"Leigh?" Nick said coming up behind her.
She wiped her eyes and sniffed then turned around.
"Hey!" she said with a fake smile.
Nick walked over and grabbed a couple of tissues and handed them to her.
"Thanks." she said shakily.
"I just don't know how to feel." she said with a few tears rolling down her cheeks
Nick nodded, "I know."
Leigh wiped her eyes and swallowed hard.
"Can I come home with you to talk?" she asked.
Nick smiled, "Yeah, I'd like that."
Leigh dried her eyes and they both went back out.
A few hours later, they all said good-bye and told Leigh they'd see her tomorrow to say good-bye. Nick and Leigh drove to his house with only the radio breaking the silence. They went inside and sat down near each other.
"I'm going to try to get through this without crying." Leigh said laughing halfheartedly.
"Right now, I don't know what to do or how to feel. I do know that I have never felt like this in my whole life. I am just, so confused." she said with her eyes tearing up.
"I guess I didn't succeed in not crying." she said as she began to let the tears stream down her face.
Nick pulled her into a hug, and she didn't resist.
"Please don't cry." he said simply.
Leigh wrapped her arms around him tightly.
"My mind's telling me to go, but my heart's saying to stay." she whispered.
Nick let her go and wiped the tears of her face.
"Your going to go to Houston and you are going to be the smartest, funniest, most beautiful girl in the whole state. Your going to do great in school and you will have fun." he said reassuringly.
He held her face in his hands and kissed her cheek lightly.
"I have faith in you."
Leigh smiled, "Nick, I forgive you. I know you never meant to hurt me. And that's why this is all that much harder. I want to be with you."
"Thanks, that means so much to me." he said, "But you deserve more than me, it's just what's best."
He couldn't even look her in the eyes while saying it.
"I don't want more than you. All I want is you." she cried.
Nick just shook his head no.
"Nick I forgive you and I love you. I don't want to go thousands of miles away. I'm sitting here telling you all this, pouring my heart out to you, and you are acting like you don't even care I am leaving. Don't you love me?" she sobbed.
"I am trying to be strong for both of us. I love you and I don't want you to go. Do you really think I want to lose you? But how can you forgive me that easy for what I did? This college will be a fresh start for you, you need to give it a chance."
Leigh smiled, "You always did put me first. Thank you."
She kissed his cheek and got up. She waved good-bye after he promised to come say good-bye tomorrow.
As the door shut, Nick dropped his head into his hands and wondered how he could go on without her.
