A/N: Hope all is well with you guys! As always, thank you for your all your overwhelming support!
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Lauren's POV – 2 Weeks Later – Lakeview High School – Afternoon
Bo was one of the first students to come out of the high school after the last class of the day ended. She immediately saw me in my Elantra and lit up with a bright smile as she made her way over to me. "Hey, what are you doing here?" Bo asked as she got into the car.
"I heard Kenzi missed school today. So, I thought I'd save you a lonely walk home. Are you hungry? If so, wanna go to Five Guys?"
"Sure, I haven't had Five Guys in forever, it's my favorite!" I gave her a smile with a heavy heart. "I know."
Hours Later – McCorrigan Residence – Living Room – Evening
"Thanks for spending a few hours with me. I can't remember the last time we spent more than 2 hours together." I nodded in agreement as we took a seat on the couch.
"Yeah, I know and I'm sorry about that…Bo, there's something I have to tell you." Bo immediately heard my serious tone and matched my demeanor.
"…You know, history has taught me that whenever you say that sentence…My heart ends up broken…Any chance that this time will be different?"
I didn't answer her. I didn't have to. My guilt-ridden eyes answered her for me.
"I have to go away, Bo…" She looked at me in confusion as her eyes started to tear up just like mine. "Go away? Go away where? Why? For how long? Why!?"
Bo shot up from her seat in tears before she calmed herself enough to sit back down. "The hospital is sending me on a medical research expedition to the Congo."
"Can't they send someone else? How about your friends Ciara or Dyson? Can't one of them go instead of you?"
"Ciara already has a full load on her plate and Dyson is a nurse. They need a team of their top doctors to go…I'm sorry, Bo…They'll need us for about 1 to 5 years, depending on the progress we make and the amount of funding that we get every year."
I gently pulled Bo into my arms as she could no longer hold back all her tears. "5 years!? Why does it have to be you!? Why can't someone else go in your place on the team!?"
Bo's sobs broke my heart. I just continued to hold her as tightly as possible while I still could before she pulls away from me when she learns the truth. "…When do you have to leave?"
"Tomorrow. They need me Bo. I need to do this to help people over there as well as for people over here and for my career."
"Tomorrow? Bo lifted her head off my chest with teary eyes. "They gave you no notice?"
"…Actually…" I was having difficulty keeping eye contact with Bo, knowing the truth was about to come out of my mouth and justifiably upset her. "Actually, what?"
"The hospital came to me about this expedition almost 3 weeks ago. I had to give them an answer…on the 20th by noon-"
"The day after my birthday…" She stood up again, looking at me with tearful heartache and realization in her eyes. "…That kiss...I've been waiting for that kiss; my first kiss, since I was 6...and it wasn't even for my sweet 16th birthday at all…It…it was...a goodbye kiss…"
"Bo-"
She shook head, "No, don't…Please leave, Lauren. Please leave now."
I gave her a tearful nod and stood up to leave right before she literally turned her back on me. "My flight leaves from J.S.L. Airport at 9am." Bo showed no indication that she heard me or made any movement to turn around to face me.
So, I did the only thing I could do.
I left.
5 Minutes Later – Malikov Residence
"Hey Kenzi, I know you don't like me…But, can we talk? I'll be quick, I promise. Please?"
Kenzi stared at me for a moment before she gave me a nod and waved me into her home. I think she only agreed to talk to me because she can see that I've been crying…And probably because she knows how much I mean to Bo.
She led me to the living room…that was furnished with several different color bean bag chairs, a 50 inch flat screen TV, and two maple wooden coffee tables…It's very…Interesting.
Kenzi plopped down in a black bean bag chair. "So, what do you want? And don't make fun of my furniture. My mom and I like it."
"I wasn't going to make fun of anything." I assured her as I stood in front of her awkwardly because I didn't want to sit in a bean bag chair. "I know you hate me but, I need you to watch over Bo for me while I'm gone starting tomorrow…For possibly 5 years because of a medical research expedition, which will probably include giving medical attention to those who can't afford it over there…in the Congo."
Kenzi was completely stunned as she looked up at me. "…You're leaving…for 5 years…? Does…does she know? She must know, you wouldn't tell me before you tell her, right?"
"…I just left her…with the news…" She jumped up at my guilt-ridden confession. "You just told her!? You're leaving tomorrow and you just told her!? Why didn't you tell her when the decision was made? I know the hospital wouldn't make a last-minute decision like this so why didn't you tell her as soon as you knew!? When was this decision even made?"
