Morning had arrived much to the surprise of Amity, whom after spending the majority of it talking to Paul, had found herself still awake when the sun had cast it's first light. After their coffee, Paul had driven her home and the two of them had conversed until 3am. Paul would have stayed longer had Amity not urged him out the door. Paul's heart, though always in the right place, at times would cast aside his own needs for the needs of others. After that, Amity had tried for the remaining 3 hours of darkness, to sleep, but it ended up being in vain.

At 6:30am she had forced herself out of bed, and began to down another cup of coffee, to combat her weariness.

"You look awful!" Amity's cousin Lauren said, emerging from her room in her robe and yawning.

"Did you sleep at all last night? I heard you and your friend talking" Lauren yawned again and went to the fridge.

"He left around 3am and then I couldn't sleep" Amity stared at her coffee, having developed a hatred for the wretched stuff.

"Well, if you jump in the shower now, I'll make you breakfast" Lauren said, glancing at her watch and sipping a coke.

"Deal" Amity replied, tipping her wasted coffee down the drain.

After enjoying a wonderful breakfast, consisting of slices of various melon, mixed with strawberries and grapes, then drenched in low fat yoghurt, Amity and Lauren were back to last minute packing.

"Now make sure you be extra careful with this ok. I paid heaps for it and really want it to get to Aunty Caroline in one piece" Lauren said, as she added the finishing touches on her present for Amity's mother.

"I will, don't worry" Amity said, reassuringly.

Suddenly Lauren stopped packing and began to nervously pick at her nails, a habit which Amity hated.

Click…click…. click…

"You know I hate that" Amity threw some discarded wrapping ribbon at Lauren.

"I know, and I'm sorry it's just that…you are coming back right?"

Amity went quiet. Although she had been treating her trip home as strictly 'short term' that wasn't entirely true. Amity knew that being back home would make her feel so safe and secure that after a couple of days there, she'd lose all will to return. But now, seeing Lauren so down, she wanted so badly to be strong, and  to put in a real effort to come back.

"Of course I'm coming back." She hoped it was true.

"Somehow, the fact that you've packed up everything you own, leads me to believe otherwise" Lauren accused.

"Geez, you sound like I'm abandoning you" Amity protested.

"Well in a way you are!" Lauren shot back.

Amity shook her head. Why was everybody suddenly baring their feelings to her? She couldn't take much more of this.

"Well, we had this whole plan Am-! Finish high school and move out to DC together! We've both got jobs and friends here, and I've got school…I mean, I thought you were gonna start classes at my college next year and I was even excited about that! You're not only my cousin, but you're one of my best friends aswell…and then you go and you get all these new friends, and their all famous and stuff, and then something happens with some guy and now you're just ditching me!"

"I'm ditching you? Is that what you think? How can you sit here and say these things to me? You know what happened between Benji and me, you know how hurt I am…Haven't you noticed what I've been going through the past couple of days? Lauren, it hurts so much! And although you're my cousin and I love you, I just can be here anymore" Amity had to control her voice, which was cracking up all over the place. She placed her palms to her cheeks and rubbed between her eyes. Everything was so messed up and she had no idea how it had all happened. If this is what love does to people, then she never wanted to fall in love again.

Lauren, who had thought it best to back down, after what Amity had just said, was now torn. On the one hand, she wanted Amity to stay, and although she knew it was selfish, she didn't give a damn. But on the other hand, she knew that it was Amity's life, and therefore the decision to leave was also up to her. But Lauren knew that there were other things to consider. Things, which she believed Amity, in her sudden haste to depart, had neglected to give thought to. How were Amity's friends feeling? Surely the friend that had stayed half the night talking to her, didn't want Amity to leave either, and what if Amity was wrong, and that guy that she loved, felt the same way, Amity's leaving, or running away, would ruin any chance for things to ever work out between them. Could Lauren just sit back and let her leave without informing her of the full picture? Or had Amity already seen the full picture and after reviewing it, decided to put herself first.

"I just don't want you to go" Lauren mumbled, through tears.

"I think you're leaving for the wrong reasons, and I think that you should talk to that guy, and…Am-, what am I gonna do here all alone?"

Amity hated seeing her cousin in such a state. She knew she owed Lauren more than that; she had to comfort her somehow.

"I'll come back" was the best she could manage.

"Yeah" Lauren nodded, forcing a laugh. Amity knew she didn't believe her.

"Lauren, I promise I'll come back" She turned Lauren's head to face her.

"I Promise" She repeated.

"Oh Am-" Lauren threw her arms around Amity's neck and did her best not to cry her makeup onto her shoulder.

Five minutes later, Amity was all ready to go. She now stood at the door awaiting her cab and Lauren, who had cheered up immensely, was waiting with her.

"Remember to call as soon as you land," She said

Amity was in the middle of replying her, when she remembered something important.

"Oh God, Lauren. My puppy! I left him at the guys' place" Amity began to panic.

"Ok Am- calm down, don't worry. I'll take care of it" Lauren said, assuming big sister mode which, since she was 2 years older, sometimes did.

Amity scribbled down the address and phone number and handed it to Lauren.

A toot sounded outside, and Amity knew it was time to leave.

"Well, take care of yourself girl" Lauren embraced Amity, one last time, and finished helping the driver load her luggage into the trunk.

As, she drove away; Amity placed a hand to the back window. Lauren remained waving on the street till Amity was out of sight.