This was it, Neri was leaving us, leaving me, forever.
I just couldn't believe it, tomorrow we would come here to find the whole island empty.
As I stood there, facing her, so many thoughts were going through my head.
I vaguely heard her call out my name, before I started rambling, not having the faintest idea what I was saying:
"I never really told you this..." I took a sharp breath, reconsidering, but continued "What I'm trying to say is..."
"Shh" She put her finger over my mouth, effectively silencing me, and then we kissed.
"I did not ask to go." She told me. This was my very last chance to talk her out of this whole thing,
although I was probably kidding myself, believing she would listen:
"Well then stay. We need you."
I should have used a better argument, but can you blame me for not thinking clearly, my best friend, who also happens to be my crush, was about to leave me to solve problems on another planet.
She gave me a sad smile -I'm certain I'll remember the beautiful look on her face forever- and walked away to say goodbye to Brett.
I felt like crying but I couldn't. I tried to convince myself life would go on, and somehow all our memories would be just that, memories from a long forgotten past. But it wasn't working.
It felt strikingly similar to when dad left us, years ago, but there was a big difference:
when he left, I could blame everything on him, but now, I couldn't. Nowhere in this mess could I blame anything on Neri.
Like she said, she didn't ask to go, she didn't even ask for her incredible gifts. But despite that, she got it, and because she was so incredibly amazing and selfless, she went with it. She went with leaving everything and everyone she had ever known behind to save a home she didn't even know.
Even worse was that all the time she had had left here, she had spent comforting others rather crying herself. She was sad and heartbroken too, she was the one losing everyone. I may have felt like I was losing everyone and the world was ending, but I knew that I'd always have mom and Brett with me.
She didn't, and instead of comforting her, all I did was asking her to stay, knowing full well that she would go anyway, because she's just that stubborn.
I watched as Mera went into the ship, while Neri was taking Brett's hands.
I watched as Neri let go of Brett, and walked away.
She turned around one last time.
I saw her lips move, but I couldn't make out what she was saying.
And then the smoke consumed her, as if it was mocking us, telling us what we didn't want to hear, that we'd lost her.
For a second I was tempted to run after her, but I quickly shook the thought off, knowing that would be stupid and reckless.
I saw the ship leave, and turned around, walking away.
While I was walking, completely lost on what to do now, I heard Brett yell:
"Guys..."
I groaned: what was it now? Hadn't today been bad enough?
That was until I heard him add:
"Guys, she stayed!"
I stood there, frozen in shock. It seemed like all the emotions ever known were rushing through me all at once:
surprise, love, fear, hope, wonder, but most of all, pure joy.
And then I ran, we all did, trapping her in a big group hug.
We walked to the beach.
Everyone listened as she explained why she hadn't left. Well everyone but me, I only pretended to do so.
I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts to listen to her, or anyone else for that matter. That was, until I heard her say those few words with great meaning:
"I belong here, with family."
