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It was a cold autumn day when it happened.
Teto stood on the sidewalk. She lazily gazed over the horizon, watching the sun begin to set. There was hardly anything left of the sun anymore, just a deep orange sky. That meant it was nearly time.
She turned back to look at the street. There, the last of the boxes were being loaded into the moving truck. She watched as her parents hauled boxes labeled “Dishes” and “Snowglobes” into the truck. They were going to leave in a few minutes. Whatever she wanted to do, she’d have to do it fast.
She heard a distant, yet familiar noise. Sneakers scraping against concrete. She turned behind her.
It was Neru. Standing, waiting on the driveway.
That was the worst part of moving. Leaving her. Teto walked up to meet her, frustrated tears welling in the corners of her eyes. Neru felt tears forming in her own eyes as well, except hers were of sadness. Of the fact that there was nothing left they could do.
Teto grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers together. It was warm, soft. One last familiar feeling before she had to go and remake her life from scratch.
“I can’t believe it,” Teto said, tears streaming down her cheeks as she spoke, “I can’t believe they’re making me move. I hate it, I hate it so much. I hate them. They don’t get it.”
“I know.” Neru replied.
“I don’t want to move states away from here. I don’t want to go to a new school and make new friends. I just want what I already had here. I want to stay.”
“I know.”
“I don’t want to leave you. I can’t imagine life without you. I’m going to miss all of you. I’m going to miss you, and miku, and gumi, and everyone else.”
“I know.”
“This isn’t fair. It’s not fair at all.” Teto kicked at a rock on the ground.
“Life isn’t always fair, Teto.” Neru replied, pulling her into a hug. Neru could hear Teto’s parents calling for her from the street. “Please don’t be so upset. I really don’t like seeing you cry.”
Teto wouldn’t stop, however. She couldn’t. Not when she felt like this.
“Don’t say things like that! That’s what everyone says! I know life isn’t fair! I just hate that that’s the way it is..”
Neru stroked her hair, whispering into her ear. “I know. It’s alright.”
“I’m going to miss you, Neru.. I love you.”
“And I love you too, Teto. Never forget that.”
Teto pulled her close, and they kissed. Though it only lasted a moment, it felt like an eternity.
Teto cherished it, the last few minutes she’d ever get to spend with Neru.
The car honked.
They pulled away.
Neru was crying as well now, unable to hold back the sorrow of losing her best friend and first love.
“Promise you’ll write to me every month, okay?” Neru whispered, letting go of her hand. Teto tried to wipe her tears, her attempts futile as they just kept flowing. “I promise.”
Teto turned away and walked down the driveway. Neru watched from far away as Teto talked to her parents, threw the last of her belongings in the backseat, and got in the car.
Just as the car started, Teto leaned out the window to yell one last thing to her. “Don’t forget about me! And come down to visit me one of these days!”
The car began moving down the road; Neru chased after it. “I will! I love you Teto!”
“I love you too, Neru!”
The car picked up speed quickly, and Neru couldn’t keep up. She stopped a couple blocks from her house, panting and trying to catch her breath. She watched as teto’s car went further and further down the road, until it vanished over a hill.
She stood, crying harder than ever before, and turned to walk back to her house. Once she got there, she made her way to the old oak tree in her front yard. Her fingers lingered slightly on the spot where they carved their initials in one summer.
She climbed up the limbs of the tree, although her legs were still hurting and her sides were cramped from the run. She sat on the branches alone for the first time in who knows how long. She looked to the stars to make one final wish.
“Please remember me..”