Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you recognize.

Chapter One- The beginning of The End

And I can't believe

You hit me fast and hard

When you turn to me and say

Never change the way you are

-Hilary Duff- Anywhere But here

I hugged James as the Graduation Ceremony ended. I felt my eyes burn as they threatened to release the tears I have been holding back since this morning. James embrace was rather loose; I looked at him to ask him what was wrong. But the look in his eyes scared me. They didn't have his normal mischievous glint he normally had. It was replaced with sadness, and he also looked like he was dreading something.

"James what's wrong? You don't look very happy," she asked him as he looked away from her.

Everybody around them were happy and celebrating the graduation. But why weren't we both not joining their friends in the festivities? Why was James acting so strange? Why wasn't he looking at me straight in the eye? I was about to tear up when he grabbed my hand and led me away from the Great Hall –where the ceremony was taking place- and out to the grounds.

"James, tell me what's going on!" I asked him as he let go of my hand once we reached the beech tree.

He wasn't facing me. He looked at the lake hands in his hair. I walked towards him and I hugged him from behind. James walked away from me.

"James what the bloody hell is going on!"

I couldn't keep it on anymore. A tear slipped out. I wiped it away; I didn't want James to see me cry. I have dignity. Whatever was going on, he was going to tell me. Whether he liked it or not. I continued staring at him as he walked closer the lake. If he wanted to act like a git, then thats fine with me. But he was going to have to give me an explanation why he had been acting so strange for a couple of weeks now. He had been distant with her since the end of May. He wasn't the same anymore. Spending his time with his friends if not in the Astronomy Tower by himself. It was like I didn't exist to him anymore. Things weren't just the same. Things had changed.

I watched him as he walked towards me. I was about to speak when he beat me to it.

"This has to end. You and I can't work. It can't happen. It's over."

The way he looked at me killed me. His eyes were full of anger and sadness. I remained in shock as we stood there staring at one another, emotions mixing up with the other. I was about to speak once more when he walked away from me. I watched as he walked away from me, as he walked away from my life. This time I didn't wipe away any tears as they spilled out of my eyes. He turned around and said:

"Never change."

And with that he entered the castle. And he left my life. Crushing the heart I confided him with. I walked back to the tree and rested my chin on my knees. Letting the tears to continue to stream out.

-.-X-.-