The sea lapped at the sand as the noise of the party faded into the ever growing darkness. The murmur of music changed from the fast upbeat songs, to a slow, calm song, which was a welcomed change. He took her by the hand and spun it high above her head so she twirled underneath. He put his arm round her waist so her own arm crossed her stomach; they walked like this up the beach, comforted by each other's warmth, happy in each other's silence, soothed by the sea.

As they walked Lilly rested her head on James' arm. They soon came up to a small alcove within some large rocks. Still hand in hand they sat. A cold, light sea spray kept the two of them cool in the ever fleeting warmth of summer. James stared out over the calm, black sea, the full moon reflected on its surface. Lilly glanced at him; he looked worried, which instantly pulled her out of her own thoughts.

"What's wrong?" She asked, trying to hide the tone of concern that floated on her voice.

"Oh, nothing," he replied, shaking his head and blinking away his thoughts.

"James," Lilly said, sternly, "I know you too well, what's bothering you?"

"How long have we known each other?" He said in a small voice as he turned to face her.

"Seven years, eight in September," she was beginning to worry, "why do you ask?"

"I just wondered if you still remembered the day we met."

"Of course I do, how could I ever forget the day that some kid I barely knew stood up to a group of bullies when I couldn't myself?"

"Do you still remember what you said to me just before we left the school grounds?"

"Yeah" she took her hand out of his and held it out to shake hands, "'friends forever, no matter what'," she recited

James took her hand "no matter what" he repeated

"Now will you tell me what all of this is about?" Lilly said as she released James' hand.

He looked down at his hands and sighed "I have to move."

"Please say you mean to another street or at furthest another town." She pleased, feeling sharp pains behind her eyes.

James looked up at Lilly then quickly out to sea. "I'm sorry" he whispered in a shaky voice as he dropped his head again.

"Where are you moving to?" Lilly choked back tears at the thought of losing her best friend.

"America", he sighed

"When?"

"Four weeks tomorrow"

"Why are you leaving? I thought you said we would always be together." A tear escaping from her eye.

"I know, I did. I thought I was but my brother got accepted into Stanford and my dad's job transferred him out there and my mum doesn't want the family to split." James dared to look up at Lilly and saw tears streaming down his face and wished he didn't have to go. "Please don't say anything to the others; I want to tell them when I can face it." He said in a small voice.

"So wait you haven't told Jack or Matt yet?" Lilly asked, trying to wipe away her ever flowing tears.

"Not yet I wanted you to be the first to know, sorry for ruining you night."

"It's not completely ruined, you could do worse." Lilly tried to joke but only just forced the smile to show it.

Through the seven years James had known her he had never made her cry, he couldn't stand it when she cried but in that moment then he couldn't do anything, unlike before when he could take away her pain this time he couldn't, there was nothing he could do to stop it. He knew this goodbye would be hard and he couldn't say what he wanted to say because it would make it even harder, he wouldn't be able to leave. He wanted to tell her but he was unsure of how she would react. He couldn't take the pain if he ruined their friendship just before he left. If he did ruin it there was a chance he would never be able to make it up because he may never see her again.

James looked at his watch, nine thirty. "I better get you home." He said he really didn't want to take her home; he wanted to cheer her up.

"Yeah" Lilly tried to smile, but wished she didn't have to go home, she didn't want to leave him; she didn't want this night to end so the end of the four weeks would never come.

James looked up into Lilly's eyes. His hand moved up to cup her face as he wiped away her tears with his thumb. "Please don't cry, I wish I could stay, I really do." He begged "I'll write letters when I can, if they're letters I can write them during school. And they're cheaper than texts and-"

James was stopped by Lilly's finger pressed to his lips, "I'll write back, but please" her hand fell back to her lap and she looked down "I'm sorry." Her tears began to fall again.

James used the hand that was still cupped round her face to get her to look back into his eyes, "please, you have nothing to be sorry for, I hate to see you cry. I'm so sorry." And with that he tilted his head and pressed his lips gently to hers. Suddenly Lilly felt all the sadness and pain, of losing a friend, ease. I that moment she was almost completely happy but it ended too soon.

James pulled away and stood up, holding his hand down to Lilly. "I better get you home before the tide comes in and we get stuck here." Lilly reached up and took his hand and pulled herself up. But Lilly was too close to the edge of the rock she was sitting on so she fell directly into James, who had to take a couple of steps to steady himself.

"I'm so sorry." Lilly blushed.

"It's okay." James smiled down at her. James stood a head taller than Lilly, he bent his head and kissed the top of her head lightly, "please no more tears. I should be the one who's sorry and I am. I wish there was something I could do. I pleaded with my parents but they wouldn't listen. I tried to reason with them but-"

"It's fine, I know you tried. I know you wouldn't leave without trying."

James sighed, "I better get you home."

Lilly nodded in response, she couldn't look James in the eye, she was just getting some control over her emotions. She hated losing control, round James she was good with keeping control but tonight it was slipping away too fast for her to cope. James squeezed her hand lightly and began to lead her up the beach to the steps that lead off the sand. Lilly walked half a step behind James, trying to slow his pace; she didn't want her time with him to end.

They were walking down Lilly's road when James wrapped his arm around her waist. As they neared her house James tightened his grip and when they were outside it James spun Lilly round to face him and snaked his other arm round her back and squeezed her against him lightly. "I need you to understand that I never wanted this to happen. I want to stay. I-" James was cut off again. This time Lilly had risen onto tiptoes and pressed her lips to his briefly.

"There, that shut you up." Lilly giggle, she didn't realise she did till James smiled at her.

"Sorry." He said as he looked into her eyes.

"I know you don't want to go and I know you didn't realise this was going to happen. I know you did all you could but we better go in before my mum worries too much."