. Any moment more here, was another moment Niles could find him.
“Just tell Leo not to forget it when he comes back on Tuesday.” He said.
She stared at him.
“Do you really think you can survive two days without your phone?” She asked.
He flicked her in the middle of her forehead. “Yah, do I look like you? I'll be fine. Just remind Leo not to forget it.”
She nodded. “Of course. I will make sure the little twerp doesn’t forget it. Love you bro.”
Evan hugged her tightly. “I love you too. I promise I am fine. Thanks for seeing me off.”
She nodded. He turned and walked to the check in.
Once he was done checking in he grabbed his ticket in front of the lady and turned back around.
Sarah waved. He waved, then turned to head for the gate.
‘A few days without his phone might be just the thing he needed right now. He was already feeling bad about how things went down when he left, but he really couldn’t think about Sam even if he wanted to.’
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