Chapter 1: End of days together
It was a warm, sunny day. The sparkling of the ocean was more tempting than ever.
"Gorgeous, isn't it?" Cleo said, her eyes closed, and a small smile on her lips.
"Not for much longer." Rikki replied, deep in her thoughts, her eyes closed too.
"Oh, come on, what's not to love?" Bella said smiling, her eyes also shut close.
They were in the moon pool, sharing one of their final moments there together, and were holding each other's hands.
The three girls had cleaned the place, but as good as it was looking now, it would never be the same like it used to be before Ryan and Sophie decided to blow it off because of their stupid gold rush.
Rikki recalled all the good times she had in the moon pool and how deeply connected she was to it.
"I miss Emma." She said all of a sudden. "I wish she could come back and reunite us once again, before we all go on our different directions."
And one tear slide on her cheek, but she wiped it away before anyone could see it. She hated the thought they would all go to the opposite sides of the world, away from each other and from Mako.
Cleo was going to America, to study science and marine biology with Lewis. Will was going to the Caribbeans, to continue with his diving career and Bella was going to Japan with her family. Rikki, herself, was going to Europe with her father, being accepted to one of the most prestigious dance academies in the world and was going to make one of her biggest dreams come true. Zane was staying in Australia, to manage Rikki's, which now thanks to Rikki's return as a result of Zane's non-stop begging, was a major success and was gaining huge profits, making itself the most popular cafe in Sidney and in Australia as well.
"Yeah." Cleo replied. "I wish she would come back before we all go our separate ways." And warm tears started falling her cheeks.
She turned around to hug Rikki and rested her head on her friend's shoulder. Rikki hugged Cleo with one hand and Bella with the other. They result of the hug was more warm tears rolling their cheeks. Even Rikki herself, allowed the tears to beat her up just this once. When they released from the hug, Cleo was the first to speak.
"We have to go. It's getting late."
Bella nodded quietly, but Rikki said, "You go, I'll stay. I don't want to go yet."
"Ok." Bella nodded. "Tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. at the cafe, right?"
"Right." Rikki nodded back. "And from there we'll go together to the airport."
Bella and Cleo nodded and left the place. Rikki looked around with a smile of sadness. She was gonna miss Mako so much.
The curly blond could hear all the laughter, all the tears, all the talks they all had there, echoing all over the place. She rested her head on her arms and closed her eyes. Two small tears rolled down her eyes. Even though she was always the "though guy", and even though she would never admit it, she was going to miss her friends and this place, probably more than all of them would miss it, put together.
Deep in her thoughts, and with her eyes shut, she started falling asleep. When she woke up, it was already night time and the stars were shining brightly. Rikki quickly swam away trying not think about the following day.
{ * }
That night Zane couldn't sleep. He was laying in his bed and was wishing for the morning to never come.
He just didn't want Rikki to go.
Zane knew I had to let her follow her dreams, but he couldn't imagine my life without her. They weren't together anymore, but ever since she'd come back to working at the cafe, he thought he could make his way back to her heart. Now, however, she was leaving and he hated the thought of losing her.
He turned his head and checked the time. It was quarter past midnight. He quietly snuck out of his room and of the house and went directly to Rikki's place. He wanted to talk to her and it couldn't wait. He threw a little stone to her window, but nothing happened. She was either sleeping or was not in her room. Then he heard a voice behind him.
"Zane?! What are you doing here?"
He turned around in a flash. Rikki was coming towards the house and himself. It seemed she was coming home. He walked straight at her direction and before she could do anything he took her hand in his.
"Would you come for a walk with me? I have something important I want to tell you."
"It's late, Zane. Can't it wait for tomorrow?"
"No. Please Rikki, only for a few minutes."
"Fine." She sighed.
"Thanks." Zane said and they went for a walk on the beach.
"So what do you want to talk with me about?"
"I want to apologize to you."
"What?" She said and stared at him shocked and with her eyes wide open.
He took her hand in his, making her stop walking, and watching her right in the eyes he started talking.
"I wanted to apologize to you. I treated you very bad and I had hurt you numerous times. But I love you more then I'll ever be able to love somebody, and I'm so sorry. I'm so terribly sorry for everything I've done to you. You mean the world to me and it's very painful for me to know everything's over between us. I couldn't let you go, without telling you all this." Zane finished and observed her reaction.
She was shocked but deeply touched by his words. Deep in her eyes tears started to form.
