"You are going to text me when you get home right?" Carter asked me for what felt like the eighteenth time since we had left the hotel. I had checked out for Clara and I as she waited in the car with David and Carter. Once we were at the airport Carter had demanded he waits with us in the line for security so that he could be with us as long as possible. This was kind of awkward as people stared at us angrily. I shook my head trying my best not to pay attention to them.

"Fine yes," I muttered finally falling to his request. If he was this adamant about me texting him when I got home from the airport than it wouldn't be that big of a deal. I could send him a text. My body was still confused on how things were going to be when I got home. Would Carter continue to be this invested in my life or would he disappear like he had before? We knew distance wasn't a good thing for us but were we going to make it work while he was finishing his last semester of medical school? He could find a job in New York once he was finished. I knew my heart was invested in the shop and I couldn't leave it. There was no where else for me other than Little White Dress. I couldn't ask someone else to give up their dreams for me though.

"Thank you," He whispered as he kissed me once again. I shrugged my shoulders. It wouldn't be that big of a deal to text him and if it made him happy enough to kiss me again then it would be worth it.

The line was slow moving but Clara and I had plenty of time before our flight so I wasn't worried about it. Carter and David chat about a few things as we continue moving at the pace of a snail.

"Are the machines broken or something?" I shrugged my shoulders as I tried to see around the strangers in front of me. I couldn't find any evidence to answer Clara's question but at least I had tried. Even if it was a strained attempt in helping a friend. She turned and glared at me as if I had spit in her salad. I chuckled lightly to myself.

"Yes, you tried so hard," She seemed grouchy with her response and the only reason I could think she would be like this was leaving the love of her life. Her new found romance that she had spent every second with for the last couple of days we were here. Man vacations always seem to go by way too fast when you are having fun. I glanced up at Carter. The beginning of this two week adventure had been miserable, everything made me cry and I hadn't wanted to go home so badly in my life. It ended well, this was going to be a trip that I would miss a few things about. Being with Carter everyday would be one of them even if I still didn't understand what was going on in my life.

"I don't know, but are you sure you are ready to leave David?" I questioned her, eager for her response.

"No, he is going to sneak into my luggage after we get through security," She smiled folding her arms across her chest.

"Oh yeah, how is he going to get through security?" I raised an eyebrow at her waiting for an even better answer.

"Shit, oh well, that's not my job to figure out," She smiled as she looped her arm in between mine. The closer we got the to security screening the more nervous I got to leave. Carter tapped my shoulder. I turned to look at him as David grabbed Clara.

"This is where I think we need to head out so we don't piss too many people off, remember to text me as soon as you land and as soon as you get home..." I cut him off, I couldn't help it.

"Hey, I said when I got home, now you are being greedy!" I crinkle my nose at him. He rolled his eyes before he continued.

"I'm really going to miss being with you everyday Erin... I truly do love you and I really hope you know that," I nodded my head as he spoke. He bent down quickly kissing me before him and David slipped out of the line. They sat against the wall watching up carefully as we went through the rest of the security line. Taking our shoes off placing them on the belt and sending them through the machine.

Once we were through security I turned to look at Carter one last time. It felt like the end of everything but for some reason I knew it wouldn't be. I felt that maybe this was the time he would pull through with everything he was saying and finally stick around. I didn't want to risk it though so I allowed my heart to break as we watch each other through the crowd of people rushing to their own flights. I waved goodbye as Clara and I turned starting our journey to our very own flight.

We walked in silence, both of us feeling the same wave of emotions. She had just met David, and I had just gotten Carter back, we both were dealing with the stress of losing people we had really started to enjoy. There was nothing wrong with feeling sad but I was more scared than depressed. My body aching for him to hug me one last time.

I glanced at the time on my phone. They would be boarding for our plane in a little over thirty minutes. Clara and I had some time to kill and I wasn't sure what to do to fill that empty space.

When we finally made it to our gate we took our seats. Clara pulled out her headphone to watch Netflix on her phone but I didn't want to just sit idle. I needed to get out of my seat and move. Anything to keep my mind off of the man I was now leaving behind. A wave of loneliness taking over me as I started to miss him.

