The Last Goodbye

By Susan Potter

Freya Young and Evan Bennett were childhood friends, but a five-year age gap put them at a certain distance from one another. Despite that Freya always believed they would be together forever, until the day Evan moved to a different state to attend a high-status college. Four years pass with no word from Evan and Freya tries her best to move on with her life.

However, her mother soon announces that Evan would be coming home for a visit. When later on she hears the doorbell ring she is feeling both anxious and happy. When she opens the door, however, not only does she see the man of her dreams standing before her, but also his fiancee Holly Baker. The distance between the two of them continues to grow, as new feelings begin to emerge.

They soon both have to face their true feelings for each other and those around them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Susan Potter
• Release date: Apr 15, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386344896

Book preview

Prologue

Look what I found!" Freya shouted delightfully as she zealously held up a four-leaf clover, smiling brightly, toward a boy that was standing just above her. She had her dark auburn hair pulled back into two ponytails, which bounced whenever she made the slightest movement.

Wow, you got pretty lucky there, huh? He said as he smiled softly at her before he turned around and made his way to the old swing-set that stood in the middle of the park. She watched him with wide jade-green eyes as he kicked off the ground and soared high into the sky; she smiled.

They’ve known each other for as long as they could remember; their parents were close friends, and it rubbed off on them. Even though there was a five-year age gap that stood between them.

Someone at school told me, she began to say, that if you find a four-leaf clover and make a wish, then it will come true. She nodded her head as she got up off the ground, wiped off the filth from her blue sundress and made her way to the swing next to him.

The park was rather small, only a swing set, a sandbox, monkey bars, and a slide. However, it was the place they would always come.

It was their secret place, as the old park was vacant most of the time. She always looked forward to days like this where she could spend time with him, all to herself.

Is that so? What are you going to wish for then?

Hmmm.... She paused for a moment as she thought about what it was she wanted her to wish. That we can stay together forever, she finally spoke, without missing a beat, as she too began to swing.

That is a rather silly wish, don’t you think? Evan asked her. Wouldn’t it be better to ask for something like a ton of candy or no more school?

I’m being serious! Freya exclaimed as she abruptly jumped off her swing, standing before him, glaring. Evan slowed down.

We will always be together right? She asked him in a softer voice, almost as if she was troubled by the thought of them being torn apart.

Of course, we will, Evan told her in a reassuring tone.

You know what that means! She giggled, her cheerful mood quickly returning.

What?

That we’re going to get married when we grow up!

What?! Evan almost shouted.

I’m not joking. Why can’t we? I mean we’re going to be together forever! The young girl spoke as if it was the most common thing in the world.

I want to be Evan’s bride... She cooed.

Okay, he humbly replied as he got up from the swing-set and made his way over to her, softly placing a hand on her head, something that he had always done, when we get older.

Promise? She held out her pinky finger.

Promise, He replied as he wrapped his pinky finger around her own, flashing a quick and warm smile at her, her special smile, the smile that only she received.

Freya chuckled happily as she secretly wished to the four-leaf clover, that they could be together forever.

Freya?

The memory of the past hastily faded to black as Freya shook her head. She wasn’t even sure why she had that sudden flashback from seven years earlier; well no that was a lie, she secretly knew.

She turned her head toward the voice who called her, which was her older sister, who gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Her mother was on her other side, holding her hand. They were both trying to offer a secret condolence.

She turned back in front of her and spotted Evan in the distance as he leaned down and hugged both of his parents. A group of his friends from school was also lingering nearby.

That was right; Evan was saying goodbye to everyone. They were standing in the train station as Evan was about to leave for another state to attend a college for MED school. Even though he had just turned eighteen and graduated not even a week ago, he was suddenly leaving.

Freya just stood there; frozen on the platform, not able to bring herself to be near him at the moment. She wanted to call out to him; she wanted to be near him, but yet she was unable to speak, the words getting caught in her throat.

She didn’t want him to leave.

She had only found out about it a few months earlier; Evan waited to the last second before finally confessing about his plans. However, she didn’t want to believe it was happening. She wanted to wake up from this nightmare.

Freya, she heard her name being called once again, but this time, it was Evan that spoke. He turned and faced her, giving her that brilliant smile that just belonged to just her, holding out his arms toward her. It was as if the smile melted her frozen body and she finally flung herself toward him, screaming out his name as she fell into his arms.

She dug her face into his chest, breaking down as the tears rushed down her cheek, crying until there were no tears left. Evan stood there and held her firmly, patting her on the head, not saying a word. She gradually lifted her face and looked at him and into his dark blue eyes.

Will you come back for me? She asked him. The closer she was up to him; the realization of their age difference was almost too much for her to bear. His eighteen-year-old self-seemed eons older than her. She felt like she could never catch up to him, but she didn’t want to let go. She felt like he was the only one that was holding her up.

He gave her a dishearten smile as he wiped away the remaining tears from her cheek.

Goodbye, Freya, he whispered with a frown. He leaned down and kissed her fondly on the forehead.

During their encounter, the train had entered the station and was calling for the last boarding. Evan pulled away from her; for she was reluctant to let go of him before he turned around and made his way toward the train.

She watched as his parents reminded him to call when he got there, and his friends joked around about not drinking so much. Everyone was laughing and smiling, but she was unable to do that. It was something that she couldn’t comprehend.

Freya watched as he swiftly boarded the train, he did not turn around and look back. However, he did poke his head out a nearby window and called out to everyone, waving with a giant goofy grin on his face, as the train began to move.

Freya felt her heart drop as she watched as he got farther away from her. She unexpectedly burst forward and began to run down the platform, screaming out his name, more tears forming and streaming down her face. She could hear her mother and sister calling from behind, but she did not stop, she couldn’t.