"Thank you." She said with a little smile. "Thank you for the beautiful words. They really mean a lot to me. But why are you telling me all this now?"
"I don't know." He said and tears formed in his eyes too. "Maybe I just felt the need to tell you this before you leave. Even though I know I've already lost you long ago."
"You've never lost me." She said shocking him. "Not really."
"What does this mean?" Zane asked, his heart filling with hope, though he knew she was still leaving tomorrow.
"Does it have to mean anything?" She asked with sadness in her voice.
"I don't know." Zane shrugged. "But does it mean that you still-"
"I always will." She said only. "But sometimes I'd rather not to."
"Don't talk like that." Zane said, because he couldn't bear to hear her saying something like that.
It was too painful, like she was stabbing his heart with a knife. He gently fondled her cheek with his hand and put one of her beautiful blond curls behind her ear.
"Zane-" She began, unsure of what to say but he stopped her putting his finger on her lips.
"Shh, don't say anything." He told her and gave her a small smile.
He leaned forward and his lips touched hers. He could feel the fire burning in both of their hearts. He then gently broke the kiss and hugged her tight.
"I'm going to miss you so much!" He said.
"Me too." She replied and a tear rolled down her cheek.
In that moment he realized how hard it really was for her to leave, and in how much pain she was. He realized Rikki Chadwick, the strongest person he'd ever known, was actually crying and he knew for fact she never cried a tear. Tears filled his eyes too, because his heart was breaking to see her like that and to know this is the last time he's holding her in his arms before she leaves.
He lifted her in his arms and sat on the beach, holding her tight to him. Her head was resting on his chest and for the next few minutes none of them said anything. In the silence the only thing that could be heard was the small waves of the ocean sliding up and down the cold sand, and their quiet sobbing.
"What will you miss most when you go?" Zane asked her quietly.
She looked at him recalling the same words said by her to Cleo and Emma. She gave him a small smile.
"I don't know." She said at first, but then her eyes found his and she added, "You. I'll miss you."
"Really?" He asked trying to remain calm, but inside his heart was jumping of joy.
Rikki nodded. She moved herself in a sitting position and stared at his face for a few seconds before she leaned forward and her lips met his. Zane put his hands on her back and she put hers around his neck, pressing her body against his. He realized where this was going, so reluctantly he gently broke the kiss to look in her eyes.
"Rikki, that's not a good idea. You're upset and I don't want to take advantage of you. Let's just go home." But she stopped him with a kiss.
His words were all the more reason for her to want him.
She pushed him down to the sand and climbed on top of him. One of her hands was still around his neck, but the other was sliding lower and lower. She was becoming bolder and he loved that. He couldn't help but moan because of her firm and passionate, but at the same time warm and gentle touch. She pressed her body against his and kissed him roughly on the lips.
Something in her had changed. Maybe because of her leaving, maybe no something was definitely changed.
A couple of hours later, when it was about 4 a.m. they were wrapped in each others hands, their bare bodies resting on the cold sand. Rikki was sleeping, with a little smile on her face, but Zane was wide awake and looking at her. His eyes were traveling up and down her beautiful body.
A tear rolled down his cheek. She was the best thing in his whole life.
How was he supposed to just let her go when he was hurting so much?!
He was now staring somewhere over the dark surface of the ocean. More tears filled his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. He didn't notice when Rikki had woken up until she gently touched his cheek, to wipe away the tear rolling down his face. He looked down at her.
"It's ok. Everything will be ok." She said quietly.
"I'm not so sure." Zane replied.
"Be sure." Rikki said and gave him a small smile. "My heart was broken, but now it's fixed. And do you want to know why?! Because of you. Because of the strength you gave me and because oof the strong love you feel for me."
She moved to put her face on the same line as his, giving him a big smile.
"I'm ready now. I'm ready to go to Europe, because last night I realized something very important."
He felt her heartbeat next to his. Both their hearts were beating as one. They way they hadn't beaten for a very long time.
"What?" He asked her.
"I realized I'm not leaving you, the guys and Mako. Not really. Because wherever I go, you'll be always in my heart! And as long as you're in my heart, we're together!"
And she pressed her lips on his. Then she gently pulled out from the kiss and fondled his cheek.
"I have to go." She said and started standing up, but he gently caught her hand.
"Please don't go yet."
"I have to." She said. "I'm sorry."
