Always Remember

JEN

    “So this is it.”
    “ We both know it, Carl,” I say regretfully. “The last fifteen months have been a nightmare. We barely see each other, our conversations are always rushed, and even when we do see each other we fight. Some couples can make a long distance relationship work, but I don’t think we’re that couple.”
    He sighs, rubbing his hand over his face. “You’re right. I think we both knew that a while ago, didn’t we?”
    I chew the inside of my lip, nodding. “We just wanted to make it last, I think, but we’ve just ended up dragging ourselves down. Neither of us are happy.” I tuck some hair behind my ear, battling against the sea breeze.
    Carl shoves his ha nds in his pockets and looks down. “I don’t feel as bad as I thought I would. I don’t mean that in a bad way-”
    “ I know.” He glances up at me. “I feel the same. I think it’s ‘cause we both know it’s for the best. I mean, we’re not kids anymore.” I shrug a shoulder. “Sometimes life is full of funny twists and turns that take you somewhere you never expected. This is just a twist. For both of us.”
    He exhales, leaning against the wall. “I guess so. You’re going back to London now, then?”
    I nod. “Yeah. As much as I love seeing my family, after a week of cooing over Daisy and my room being ransacked by her, I’m ready to have my own space back.” I smile a little.
    “ Well, be safe on the way back, yeah?” He looks at me.
    “ I will.” I step towards him, hug him lightly, and kiss his cheek. “I’ll see you when I come back at Easter?”
    He smiles. “Count on it.”
    I salute him playfully, and turn away. A pang of sadness hits me from what I ’m walking away from, but deep down I’ve accepted it, and I know I accepted it a long time ago.
    Feelings don ’t always last forever. They can be as fleeting as a shooting star burning its way through the night sky. Carl was my shooting star, a quick flash in the span of my life. I’ll forever be thankful for what we shared, but it’s time to move on.
    I leave the beach, turning for my house. With Lexy staying in Lilac Bay for another week with Alec, my only way to getting home to London is by train. It’s not an appealing thought – actually, it’s downright bloody depressing – but what can I do?
    My weekend job at Primark doesn ’t exactly pay me a millionaire’s wage.
    I tuck my hands inside my sleeves, hunching my shoulders up against the wind. This is one thing I do not miss about Devon; the goddamn wind that, if I was half a stone lighter, I ’m sure would pick me up and toss me around like a one pound kite.
    I look up from the pavement as I turn onto my street, and clench my teeth at the sight before me. “This has got to be some sort of a joke.”
    Bing turns, his arms crossed over his chest. “Nope,” he replies. “I don’t see anyone laughing.”
    “ What are you doing here?”
    “ Lexy called me this morning… Said you were gonna have a bad day, and you were planning on going back to London tonight. She didn’t want you taking the train.”
    I let my breath out slowly, my eyes focusing on Bing ’s face. “I’m a big girl, Samuel. I can take the train home.”
    “ Oh, I know you’re a big girl,” he mutters in that husky voice that sends shivers down my spine. “I’ve been against that body, remember, Jennifer?”
    I step up to him, my stomach rolling in anger. “Correction – you were against the clothes on the body, and that’s all you were against.”
    “ And if Lexy hadn’t have knocked on the door, there would have been a lot less clothing, and a lot more skin,” he whispers, his brown eyes burning into mine.
    “ In your dreams,” I hiss, fighting my body’s reaction to his words. The annoying hi-we-were-your-knees-but-now-we’re-jelly kinda reaction.
    “ Oh, Jennifer. I dream about skin on skin with you every night.” He smirks.
    My finger jabs into his chest. “Do not fuck with me tonight, Samuel. I am not in the mood for your asshole suggestions or cocky comments.”
    He grins slowly, his eyes twinkling. He lifts his hand, dangling his keys from his finger. “Did you want a lift or not?”
    Six hours in a car with him. It ’s not the place I want to be right now, because although I’m now single and not exactly upset over it, he’s not the person I need to be around. Nope – moving on means keeping my eyes, thoughts, hands, and any other bodily part capable of touching to