Chapter Text
Tossing her bag over her shoulder, Sam looked back at her hostel room. Her gaze roamed over the torn wallpaper, musty sheets and mould patches a smile crinkling her eyes as she said goodbye to the room that had been her home. She hurried down the stairs, rushing past the reception desk and out into the carpark flopping onto the low wall by the flower beds. Unable to contain her impatience, her eyes kept drifting back to the entrance to the carpark, hoping Nas would arrive soon.
Sam scuffed her heels in the gravel as she fidgeted, finally looking up again to see Her Girlfriend, Her Nas standing by the entrance. Sam’s heart fluttered as it sunk in, they were going to Manchester, now, together. She scrambled to stand up as Nas rushed over, arms open, to encircle Sam in a hug. As she returned the embrace, Sam could immediately sense that something was wrong, and she pulled back to look at her girlfriend’s face. Nas, whose hands were still gripping Sam’s shoulders, gulped nervously “I’m really sorry,” she sighed, her hands moving to hold Sam’s elbows instead. “I can’t go to Manchester, I’m going to go to oxford, I’ve wanted it for so long”. Sam’s face dropped as she released the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding, forming clouds in the cold air. “But what about me?” she muttered unable to keep the selfish hurt out of her voice, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.
Nas couldn’t watch her girlfriend be destroyed by her decision, so she moved to sit on the wall next to her instead, avoiding eye contact. Sam unhooked her bag from her shoulder, dejectedly, and trudged to sit on the wall on the other side of the staircase. So close but so far. She looked over at Nas who returned her stare, her gaze apologetic and sad. Sam trained her eyes back on the worn knees of her jeans as she used her sleeve to wipe her steady stream of tears.
“ I love you,” she sobbed
“I love you too,” Nas replied, walking over to wrap Sam in another tighter hug, “Come here,” she said “I will always love you.”
They stayed like that for a while just holding each other close until they broke apart, Nas’ hand drifting to Sam’s cheek
“This isn’t the end,” Nas whispered.
Sam clasped Nas’ hands, “Promise?”
“Promise.”
As Nas turned away, she glanced back to see Sams face crumpled with crying. She couldn’t leave her like this, Nas thought, doubling back to press her lips to Sam’s, gently wiping the salt water from her cheeks with her fingertips.
“I guess this is goodbye.” Sam murmured looking down into Nas’ chocolate eyes.
“No, this is see you later,” Nas smiled.