Prologue
Prologue
Megan
The closer we get to the airport, the quieter the car becomes. Ben’s eyes plant firmly on the road. I was surprised when he pulled up this morning to take me to the airport. I was just about to order an Uber when he arrived. I was expecting him to try to convince me to stay during the ride, but there had been only small talk.
Nerves run all through my body, causing me to pick at my nails. I could always find something to talk with Ben about in the past; it seems we’ve both run out of topics. It’s breaking my heart.
“Ben.” He takes his eyes off the road to glance at me.
“What?” he asks, his voice gruff with emotion.
“Nothing,” I say.
I really don’t know what I was going to say anyway. We go back to silence. Maybe that’s safer.
Ten more minutes pass with neither of us saying anything. The exit to the airport is up ahead. If there is anything to say, I need to say it soon, or I’ll never say it. I know once I leave, everything will change.
Everything I want to say runs through my mind, but nothing makes sense.
He pulls the truck into the parking spot nearest the airline’s check-in counter, then hops out and grabs my bag from the truck bed. I sit in the car for a minute longer before joining him.
He rolls the bag to me. “You sure you want to do this, Megan?” he asks.
A lone tear escapes my eye. “You sure you don’t want to come? You might like New York”
He swallows before answering. “You know I can’t. I need to stay here. This place was never enough for you. I knew that the first day I met you, you were always made for bigger and brighter things, though I did hope that I’d be enough for you, even if this place wasn’t.”
I nod. “You were enough for me for a long time, Ben. You know that. You’re the reason I stayed as long as I did. I guess we both hoped the other would change, and maybe we have changed a little, but not enough.”
We stare at each other for what feels like hours. I know that if he says anything else, I’ll change my mind and stay. And if I do that, I’ll never leave. But leaving is something I’m doing for myself, and I need this—I need to push myself.
Pulling up the handle of the suitcase is my final acknowledgment to both of us that I’m leaving, but he doesn’t say anything as I lean forward and brush my lips against his cheek in goodbye.
I turn my back on Ben and roll the large suitcase towards the airport doors without another word. I don’t glance back. I feel his searing gaze on me, daring me to look back. Daring me to change my mind. But I don’t.
The automatic doors open, and the sound of the busy airport greets me. It’ll be good for both of us—we’ll both grow as individuals and maybe one day we might be together again, though if nothing else we’ll always be friends. We’ll both see that this is the best decision for each of us. It’ll just take time.
That’s all.
