That Summer

It had been four days.

Paul hadn't heard from Evangeline and she'd successfully avoided all other members of Boys Like Girls. It wasn't too hard to do, what with the boys trying to get things together for their first tour ever.

Tomorrow was the day that Evangeline was supposed to board a flight for England. She had her bags packed next to her bedroom door, full of clothes that probably wouldn't even fit her small body anymore. Her passport lay on her vanity table with her plane ticket.

She'd made her decision a long time ago, she felt. She just didn't know she had. It took a while and some prodding from Bailey for her to understand, to make her see that this was what she had to do.

No matter how much it hurt her, or the people she loved, she had to do this. She had to say goodbye. If she didn't, she'd always be wondering 'what if?' She'd always lead a sort of half-life where she was never quite fulfilled

It would sting, she knew that. It would break her heart and make her cry more than she'd ever wanted to in her life. But pain is temporary and that was something Evangeline Donahue understood well. If something hurt, it only hurt for a while. Pain ended. Scars faded. Hurt would get less and less each day.

Evangeline wasn't quite so sure how Paul would feel about this. Bittersweet probably; because he knew she was doing something she wanted to. Something she probably needed to. No matter how much it hurt him. It would break his heart. She knew that, and he'd know that.

But he had his music to distract him when it hurt too much and his fans to love him when Evangeline couldn't.

"You sure?" Bailey asked from Evangeline's bed as she watched her put away the clothes she'd decided she wouldn't need.
"Yeah," Evangeline sighed. "I'm sure."
"Are you going to tell him?" she questioned, her hands playing with her long golden-brown hair.
"Yeah. Tomorrow," the thin blonde nodded back. "Before I go to the airport."
"You're leaving me, your brother is leaving me. Who the hell's hanging around?"
"Please, Bryan's irrevocably in love with you. You'll be fine," she rolled her eyes.
"I'm going to miss you," Bailey whispered softly.
"I'm going to miss you, too, Bailey," Evangeline smiled sadly.
"I'm not good at goodbyes so, yeah," the tall brunette sniffed, moving to stand in front of Evangeline's open bedroom door. "Take care of yourself."
"You, too."

And just like that the first true friend Evangeline Donahue had ever made in her life was gone.

--

For all Paul knew, Evangeline was on a plane to Heathrow Airport at that moment. He hadn't heard from her, none of the guys had. No one answered the phone when he called and her cell phone was off. Paul was in the middle of a bitter scenario where Evangeline was falling in love with a British man named Rupert who had big teeth and too many manners for his own good when the door to his bedroom opened softly. He was going to tell the intruder to leave him alone until he realized exactly who it was.

"Evan?" Paul croaked, his heart and mind refusing to believe his eyes.
"Hi, Paul," she smiled back softly.
"Wh-where have you been? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she waved her hand as if to push aside his worries from even reaching her. "I'm better than I've been in a while, actually."
"Do you want to talk or something?" he asked, unsure. His eyes ran over Evangeline's face worriedly, confusedly. He didn't know if this was the beginning of the end, or just the end.
"No, I can't stay actually. Bryan's waiting for me in the car," she gestured towards the window.

Paul looked out and sure enough, there was Bryan's car with what looked like luggage in the back seat. His heart dropped into his stomach at the point. He knew what luggage meant.

"Has he known your decision the whole time?" Paul whispered dejectedly.
"For the past few days," Evangeline nodded. "I asked him not to tell you because I wanted to."
"So are you moving there, or, what?" he questioned, his body falling unceremoniously to his bed in defeat.
"I'm not going to England."

Paul's body shot up faster than Evangeline's eyes were able to register the movement. His eyes were wide now, confused and absolutely terrified. Evangeline let herself stare into the dark chocolate depths before she responded.

"I'm going to California," she told him. "San Diego. There's a rehab center there. Casa Palmera? I don't know, my mom found it on the internet."
"Wow," he whispered.
"Yeah. I'm due to check in tomorrow afternoon. We have an aunt out there who's going to do it and check in on me," Evangeline nodded as she spoke, her eyes unfocused on the floor. "It's supposed to be a really good center." Her eyes snapped back to Paul's face.
"That's great, Evan," Paul smiled, but he only half meant it. He knew what she was going to say next.
"I, uhm," she cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably. "I don't think a relationship would be so good. You know, for me."
"Yeah, I-I guess that makes sense," he responded but it was soft and his eyes looked absolutely crushed.
"I'm sorry," Evangeline fought back the tears from her own eyes.
"Don't be."

Evangeline rubbed at her arm subconsciously, chewing on her bottom lip. She hated the salty sting on her irises and the way the tears blurred Paul's face into an even sadder expression.

"What about after?"
"I might stay out there. There are some good art schools in California, you know," she answered softly.
"And after that?" he croaked.
"I don't know," she shrugged. "Paul, I can't guarantee that I'm going to wait for you. I don't expect you to wait for me, either. You're going to be a rock star; girls will be all over you. And, I mean...It could be years before I even set foot back in Boston. I can't promise you anything."
"What can you promise me?" Paul whispered.
"That I love you?" she suggested. "That I'll always love you. But love just..."
"Isn't enough?"
"Yeah. I guess in this circumstance, it isn't," she murmured back.

A horn honked outside, causing the couple to jump. Evangeline looked at Paul's bedside clock, seeing she'd have to leave now if she wanted to catch her plane.

"I've got to go," she told Paul softly, trying desperately not to look into his eyes.
"Yeah," he shook his head as if trying to gain is wits about him. "Of course."
"I love you," Evangeline whispered.
"I love you, too," he responded in a soft, heartbroken whisper.

She stood still for a moment as if she where debating with herself, and then she launched her tiny body at Paul. She kissed him roughly and passionately, knowing it was more than likely the last kiss she'd ever share with him. When they pulled away, Paul reached up softly and brushed away one of the tears that Evangeline just couldn't hold back.

"Goodbye, Paul," she whispered, backing away from his warm embrace.
"Goodbye, Evan," he murmured back. "Good luck." She nodded back softly, pausing as she reached the doorway. The blonde choked back a sob and Paul fought the urge to go up to her and beg her to stay. But he knew Evangeline had to go; she just had to - so he smiled sadly at her in silence.

She blew him a kiss, and disappeared through the door, leaving Paul with nothing more than her scent in the air and the taste on his lips.