This is Chapter One of my Because Series which will be in 19 parts, this came to me one night and has been guest in my note pad for about seven months. Its time I let the world read it...

Because Forever Means Always

Kate is leaving Iowa for greener pastures, but there is something she has to do before she leaves. Someone she has to say goodbye to.

The moon cast its light into the lake that lay at the back of the Austin's house. It was nearing midnight and even though it was December the heat of the Iowa sun still hung in the air. Standing at the edge of the lake was a young boy, in his hands a gift, in his heart… dreams of forever. He was not alone; sitting next to him her feet dipped into the cool translucent waters was a young girl. Her waist length brown tresses blowing gently in the warming wind.

He looked out across the lake and took a deep breath

"So I guess this is it? You're really leaving?"

The girl looked up at him, not meeting his gaze for fear of seeing the hurt she knew he was feeling.

"Yeah, I guess so"

She looked around trying desperately not to get caught up in the moment; she had lived in Little Town for 17 years and was moving in the morning to Boston. She was moving because her mom had gotten a new job, and she knew that they had to go. It was their only chance for a new life… away from Little Town… away from Wayne.

The boy moved himself so that he sat right next to her and began to take off his own shoes. He placed the gift between them and nodded at it.

"I got you something… it's not much but its something right?"

She looked at the gift, he heart raced. She didn't know why but this just didn't feel right. She knew that in an hour he wouldn't be feeling the same way he did right now she had to let him down gently. After all she had heard about long distance relationships, they never worked…never. She moved her hand to the gift but didn't pick it up, instead she pushed it back across the grass towards the boy.

"Tom, I can't accept this. We can't do this anymore" was what had came out of her mouth. She hadn't expected it to sound so harsh but it had.

Tom raised his hands to his shoulder length blonde hair and ran his fingers through it.

"I don't understand Katie…we always said… always swore that this, it was forever. You said…"

Kate pulled her feet out of the water and used her hands to push her body up off the floor. She looked down on Tom and realised this was definitely not right. It should have felt harder than this, she should have felt bad about this but she didn't it felt right.

"Tom, we were seven, I'm moving to NYC… its not exactly next door"

He shook his head in disbelief; trying so hard to convince himself he was not hearing this.

"I can get the bus, catch a plane. Why are you doing this Katie? Why won't you just stop running? We said forever…"

"I can't give you forever anymore Tom, I don't want forever. Forever is for people who want the perfect life. It's for good people, and people who deserve it. Forever means Always, and I don't have that to give you. I'm so sorry Tom," She said turning her back on him; she couldn't stand there and watch the tears rolling down his face.

She began to race back to her house, leaving him there in their spot by the side of the Lake. Seventeen years of history just sailing away on those tiny waves that formed when you dipped your feet into a lake.

He sat at the edge of the lake for a few hours, just replaying, reliving everything that had just happened. He knew he'd never see her again, not the old Katie he'd loved all his life. She was a part of his past now, gone the night he'd pledged forever and asked her to cement it. He knew he'd never see her again… the old Katie. He just wished he'd been able to say goodbye.