The morning came quickly, and it had been a long night of tears and pleading. I thought that she had changed her mind, but she just told me that, to stop me from begging. My first thought was I needed to find him and let him know that I was still here, but before I could get to the phone, my father pulled up. I was trapped, no where to run, no way to say goodbye, no way to let him know how much I loved him. I had so many things to say to Ryder’s Dad. I wanted to tell him that I was sorry for being sent away and breaking his heart. I wanted to tell him that I would always love him no matter how far I moved and no matter how long I was gone. My Dad came in and told me to pack my things and get in the car. My heart was so broken, I could hardly breathe. We were never able to say goodbye, and that was the hardest part. I didn’t know if I would ever come back, and all of our plans and all of our dreams that we shared were quickly slipping away. We drove away that day, and I looked around to see if I could get one last glimpse at him before we left the neighborhood, but it didn’t happen. This was it, this was the end of us, and the reality was sinking in.                                                                                             My first month in Charleston,and I was so depressed. They made sure that I had no communication with him. By the second month, I found out that I was pregnant. Everyone was in shock and I was so nervous yet excited. This was the way back home and the way back to Ryder’s Dad, and my hope was quickly rekindled. I laid in the bed at night and talked to the baby and told him that I was so happy, and that I couldn’t wait to be back with his Dad and for us to meet him. I was so young and I wasn’t thinking of the reality of what was happening. All I felt were the emotions, and the fact that they could not separate us now. My Dad was so upset with me and told me that he was not ready to be a grandfather. In his confusion, he called my Mother and explained the news to her. She decided to visit Ryder’s Dad and tell him that I was pregnant and she was bringing me back home. He was so excited and promised her that he would do whatever it took to take care of me and the baby. He would get three jobs if he had to, whatever it took to stand up and be the man he would have to be. My Dad did not like the decision that my Mother had made. I was young and he felt like he was being a responsible parent. In the meantime, my Step Mother worked at the hospital, and she had set up an appointment with a doctor for an abortion without my knowledge. She picked me up from school and took me to my Grandmother’s house. She locked me in the bedroom and took the phone out because she knew I would flip out. I still didn’t know what was happening, until we got to the hospital and my Dad was there. The doctor told me that because I was under 18, and a minor, it wasn’t my choice, and I had to do it. My Dad said that when it was over, my Mom would be there to get me, and I was going back to Savannah. I know now that he and my stepmother loved me and felt like they were doing what was best for me. At the time, I was devastated and in shock and once again my heart was broken in pieces. My Mom pulled up to get me. I watched through the window as they argued, and he told her what happened. She came in and told me goodbye. I could hardly take it. I had just went through the most horrible heart break, and she just left me there..after all that. And that was it..left there. She returned to Savannah and went to visit Ryder’s Dad. She told him that the baby was gone, and I was not coming back. He cried his heart out all day and never left his house. The hope that had returned, was quickly shattered. So that was the end,  or that’s what we both thought.

For the next year, I had to try to move on and try to make the best out of my new life in a new city. As far as we both knew, this is where I would be for the next few years. I made lots of friends and even started to date again at school, but he was always in the back of my mind and of course consumed my heart. I heard that he was dating as well, but somehow I always knew that if we could just see each other again, no one would keep us apart. Then at the end of the school year, to my surprise, my Dad gave me the option to move back with my mother. All of a sudden my depression was gone and hope filled my heart once again. My Dad thought that I would want to stay in my new life, but in the back of my mind, the closer I could get to Ryder’s Dad, the happier I would be. I could finally tell him everything that I was not able to say before I left, and what happened to me while I was in Charleston. Even though I was never able to talk to him, I knew in my heart, that he felt the same way So then I was back in Savannah, and here we were, standing in front of each other again. Just as I thought, when he found out I was back, he dropped everything and came over to ask my Mother and new Step Father if we could have another chance. He said that we would do things the right way and not sneak around. We would do whatever they wanted us to do, so that we could be together again. They decided not to let us because of what we had been through, and they told us to say goodbye. Ryder’s Dad was so upset, and he tried to argue with them for a few minutes, and he even told my Step Father that he had nothing to do with the situation. He asked my Mom to please let us see each other, but of course she stood by my Step Father’s decision.  He huffed out the front door and I chased after him. He grabbed me and held me as I was sobbing ,and he was trying to pull himself together for the both of us. Through the tears, he decided not to fight them because they may send me away again. He wiped the tears away from my eyes and told me he would always love me, but to stop more heart break, we had to let each other go. As he walked away, once again we were separated from what we both wanted more than anything in this world. Each other. That was the end, or at least we both  thought.