• tab Emma slammed the door shut behind her as she stormed out of her house. She walked to the edge of the sidewalk and sat down; her hands covering her red, botchy face. Between sobs, she could hear footsteps coming closer on the concrete.
    tab "You alright?" a familiar voice asked. Emma looked up. It was Bryce. Her neighbor. Emma and Bryce had been best friends since the day they were born. They had lived beside each other for forteen years, but that was about to change.
    tab "I'm..." Emma wiped her swollen eyes. "I'm okay."
    Bryce stuck his hand in the pocket of his jeans, pulled it back out, and sat beside Emma on the ground.
    tab "You worried about school? Our first year of high school starts tomorrow," Bryce took a deep breath. " I am.. worried about school."
    tab Emma had to let out a light chuckle. "You? Scared of high school? Do you even remember all the fights you got in last year? And you're scared of high school?"
    tab "Well, yeah," Bryce replied. "What if we don't have any classes together? I mean, we've been in the same class since kindergarten. I'm worried I won't be able to see you anymore..." He dug around in his pocket some more.
    tab This caused Emma to start crying once again. She looked at Bryce and gave him a big hug. "I... I'm moving," she wispered in his ear.
    tab Bryce pushed Emma away and quicky stood up. "H-how could you do this? How could you decide to move away and not tell me?" He asked furiously.
    tab "It wasn't my decision. It was my dad's," Emma sobbed. "It's his job. They're relocating him."
    tab "But still, how could you not tell me this was happening? Especially with school starting tomorrow?"
    tab "I'm sor-"
    tab "Whatever," Bryce stuck his hand in his pocket and started to walk off.
    tab "Bryce, wait. It's only for a couple of years. I'll be back when we're juniors."
    tab "But you're leaving me alone until then?" Bryce looked at Emma; a tear rolling down his cheek.
    tab "I'm sorry." Emma stood up and tried to grab Bryce's arm; the one that was in his pocket. He yanked his arm away, and it started to rain.
    tab "I guess you'll have to go pack now," Bryce said, avoiding Emma's deep blue eyes.
    tab "That's already done. We're leaving tonight."
    tab "Well, bye then."
    tab Tears were now streaming down Emma's face. She grabbed Bryce's arm again. "You're not even going to look at me? Not even once?"
    tab Bryce yanked it away. "It's not like you care..."
    tab Emma just stared at Bryce while the rain poured down, soaking them in water. She finally walked away slowly, waiting for him to say something else, but he didn't. She walked inside without a word.
    tab Bryce looked at her bedroom window and broke down crying. He hid his hand in his pocket once again and pulled out something shiny. He stared at a little golden locket he held in his hand. The words I love you. were inscribed in the heart.
    tab "And to think I did," Bryce murmured. He threw the locket into the sloshy mud in Emma's yard and walked back to his house.



    To be continuedddd... O_o