One-way flight from Pittsburg Airport to Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

No matter how many times he repeated the itinerary in his head, he still struggled to accept its conditions. When he enlisted a week prior, it had seemed like the perfect solution. Now, he was beginning to doubt his decision.

He took one last look around his room, marveling at how it had already begun to feel like a stranger's home. His parents had already begun to renovate the area, highly anticipating its conversion to an in-home gym. It was disconcerting, really, how little disappointment they had shown about his leaving.

"You're doing this for a reason," Austin mumbled to himself reassuringly. "There's nothing left for you here."

It was the truth.

School at Layton Bay had always been somewhat of a dilemma, what with the legal investigations and circulating rumors. His step-sibling relationship with Karen had grown considerably more toxic since he began taking a stand.

And Ally...

Well, Ally had made it very clear that she wanted nothing to do with him. She didn't trust him, and insisted that this impasse indicated the need for separation. He must have called and texted her a million times. He had even tried to stop by her house. But for some god-forsaken reason, she refused to speak to him. And truth be told, it tore his heart into a million pieces. She had been the first person he had truly trusted in his life; the one person who didn't view him as a terror, or a villain.

So much for that.

He absent-mindedly scrolled through his call log. It had been a few days since he had attempted to contact her. He was trying to make it a point to spread the calls fewer and farther between, so as to make a clean break for himself. He wanted to say good-bye more than anything...But it would only complicate things further. And he had the distinct feeling that he was the last person she'd want to see, anyway.

His finger hovered over the "call" button. He weighed his options.

And then he went for it.

One ring. Two rings.

"Hello?"

"Hey...Long time no talk," he muttered nervously. "I need to ask you a favor."

A pause on the other end. Then a resigned sigh. "Sure. Whatever you need."

"Can you meet me at the Apple Rose Grille? It's important."

Another short pause. "Yeah...now?"

"Now."

"I'll meet you there."

"Thanks...You're the best, M." He ended the call and finally exhaled, knowing what had to be done. He hastily gathered his things, deciding that the Grille would be his last stop on the way to the airport.

Traipsing down the stairs, he studied the pictures adorning the walls. They were mostly of his father and step-mother, even Karen; very few of his own were to be found. He internalized this as further affirmation of his decision.

He paused at the front door and took one last nostalgic look around the house. "This is it," he

muttered to himself. And with that, he was out the door.

"The army?" Mandy demanded in whisper, as though she had spoken a curse word. "What on earth possessed you to do this?"

"It's just...the right thing," Austin offered simply, feeling quite pathetic in his response. It was hard to articulate the instinct to anyone else. It was truly just a primitive drive.

Mandy sighed, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Have you talked to Ally?"

Slash. Every time he heard her name, it was another lashing to his heart.

"No. Does she know you're here?" he inquired, tapping his fingers anxiously on his coffee mug.

"No, of course not," Mandy protested. "She'd kill me."

Austin smiled somberly, knowing this to be true.

"Well...do you plan on talking to her before you go?" Mandy inquired, craning her neck to get a closer look into his eyes.

Austin squared his jaw. "No. She doesn't want to see me."

"I think this would be an exception," Mandy insisted, her panic intensifying.

"It's not up for discussion, M," Austin declined politely. He fished inside his jacket for the item he knew to be tucked safely away within. He unveiled it and presented it to Mandy. "This is a letter I wrote for her. Make sure she gets it. Okay?"

Mandy studied it carefully. Without averting her eyes, she mumbled, "Maybe you should-"

"No," Austin interrupted, knowing what her suggestion was going to be. "This is the only way."

Mandy began chewing on her bottom lip, making a point to avoid his eyes.

"Austin...Seriously...There are things you should know before you do this...Talk to her."

"No," Austin repeated with finality. Frustrated with Mandy's resistance of the letter, he placed it on the table in front of her, fishing money out of his pocket to pay for his coffee. He stood up, slinging his duffel bag over his shoulder. At long last, she raised her eyes to meet him. He swore he saw the beginnings of tears forming.

"M," he began softly. "You're my best friend. Please."

At this, she took a deep breath and hesitantly touched the letter in a manner that gave Austin confirmation.

"I'll miss you," he stated simply, planting a brotherly kiss on the top of her dark hair. "Be safe."

When he turned away, he refused to look back. This was it. Period. And nothing was going to delay the inevitable any longer.