"Hayden."

A cold flood of panic washed over her as she gave him a passing glance, inwardly scolding herself for not leaving sooner. "What... What are you doing here, Tate?"

His eyes pinned to the back of the room rooted Hayden to her spot and she didn't dare so much as draw a breath. "I haven't seen you around lately. Are planning on hurting Vol-"

"No."

Tate lowered his gaze, almost uncertain on rather or not to believe her. Clenching his jaw, he took a few quick strides towards her, gripping the side of her arm, causing her to face him. "What's wrong with you?"

Hayden riveted her gaze on him wordlessly before clearing her throat. "Home."

"What?"

Fixing her eyes on the floor, she quietly repeated. "I'm going home."

"What do you mean, you're going home?" Tate hissed through his teeth as anger built up in the pit of his stomach.

Hanging her head slightly, she closed her eyes as she swallowed thickly. "Tate... It's time for me to cross over..."

Lower lip quivering slightly, a pained look washed over his face. With eyes staring in disbelief, the troublesome teens' stomach turned to ice. "W-What?"

"Tate..." She paused as her hand reached outwards, caressing the side of his cheek. "I don't belong here."

Sighing, Hayden chewed her lower lip as she tried to clear her mind and gather her thoughts. "You should know by now that this house... Is the only reason why we're here. I know you'll never come with me, with Violet being here and all. But-"

Like the cold breath of a grave, her words seemed to cut his very soul. A flood of tears gushed down his ashen pale cheeks staining the rug beneath him. "P-Please, don't go!"

As a great pain welled up in her, she wept silently as she attempted to look away from him. "I'm sorry."

"You promised to stay with me! You promise!" Throat closed tight and each word pitched higher than the last in an effort to squeak out the words that were bottled up inside him. "You can't leave me!"

"Tate." He looked down at her, his heart almost stopped beating. "I love you."

Lips pressing onto his, Hayden kissed him with all the passion she could muster, silencing his cries. Fingers trailing up the back of his head, they intertwined with his hair before abruptly pulling back, she smiled at him a moment before running a thumb under his bottom lip. "Goodbye, Tate."

And like that, she was gone.