This is drawing from my own emotions from this summer, since I graduated high school in June.

Reviews are fab!

Recommended Listening: Just Breathe by Anna Nalick

Cindy's red velvet dress swished against her knees. Leaves crackled beneath her black boots. The trees lining the streets of Retroville boasted a vibrant yellow hue. Cindy couldn't help but admire the warm colors all around her. She passed the Candy Bar on her way home—noting all the middle school kids crowding around the greasy tables for Sam's special cider. She thought fondly back to the days when the gang would pile around a table and discuss Jimmy's latest invention inevitably going haywire. With a sigh, she recalled whittling away season after season talking and yelling and laughing with the same four people. Libby, Carl, and Sheen had already left for college. It was soon to be Jimmy's turn, and she was leaving last. True, she'd come to expect the separation as early as sophomore year, but in actuality, it was much more difficult than she'd ever imagined. It was crazy, but she even missed Carl and Sheen blithering like idiots about llamas and action figures.

Then there was Libby. Leaving her best friend was one of the hardest things Cindy had ever done. Libby was a sister to Cindy, and Libby's parents half functioned in place of her own. The day Libby had left, Cindy had gone through all her memorabilia from their childhood years. Old mix tapes, dolls sporting ugly tulle dresses, punching bags, teen magazines with personality quizzes. She'd stared at all of it, and cried and cried for hours. Life was so fast. If you didn't take the time to appreciate the moment, it would flash by you in the blink of an eye.

And finally…it had come time to utter her most dreaded farewell. In some ways, she felt guilty, because she knew she was more deeply affected by this parting than any other.

She took a deep breath and continued down the street she had grown up on. The anxiety built up in steady waves as she stopped in front of the dinky tin lab behind the Neutrons' home. Her hands were shaking. She had to knot her hands together to keep them from shaking.

A figure emerged from behind the lab. It was none other Jimmy himself. Over the years, his height had leveled out respectably. He still primarily sported t-shirts and jeans. His eyes had grown bluer if possible, and his smile…God…Cindy could never get the hang of his stupid smile. It disarmed her entirely. But today his warm smile left her feeling colder than ever.

"Hey Cindy. I'm leaving in half an hour." He sounded so excited. Why wouldn't he? He was going to conduct research for NASA while working in an accelerated physics program at Harvard. He was after all, a genius, when it came to it.

Cindy simply nodded. She couldn't find it in her to say anything quite yet. "Everything's packed but I didn't want to get there too early so I'm just sort of waiting for a bit."

She looked up at him, allowing herself to shed a few tears only when she knew he wasn't looking.

"So…is there anything you needed?" He rubbed his neck rather awkwardly.

"It's not like I come to you only because I need things." She snapped.

"I know." He said softly. "No need to take my words at anything more than face value."

"You're the last person I need anything from, Neutron."

It was all coming out wrong. He looked a little annoyed. "Look, I really don't want to spend my last hour in Retroville arguing with you about—"

"Why?" She clenched her fists. "Is there really anything more characteristic of our time here?"

"Cindy—" He tried to advance past her.

He was already exasperated. Her window of opportunity was closing.

"Listen, Nerdt-Neutron." He grimaced. "Really, Vortex? You can't even be bothered to use my name like a normal person?"

"Just shut up and listen."

"Clearly your cotillion classes were a failure." He murmured under his breath. She frowned.

"I have something to tell you—"

"Jimbo, we're going to leave a little early—" Hugh called out from the front porch.

"Coming, dad!" He called over his shoulder to his father.

Then he turned his attention back to Cindy.

"You were saying?"

Her lips froze as she glanced at him. His earnest smile didn't seem so earnest now. On further glance, it was apparent that he too was barely holding it together.

"I just- I wanted to wish you good luck. It's been a great few years, Neutron." She managed. In that moment, all of it seemed to flash in front of her eyes, blurring her vision temporarily. Trips into space, hover car accidents, and all orders of arguments. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Cindy...I wish you the best of luck too. I know you'll be successful."

She cherished the way he wrapped his voice around her name, the way his lips moved as he spoke.

"So long, Neutron." He nodded, touching her arm for the briefest second. He turned and started to walk away from her but caught her gentle voice whispering to him. He barely registered her words at first, but as soon as he did, he turned back to her.

"Don't go, Nerdtron."

She hesitantly outstretched a hand to him, and he took it without pause. He ran his fingers over her palm and drew quiet circles around her wrist. This simple act brought tears to her eyes.

She looked up at him, voice breaking with some irreparable emotion. "Jimmy-."

"I know." She had never heard his voice quiver so.

"Jimmy, we need to hit the road!" Judy's voice pierced the air.

He gave her a solemn kiss on the cheek and walked away without turning back to look at her.

Cindy placed a hand to her cheek, watching as he climbed into the car. He didn't look at her as the car pulled out of the driveway. Cindy's felt strangely empty. The words she'd never said hurt her more than anything else, but she hoped for the slightest moment that he knew already…

She closed her eyes, wiped her eyes with her sleeve, and walked back to her own home. The feel of his lips against her cheek had left an incurable burn on her heart. Funny how one boy could change so much…