Six

(2 weeks later)

"Alina, I've got to go home for a little while, okay?" Zack was telling me over the phone.

I stayed silent for a second, then did the natural thing. "Oh, is everything okay? How long are you going to be?"

I could hear a smile in his voice. "Everything's fine. I gotta do a few things, visit an old friend... I'm not entirely sure how long I'll be gone, but probably a month or two."

"A MONTH, OR TWO?!" I shouted.

He started laughing. "I mean, oh." I said calmly. "Well, when do you leave?"

"Tomorrow." he sighed.

"Okay. Well, um... a customer just came in, so... I'll call you later. Bye." I said quickly, hanging up.

I looked straight ahead at the empty store, and put my head down. I was going to be miserable while he was away. The door came open, but I didn't lift my head, that is, until I knew who it was.

"You're a terrible liar." Zack's smooth voice flowed through the shop.

My heart nearly stopped, but I was determined to keep my head down. I didn't want him to see me crying. "You haven't packed your things yet?" I asked sarcastically., my vice muffled by the crease of my arm.

"No. I had something more important to do."

I looked up at him.

"Wha- you, you're crying? Why?!" he asked coming up to the counter.

I bit my lip, then ran over to him. I threw myself up against him, hugging him. "Be careful, okay?"

I stepped back behind the counter, leaving him speechless and staring at me. I was going to miss those beautiful blue eyes.

"Yeah." was all he could say.

Then a few more tears trailed down my cheeks. "I mean it! Please. I..." my voice cracked. "I'll miss you." I smiled with tears still filling my eyes.

"Alina, I'm coming back. I'll miss you too. Seriously, quit that!" he looked upset.

"But..."

"You're doing it again. I will call you."

I just kept crying. The goodbye was getting closer each second he spoke. "Well, I don't want to keep you." I wiped my eyes.

"You're not. I came here to spend some time with you before I left." he smiled.

"Thanks." I sniffled.

We walked around a bit, then he took me to the beach.

"Ah. I love it here. It's so peaceful." I inhaled deeply, breathing in the scents of the ocean, the clean air, and I could smell Zack. This made me want to cry again, but I did my best to hold it back.

"Well, I could understand that. Though, it's peaceful now because it's dark and there are only a few people out here." Zack said. We were laying down on the sand looking up at the stars.

"The sky is beautiful. It's so big... you know, the first time I say your eyes I thought of the sky." I said softly.

"Hm. You sound like her." he answered.

"Her?" my face dropped. Good thing Zack didn't see.

"Aerith."

"Aerith?"

"Yeah..."

"Oh. So that's what it is!"

"What?"

"Girls with the letter 'A'...?"

"Huh? No." he laughed. "She's an old friend."

"Is she the one you're visiting?" I asked.

"Sort of. There's actually someone else, but when I find him, I'll probably find her." he laughed.

"What's she look like?" her name was pretty, so it probably matched her appearance.

"Green eyes... like you, long brown hair. She usually wears it braided into a ponytail. She's kind os quiet, and really nice."

I ran my fingers through my light orange hair. It was long too, down to my waist. I let out a short sigh. She was probably much prettier than I was. I didn't want to let this get to me, but I kept asking questions. "So why did you say I sounded like her?"

"Well, you only sound like her because of the eye thing, but... she used to be afraid of the sky."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I think she's gotten over it thought."

Another question popped out. "What was she afraid of? I don't see how you could be afraid of it."

"It was just too big, she said, 'I feel like I'm being sucked in.' he shook his head.

It made me wonder what Zack would say about me if Aerith, or someone else asked him about who I was. "Hm."

Zack's phone started ringing, pulling me from my thoughts. My stomach turned.

"Yeah...oh...okay. I'll be there in an hour." he answered.

I stood up, and started walking to the car. Luckily, it was already unlocked, so I got in. Zack ran over to the car, got in, but didn't start it, or buckle his seat belt like I already had. "Alina?"

I didn't look at him, I watched the ocean. "You're leaving earlier than planned right?" I asked coldly. I knew I shouldn't be this, but I got irritated.

"Yes. I'm sorry."

I smiled. It was fake, but I didn't want to ruin the last few minutes left with him before he went away. "It's okay. Not your fault."

He looked at me, relieved. "Thanks for understanding. I really am sorry though."

"It's okay. You gotta do what you gotta do. SOLDIER." I put my hand against my forehead as If to salute him. I winked.

We both laughed.

"Well, this is my stop. Zack, be careful... and," I leaned over to whisper in his ear. "I'll miss you. Zack the puppy."

Before he could say anything, I got out of the car, shut the door and went into the shop. I peeked through the blinds watching him leave. I smiled in spite of myself.

"You're in a good mood." Esmeralda came in. She cleared her throat. "Did he make a move or something?"

"No. He's leaving." I turned to face my sister. "He won't be back for a while, so I didn't want to make the last few minutes bad ones."

"Oh. Sorry." she paused. "Leaving? Why? Where? How long?"

Esmeralda sounded just like me. I wanted to answer her, but for some reason, I just didn't feel like talking. I walked away, going to our room. Esmeralda must have known how I felt, because she didn't come in to force the answers out of me, or persuade me into telling her everything, like she normally did.