It was a beautiful summer evening. The sun was late to set and shadows were beginning to stretch across the ground. I was sitting on my bed in a t-shirt and a pair of running shorts reading one of my favorite books. The air in the room was hot but a breeze from the open doors of my balcony cooled me down.

There was a knock on the door.

I answered without looking up from my book. "Come in!"

I heard the visitor enter the room and shut the door slowly, deliberately until it clicked into place. I looked up and saw my best friend Puck.

"Hey!" I smiled and went back to reading. "What's up?"

Silence.

I looked up at him again. He hadn't moved from his spot by the door and was searching the old red carpet with his eyes.

I traced his gaze to see what he was staring at, but there was nothing there. I looked back at him and raised my eyebrows in question. "Puck?"

"What?" He met my eyes. "Oh, sorry, I guess I'm a little distracted." He crossed his muscled arms over his chest and leaned against the wall. He bit his lower lip and stared at the floor again.

I put down my book a little concerned. Something was wrong, but I knew better than to ask. If he wanted to tell me, he would.

Our relationship had changed over the years. There were still pranks and mean jokes, of course, but there was something different, a closeness that was never there before. We talked about anything and everything, went out with friends and had fun together. As my best friend, as my closest friend, he held a special place in my heart.

While I paused, waiting for Puck to say something, I studied him. His curly blond hair was damp from the shower I heard running a while ago and his white t-shirt and jeans were clean. His eyes were distant and they looked full of pain. That worried me, Puck is not easily shaken. Whatever was bothering him must've been serious.

But he wouldn't speak. So I let him stand there, and I went back to my book. I knew he'd tell me when he was ready to.

Time passed. Every now and again I looked up at Puck to see he hadn't moved an inch. Except for drumming his fingers on his arm, he was perfectly still.

Twenty minutes later, he spoke.

"I'm leaving."

What? Surely I had heard wrong. I looked at him and shook my head. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

He pushed off the wall and walked outside to the balcony. I put my book down once more and followed him. We stood side by side next to the railing, facing the fields and beyond that, the woods. The sun was almost gone and the stars were starting to appear. The crickets were chirping, the breeze cool against the back of my neck, and everything was peaceful; everything except my insides. A million thoughts and emotions were raging through me like a hurricane. I didn't know what to think, I didn't know what to feel. I turned from the scenic view to face freak boy on my left. I crossed my arms and waited.

He met my steady gaze, looked away and sighed.

"I'm leaving Ferryport Landing."

I felt my heart drop like a stone. "Why?"

This time, he holds my gaze. "There are some…things I have to take care of."

"Like what?"

"Nothing you need to know about."

I cocked my head slightly, annoyance prickling inside me. "Okay…have you told anyone else?"

He shook his head.

"When are you leaving?"

"Tonight."

"Where are you going?" I pressed.

"I can't tell you."

Now I'm ticked.

"Why can't you tell me?" I demanded. "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing," he said softly.

"Nothing?" I hissed. "Out of the blue you announce that you're leaving, but you can't tell me where you're going and you can't tell me why?" By this point I'm almost shouting, and the only thing keeping me from letting go completely is the fact that Basil is in bed sleeping,

"I'm your best friend, you fugly baby!" I paced the balcony, totally infuriated. But my anger was misdirected. I was upset about him leaving, not about him keeping secrets from me. I just didn't want him to leave. I begged, "Why won't you tell me?"

"Sabrina-"

"And what about your life here? You're just going to drop everything and leave? What am I supposed to tell my family?"

"Sabrina!"

I stopped pacing and whirl around to face him. "What!"

He stepped to me and grabbed my shoulders, I turn my head away. "Look at me!" he barked. When I refused to, he said it again more gently, "Look at me, Stinkface,"

Reluctantly, I looked into his eyes.

His eyes were green, the color of lush fields you see only in dreams. His lashes were long and dark, his eyes warm and calm. They soothed me, I felt better, peaceful even. But I still wanted answers. I looked away and whispered. "Please don't leave, Puck."

A moment passed and then I heard, "Do you trust me?"

I looked in his eyes again. "Yes."

A small smile danced on his lips. "Then trust me." He stepped back and let go of me, the grin gone from his face. "I have to go now." He turned around and started to flutter his wings.

The panic came racing back. "Wait! Puck!" He paused and looked back at me. "When…when are you coming back?"

He looked at out at the horizon. I waited for an answer, but none came.

"You are coming back…aren't you?"

He pursed his lips and looked back to me. He didn't need to say anything; his silence said more than words ever could.

"Good bye, Sabrina."

And just like that, he was gone.