My mom came and we packed up. I said good-bye to everyone. They all left Joe and I alone for a minute. I started to cry a little bit. He wasn't crying, but he was sad.
"Your crying?" He asked. I nodded my head.
"I'm going to miss you." I said.
I never told him how I wasn't coming back. I knew that I could never come back. My mom had threatened me or as she said, it's not a threat, but a promise. I either went home with her, or she would make it to where I would never see Joe again. I couldn't let her hurt him. I had to go.
"I'm going to miss you too, Tess. But I'll see you soon!" He said. I started to cry a little bit more.
He wouldn't see me soon. He wouldn't see me for a long time.
He kissed me. I looked up in his eyes and saw everything that I've ever wanted, but now can't ever have.
This was the right thing to do right?
Not telling him that I'm not coming back?
Going home with my mom so that Joe would be safe?
My thoughts got all jumbled up in my head. He kissed me again and I wrapped my arms around him. We pulled apart at the lips, but held each other for a long time.
"Call me when you get home." He said.
"I will." I said back. He squeezed me a little bit.
"I love you, Tessa." He said. I was about to loose it.
"I love you too, Joe." I said. We pulled apart and my mom walked on.
"Come on, Tessa. Let's go home." She said. I kissed Joe on the cheek and left. I got in the car and waved good-bye to everybody until I couldn't see them anymore.
"You made the right choice, Tessa." My mom said. I didn't look at her. I stared out my window the whole way to the airport. I reached my hand around my neck and held on to the necklace that Joe gave to me.
We got on the plane and it took off. My mom fell asleep.
I silently cried while holding on to the necklace still. I held on to it the entire time.
We got home and I walked into my room. It was so weird to be there again.
"I'm going to bed. Good-night." My mom said. She looked at me. I didn't say anything. "You can't stay mad at me forever." She said. She walked off into her room.
I went into my backyard and stood on my porch. I looked up at the stars and started to cry. I held my cell-phone in my hand. I wanted to call him, but I knew it would be too hard. Finally I decided to call him.
It rang and rang and rang. Then it went to his voicemail. I left him a message.
Hey Joe, It's Tessa.
Umm, I'm home. Just wanted to let you know. Call me back. Love you. Bye.
I hung up and started to loose it. I sat in the chair staring at the stars praying that one day Joe would understand why I did what I did and would forgive me.
My phone rang. It was Joe.
I let it ring a couple of times, then I answered it.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Tess."
"Hey you."
"So your home?"
"Yeah."
"Sorry I didn't answer. I was taking a shower."
"It's ok."
"You sound upset. What's wrong?"
"It's nothing."
"It's never nothing, Tessa. What's wrong?"
"Joe, I can't tell you now."
"Tessa, you can tell me anything at anytime! You know that!"
"I don't think your ready for this, though."
"I'm ready for anything. I mean it can't be that bad, right?"
"Joe, I'm not coming back to New Jersey."
……Silence……
"Joe please say something."
"What do you mean your not coming back to New Jersey."
"I lied to you. When I said I was going home for my great-grandma's funeral, I lied."
"Well then why did you go home?"
"For reasons that I can't say. I had to do it, Joe. You have to believe me."
"So your home for good?"
"Yes, but you have to understand why."
"Why then, Tess? Why are you home for good?"
"I wish I could tell you, I really do. But I can't."
"What could it possibly be? You don't love me anymore? Your tired of me? What is it?"
"Joe, I love you so much. I could never be tired of you."
"Then WHY did you go home for good?"
"If you love me, you'll understand why I can't tell you!"
"Then I guess I don't love you."
"Wh….what?"
"Tessa, I don't understand why you can't just tell me!"
"Because of reasons! I did what I did because I had to. To protect you!"
"Protect me? Tessa what was going to happen to me if you didn't go home?"
"I can't tell you, Joe! Please just understand! Please!"
"I can't understand when your not telling me anything!"
"Because I can't tell you anything! If you love me than you'll understand!"
"If you love me then you'll tell me!"
"I can't tell you!"
"Then you don't love me! Tessa, I can't handle this! I'm going."
"Joe wait!"

*click*
And with that click, I knew that things would never be the same again.