She watched as he looked at her with a frown, before retreating into the train and closing the window, but even, so she kept on running. She couldn’t understand anything anymore, and there were so many unanswered questions: why was he leaving? Why could he leave with a smile so easily? Why couldn’t they be together anymore?

Evan, she whispered as she finally reduced to a slow walk as the train turned around a bend and was no longer in sight.

Good-bye, She whispered under her breath, feeling as Evan had taken her heart with him as he left an empty shell behind.

Chapter One

Freya Young! It’s time to wake up; you’re going to be late!"

Freya snapped her eyes wide open as she heard her mother hollering downstairs. She groggily rubbed her eyes, letting out a giant yawn.  She calmly turned and looked at her alarm clock as it flashed 7:30 in bright green bold letters. Freya sat on her bed and stared at it for a moment before her mind jolted awake, and she flung herself from her bed and threw on a simple t-shirt and jeans before rushing down the staircase.

So you’re finally awake, her mother sighed, as she set out a plate of pancakes in front of Freya as she sat down, her eyes growing wide as she marveled at the plates of bacon, sausage, toasts, eggs and even muffins. It looked like there was enough to feed a whole herd, but it was only her mother her, her sister and herself. Their father died when she was young; Freya didn’t have much of a memory of him.

Her mother always cooked an extensive breakfast, since she worked in the evenings they didn’t get to have dinner together that much, so she wanted to make sure there was at least one time during the day that they all sat together. The food never seemed to go to waste, though, despite there only being three people to eat it.

You’re a junior in high school now; you would think you would start acting like it. Her older sister Darla said, rolling her eyes, as she sat on the opposite side of the kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee.

Freya just gave her a dirty look and stuck her tongue out while their mother’s back was turned, she knew she wasn’t helping her case by acting like a five-year-old, but she wasn’t much of a morning person.

Darla just shook her head as she began to twist her brown hair in her fingers as she looked at her phone, a habit that she had picked up from their mother.

Freya started to pile her plate high with food and eagerly dug in, not using any elegant manners as she chewed loudly and talked with her mouth full.

This is so good!

Freya and Darla were the only children of their single mother, and although there was only a three-year difference between the two sisters, Darla liked to act like she was another mother to Freya, instead of an older sister.  Although Freya understood her sister meant well, it did annoy her to no end; she much rather have an older sister than another mother.

Why can’t you girls get along better? Their mother asked as she turned around and gave them the ‘look.' Their mother was a rather plump woman, with short black hair and a round face that was always smiling. She was the shortest of the three girls but made up for it with her loud voice.

Her sister, on the other hand, looked almost exactly like Freya, except her dark hair was much longer, and she often dyed it unique colors (but it was normal now because of her job), and a smirk always seemed to be plastered across her face. The only real difference between the two was the fact that Darla had brown eyes, like their mother, but Freya had green eyes that she got from their father.

Their mother soon sat down at the table and joined the two of them in eating (although Darla was on a diet and didn’t touch anything). Freya secretly liked the fact that even though they were all busy, at least for a little bit, they could get together like this. With her mother working, her sister going to a nearby college and working part time, and Freya still in high school it was hard for them to be together. Although she would never admit it, her mother would never let her down, and her sister would mock her for it. She chuckled to herself at the thought.

Freya, you better hurry up, or you’re going to be late, her mother reminded her after a few moments, as she reached over for a muffin.

Oh, right! Freya quickly finished her food before she went upstairs to grab her backpack.

She grabbed the bag that was lying on her bed before she turned and looked at herself in the mirror. Quickly running her fingers through her hair and checking her breath. Freya was one you would call a natural beauty, but she didn’t do much with herself. She didn’t wear fancy clothes to outline her figure; she hardly ever wore makeup and often or not didn’t act very lady-like. She sighed at herself in her hopelessness.

She then looked at the dozens of pictures that she had taped on the mirror of her and her friends, most of them with her best friend, Grace. However, there were a few when she was younger.

Her eyes soon focused on a four-leaf clover that was taped to the edge of the mirror. She smiled as nostalgia filled her thoughts. She reached up and gently touched it. She was surprised that it had lasted all these years. It was her most valuable treasure.

Freya! She heard her mother call from downstairs. Freya hastily rushed out of her room, said goodbye to her mother and sister before running out the door.

She thankfully only lived about a ten-minute walk away from her school; which was lucky on her part because she didn’t have to ride the school bus. However, because she lived in such a short proximity of the school, she wasn’t permitted to drive there, even though she had her license for a year now.

The town she lived in was small; everything was close together. It was the sort of town where your neighbors all knew your name.  There was only one high school within miles, and there were only about a thousand students that attended.

Freya leisurely made her way to school; she was never one to rush to get to school, even though she was probably going to be late. She closed her eyes as she walked, enjoying the soft breeze. It was a beautiful spring morning, and she was going to take as much of it in as she could, before she would be stuck inside for the next six or so hours.

Miraculously, she managed to get to school a few minutes before the bell for homeroom would ring.

Hey, Freya! Freya’s best friend Grace chirped, as she waved to her from across the classroom, as Freya entered.

Freya and Grace have been friends since the beginning of high school. Grace was a new to the area, and Freya showed her around, the two have been inseparable since then, despite that the two were an odd pair of friends. Grace had secretly saved Freya from herself more times than she could count and for that, she would be forever grateful.

Grace McKenzie was a bubbly blonde hair beauty that went from one boyfriend to the next. She wore top of the line clothing, knew how to put on her makeup correctly, was always into the latest Hollywood gossip.

However, she was also amazingly smart as well, getting the top grades of the school and was even school’s president. Freya admired her.

Hello, prez, Freya winked, knowing