He nodded quietly and watched her as she dressed up. She then took off something from her pocket and stretched her arm, opening the palm of her hand.
"Take this."
He looked down to see what she was giving him and his eyes widened.
"Rikki, I can't." He said looking at the silver necklace with a red gem stone, he had given to her so long ago.
"Please, take it. It'll be safer with you and that way you'll always have a piece of me with you."
And she put it in his hand, closing his fingers. She smiled at him and gave him a peck on the cheek, hurrying at the direction of her home. He looked after her until she disappeared of his sight. He then put his clothes back on and got home to take a shower. He wanted to make something for Rikki before she leaves to Europe. Something special.
{ * }
When Cleo woke up it was 6:00 a.m.
She looked at the photo on her nightstand of Rikki, Emma and her. Next to it was a photo of her, Rikki, Bella, Lewis, Will and Zane. She took the photo with Emma in her hands and sighed.
Rikki was right.
It would've been wonderful to reunite Emma before we go, but now it was too late. She put back the photo and slid out of the covers.
The brunette looked around her room. She was going to miss it so much. Someone knocked on the door.
"Come in." She said.
The door opened and to her surprise Kim entered the room. Her eyes were red, like she had cried.
Ever since she'd found out about Cleo going to America, she'd started acting so not like herself. She stopped teasing the brunette, she was trying to spend as much time with her in one room, as she could, and she was acting way nicer to Sam.
Now Cleo wondered why she'd come to her room.
"Kim, what's going on?" She said looking at her with concern.
She didn't say anything, she just looked at Cleo. At the next moment she threw herself in her arms and bursted into tears.
"I'm going to miss you so much!" She whispered.
Tears started running down Cleo's face too.
"I'll miss you too!" She whispered back.
When they released from the hug the brunette looked at her watch and realized she had to go.
"Look, I have to go now. But I promise you I'll call you every day!"
And Cleo smiled at Kim. She hugged her one more time and went to the bathroom.
She barely had closed the door and bursted into tears. She went to the sink and put her hands on to it, breathing hard. The thought of going away was so painful. She closed her eyes and all her memories floated right before her eyes. She was going to miss everything so much.
{ * }
When it was already 7:00 a.m. Rikki, Bella, Cleo, Lewis and Will met in front of Rikki's.
"Shall we go inside for one last time before we go?" Lewis asked them.
"Yeah, why not, it'd be like us saying goodbye to this place." Bella nodded.
But when they walked into the cafe, they thought they were dreaming.
The cafe was empty and there were a bunch of colorful posters and balloons with their photos saying things like "Best friends" and "Your home is here where your heart is". On all of the tables there were many different flowers.
"But who...?" Rikki was about to ask when the answer walked out of the office.
He was wearing a white shirt, black pants and a light red tie. He looked more handsome than ever.
"You did all this, didn't you?" She asked with a smile. He nodded smiling back. He stretched his hand to her.
"Follow me, please."
Full with suspicion Rikki obeyed and took his hand. He brought her to the stage, where the band used to play and Bella used to sing. There he gently kissed her cheek and moved to stand on one knee.
"What are you doing?" Rikki asked, feeling her heart was beating so fast it would break her chest.
He took a little blue velvet box out of his pocket and opened it, revealing the most beautiful ring with a blue stone, exact match of the one hanging out from her neck, but in a diamond shape. She thought she was dreaming. The others were looking at the two of them with smiles full of love, owe and admiration.
"Rikki Chadwick, I love you more than anything in this world. You are the only thing that matters to me and makes me smile every single day. Would you make me the honor to make me smile every single day 'till death do us part?"
He was looking right into her beatuful blue eyes and waited for her answer. She was just standing there speechless and no one could hear the silent fight between her heart and her brains.
The honest truth was that she wanted to scream "Yes" so the whole world could hear her. But she knew she couldn't because she was leaving and she knew perfectly well that the long distant relationships never work. In the end she made her decision.
She heard herself say, "Yes, of course I will!"
A big smile rose upon his face and he put the sparkling ring on her finger, kissing her hand. She leaned and kissed him. He lifted her the way she was standing up and spun her around. She was glowing with a big smile on her face.
Then all of them celebrated the engagement and most of all their life together. They were having fun like they have never had before. And they tried not think of tomorrow when they'd be long gone. Because they knew that four hours later they all will have to leave the town and would have to change their lives...maybe forever.