"…The day after Bo's birthday…" Kenzi's eyes zoomed in on me like she was trying to figure something out. "…You came over with Bo's birthday present…YOU OVERHEARD OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT YOU! You're using your job to run away from Bo and her feelings for you!"
"No…I- That's no-" I started pacing back and forth frantically as I tried to explain my decision. "I…Okay! Fine! I agreed to go to the Congo because I'm trying to help Bo move on from me! Kenzi, I want what's best for her and that's not me…we're too far apart in age. I mean, I was even her Nanny."
"I don't hate you." Kenzi stopped me from my frantic pacing with that statement as she sat back down in her bean bag chair. "I always liked you and thought you a good person…I just...hated seeing Bo so heartbroken over you whenever you were with somebody romantically that wasn't her."
"Oh…" I was shocked into a purple bean bag chair due to Kenzi's confession. "I admire you for what you're doing for Bo and I promise you that I'll look after Bo for you while you're gone."
We looked at each other from across the room before I thanked her. After another moment of silent agreement and understanding, I stood up and started to make me way out.
"Lauren?" I stopped and looked back at Kenzi, locking eyes once more. "I think deep down, apart of you has feelings for Bo too because you've so made many big sacrifices over the years just to stay in Bo's life regularly even after she hit puberty. And honestly, I hope that I'm right because truth be told; Bo is never going to stop being in love with you…But anyway, have a safe trip...however long it is. I'll write you or whatever to keep you updated on her, I promise…It's the least I can do for you since you watched over me a lot too whenever I was around Bo, which was basically…all the time."
The Next Morning – J.S.L. Airport
"Attention all passengers. The flight to the Democratic Republic of the Congo is now boarding. Attention all passengers. The flight to the Democratic Republic of the Congo is now boarding."
"LAUREN! LAUREN!" I turned around to the sound of Bo's voice just as I was about to board the plane. "Bo? How did you get in this far without a ticket?"
She was panting heavily from running towards me before I could get on the plane. "My mom and your mom bribed the guy back there to let me through to see you…I had to say goodbye. I had to see you off. Promise me you'll keep in touch with me. Promise me that we'll call, Skype, text, even write letters and that you'll visit if you can. Promise me."
I hugged Bo tightly and whispered in her ear. "I promise you, Bo. I promise you all those things."
"What about your apartment and your car and stuff?" She whispered in my ear as we held each other tightly. "The hospital will be paying for all my bills for me while I'm gone. Evony and Dyson will take care of everything else, including my car."
"…What about Tamsin?" She asked as we pulled apart just enough to look each other in the eyes. "We broke up; she didn't want to do long distance."
"Oh…I'm sorry…" Bo was clearly stunned by the news. I gave her a gentle smile as a soft chuckle escaped my lips. "No, you're not and neither am I." Bo smiled at my statement with a chuckle of her own.
"Attention all passengers. The flight to the Democratic Republic of the Congo is now boarding. Attention all passengers. The flight to the Democratic Republic of the Congo is now boarding."
"I have to go now, Bo." She nodded in agreement as I wiped away her tears. "I know…I love you, Lauren."
"I love you too, Bo." Bo gave me a small smile. "No you don't…at least not in the same way that I love you. But, it's okay because I still know that you're my angel and one day…You will love me the same way that I love you."
I was stunned into silence. She unexpectedly still has a bit of that spark that she had when she was a kid. Only now, she's becoming a beautiful young woman.
"Attention all passengers. This is the final boarding call for the flight to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Attention all passengers. This is the final boarding call for the flight to the Democratic Republic of the Congo."
Bo gave me one more hug with everything she had and I did the same as we both struggled to keep at least some of our tears at bay. "I'll miss you so much, Lauren."
"I'll miss you too, Bo. Be safe and take care, okay?" She nodded, "I will, I promise. You do the same."
"I will, I promise too." I kissed her goodbye on the cheek before I turned around to board the plane.
As I boarded the plane I felt a very slight and warm tingle on my lips that I've never felt before. So I touched my lips wondering…Wondering…if Kenzi was right.
Does some deep down part of me have feelings for Bo? Is it another reason why I've decided to go to the Congo? Am I running away from my own feelings for Bo? Maybe it's just because I'm leaving her? Or maybe Kenzi just got in my head?
So many possible questions and answers…
And I have no idea which question or questions to ask myself or which answer or answers could be correct even in the slightest.