I jumped from my seat. Clara glances up to see what I was doing. I held my hand out hoping for her to see it wasn't that big of a deal.

"I'm just going to go find a magazine, stay here and watch my stuff please," I mumbled as she paused her show. She nods turning back to watching whatever it was that was keeping her interested. Pushing through the crowd I tried to find my way to the closest general store. I hated being in airports. Everything was more expensive. A young man bumped into me nearly knocking me off my course as I did my best to make it through the people towards the store on the side of the hallway.

There were only a few others in the store, which was a welcome relief to the busy aisle ways of the airport. I shot my way through the store immediately towards the books and magazines looking for something to read. Browsing the gossip headlines and the mystery novels. There was nothing that seemed to interest me. I found my mind drifting off to the blonde haired man I had just left behind.

Could I technically get mad at him for leaving this time when I was the one who got on the plane?

The question burning a hole in my skull as it continues to form and press against my brain. I needed to figure out the answer so that it would go away, but I knew that was something that wasn't going to happen right now. So right now I just needed to survive.

Grabbing the first magazine that looked somewhat interesting, I folded it in half walking towards the cashier. Grabbing a quick bag of candy I threw them both on the table before pulling out my card to pay for the items.

I watched the lady carefully as she stared at me.

"Hello?" I questioned, feeling awkward at the silence. She didn't answer. There was no interaction other than her sliding my items back across the counter towards me.

Everyone always harassed New Yorkers for being rude but she seemed to take the cake for inconsiderate employees. I shook my head as I took my things slowly walking away from the counter. I would have to make my way through the crowd once again and I wasn't quite ready for it. I froze for a moment before finally taking my first step. Suddenly my legs were traveling faster than I had expected them to as they fell back into motion of following the crowd. Just like you would do on the busy New York streets.

Soon I was back in my seat sitting next to Clara as we waited for the airline attendants to call our boarding zone. My body was already aching at the thought of being on a plane for the next six hours. I was cursing myself for getting direct flights. At least it was an overnight flight so I could try my best to get some sleep.

I glanced down at my ticket. At least I had a window seat. That was another bonus. Clara was unfortunate enough to get the middle seat but hopefully no one would be in the aisle so we would have plenty of room.

**********

Carter's POV

**********

"Excuse me ma'am I need to buy a ticket." I tried my best to get the lady behind the counters attention. She didn't seem to budge. My heart was pounding in my chest and every second Erin was away from me felt like I was losing her. I needed to figure out what I was going to do with college. I needed to leave this place. I couldn't be here without her. I wasn't sure I had enough money to get all the way to New York though. I had spent it all on Erin this week and I needed to head back to work before I'd be able to fully book a trip to New York to see her.

My heart clenched at the thought of having to wait.

"Damn it!" I shouted as the lady jumped behind the counter, finally looking up at me.

"Excuse me," She mumbled under her breath as she quickly wakes her computer back up. I shook my head. Of course once I raise my voice she acts like she's been giving me the five star treatment the entire time I'd been standing in line.

"I need to buy a ticket," I mumbled leaning on the counter. She glanced up at me nodding as she opened up the correct screen on her computer. I waited for a moment before sliding a piece of paper across the counter for the dates I was interested in.

After purchasing my ticket with the lady that was barely paying any attention to anything other than her fingernails I was finally leaving. David had left a little while ago but something had kept me in the airport. something about the thought that Erin was still in there. Sitting on an uncomfortable chair just waiting for the plane to land and pick her up. The plane that was going to take her away from me. I cursed under my breath as I called an Uber. Waiting patiently for them to pull up.

I messed up. Why did I ever think it was a good idea to propose to Kylie? Of course as soon as I was ready to move on Erin would show up. That was how things always happened, and it didn't matter how angry that had made me, I needed to listen to my heart. Erin was who I needed to be with and I felt it in my heart. There was nothing that compared to her. Kylie was cute, she was hot, but she was just a gold digger marrying me because I was going to be a doctor.

I hadn't even graduated school yet and here she was already trying to suck the life out of me with Gucci bags and Prada, whatever the hell they sold.

I found my body fighting to leave the airport but my mind was chasing after a girl that had already left. She wasn't there. I lightly smacked myself on the forehead trying to get her face out of my mind. It wouldn't... I wasn't sure how I was going to make it home but I knew I needed to. Maybe a shot of Jameson and Ginger Ale would help calm my nerves. My thoughts that were racing and whizzing, taking over every part of my mind as I tried to not let her consume me more than appropriate. But it did. She consumed me with a power that was destroying me on the inside.

I thought back to when I had wanted to join the military. That would have been a mistake, because I had the freedom right now to go anywhere in the world. If I chose to run away from her or run towards her I could... but If I would have made that leap in my life I wouldn't have that option right now, I would be stuck on a boat somewhere dreaming about the girl I had left behind, and would continue to leave behind everytime I left for deployment.

Who knows how long those would be, a year, six months, three months if I was lucky, but there was no chance of that happening because I hadn't joined. That was the one good descision I had made in my younger years.

I had hurt her even back then. After we had spent years it felt like but in all actuality it was only a couple of months of planning for us to go to the same college. We struggled finding one that both offered an amazing medical degree like I wanted, and fantastic business classes for her that she could take every so often and still run the shop. We had worked on the ideas for so long that they almost felt real but something about them scared me. Maybe it's cause I was locking myself in and I hadn't explained. Maybe I wasn't ready to tell her how in love with her I actually was as the time, and still am. I shrug my shoulders. Maybe there was no reason for me to even have a second or third chance with her, but I did. I had to take it, I had to kiss her and as much as it hurt her in the very moment I know it will be better for us in the long run.

But was it unfair of me to decide that for her?

The kiss should have been mutual and as awful as I feel about it I can't say I regret it. I wanted to kiss her and obviously she wanted to kiss me, but the tears streaming down her face told me I had made a mistake by doing that without her permission. Maybe she will forgive me. Maybe one day we will have our own family and will be happily married and none of this will ever matter.

What would we tell our kids though? Would we tell them about how their father was a dumbass and proposed to another woman with their mother sitting at the next table over? How much would they know about our history....A loud horn pulls me from my thoughts and I hadn't even realized I was outside now. My legs had led me to the pickup location but yet my brain was still inside.

The driver stood in front of me, his arms wide open as he held the door for me.

"Hurry up man! The airline police are getting frustrated with how long I've been parked here..." He snaps his fingers a couple of times taking my bags from me. I jump in the car putting on my seatbelt before he rushes to the drivers door. He turns some music on as he pulls into traffic and we leave the airport. My heart sinks as we do. My eyes focused on the plane that was taking off, it was a Delta flight, maybe it was the one that was carrying the love of my life away from me. I shook my head pulling my face away from the window and watching out the windshield. I needed to manage through life until I could get on my very own flight away from here. Away from California, I needed to go to my very own paradise.

The uber rushed through the vehicles as if he was late to something. I wanted to tell him to slow down, I wasn't quite ready to leave the airport fully, but I knew he would think I was insane. So the words stayed trapped in my throat as I leaned against the seat. The leather caressing my skin as I tried not to think about Erin.

Her long blonde hair, her beautiful green eyes, her smile that was always covered with a bright red lipstick.

I shook my head, mentally cursing myself for falling victim to her once again. It felt like everytime I thought I was over it and out of the trap, something would happen and pull me right back in. This isn't the first time I had been here. Nor was it the second time. We played this game long throughout high school. I loved her, she would have a new guy she was hanging out with... though she never had too many boyfriend.

Why?

Why did Erin never have too many boyfriends? She was beautiful enough, smart enough, she had plenty of guys hanging around and yet she chose me. She never left my side, even when I had awful girlfriends that were intimidated by Erin and I's friendship. Erin never left, she would respect our space and allow us to hang out, but we would always end up together again. Those girlfriends would find something else to worry about and I just couldn't handle it. But that must be because they were not the love of my life.

Erin was...

And I needed to get back to her somehow.