Can we go back before the storm came raging?
And everything we built was gone ...And tell me that it's not over yet. We were never good at saying goodbyes. Why can't you see what's right in front of your eyes?

A little over sixteen years ago

Something is tickling her nose.

She's trying to fucking sleep, dude.

"It's Sunday," Kate mumbles sleepily. She turns over in her bed but something by her thigh stops her movement.

Kate sighs and squeezes her eyes tighter, refusing to open them.

She lay straight on her back, arms crossed, and eyes closed while somebody's forehead touches hers.

In a monotone voice she says, "I'm not getting up."

"I'm not even gonna comment on that morning breath, that's how much I love you."

She laughs but then schools her features. "Shut up."

"It's time to get up," Rick says burying his face in her neck.

"No."

"Yes."

"My body is still sore from yesterday's run." And the day before that and the day before that and the day before that, she thinks to herself.

"I don't care. Come on, soldier."

"No." Kate opens her eyes pouting at Rick.

"You can't expect to lose weight if you don't exercise."

"Sure I can."

"If you don't get up I'm going to crush you."

"Sure you are..."

Rick raises his eyebrow and flops his entire body down on Kate.

"You're not as heavy as you think."

Inside, Kate is freaking out. Rick is laying on top of her in her bed. It's very early, so her parents aren't likely to come in... and Rick is LAYING ON TOP OF HER.

He stretches his legs out to lay the length of her body and Kate has to fight to stop her legs from opening.

"Kate come on, wake up, I have something important to tell you."

"Why can't you just tell me now?"

"You have to earn the news."

"Are you kidding me?"

"No. Now come on."

Kate wrap around Rick's neck and when he sits up she is pulled out of the bed. His hands take up a position on the bottom of her upper thighs to help haul her out of bed.

"Alright," he says setting her down. "Go get changed."

"Fine," Kate grumbles.

"And brush your teeth."

As soon as Rick releases her from her running obligations, Kate falls the ground panting and wheezing and practically coughing up a lung.

She rolls over onto her back and Rick is standing above her with an eyebrow raised shaking his head.

"You're such a wimp."

"Look, I'm just not as use to running as you."

"I ran. You...staggered."

"Screw you."

"Not while I'm sweaty. That's disgusting."

Kate just rolls her eyes and sits up.

"So what did you want to tell me?" She asks while she reties her ponytail.

Rick sighs dramatically and sits down next to Kate but doesn't look at her.

"It's serious isn't it?"

"Yeah," he answers. In the space of a second Rick's entire demeanor has changed. There's a crease in his brow and his usual perfect posture deflates as he runs his fingers through the grass.

"Hey," she whispers taking his hand in hers. "Just tell me."

"I – I'm moving."

Kate takes her hand back and stands.

"What?"

"My mom got a role in California. We leave next weekend."

"In California!" She yells, her voice reaching a higher intonation. "Are you coming back when it's over, at least?"

"Hopefully. But she might go on tour, which means we'll be gone for about a year."

"A year! That's your entire senior year Rick."

"I know. But that's not what I'm worried about," he says looking up to face her. "It's you. I don't want to leave you."

"Well of course we'll find a way to keep in touch. I can't believe this."

"Neither can I."

"You're almost 18, there's no way your mom wouldn't let you stay?"

"By myself? Probably not," he responds shaking his head.

They begin walking back side-by-side in the direction of their apartment building. Slowly Rick slips his hand in Kate's and they swing their hands as they walk.

"You're not going to see me get my braces off."

He puffs out a long breath. "This sucks. This really suuuucks."

Kate shrugs. "We'll find a way to make it work." Trying to remain optimistic.

"Hopefully," he sighs. He takes the hand holding hers and lifts it above her head then twirls her around so he can rest his arm on her shoulders. Pressed into his side, Kate rests her head on his shoulder.

"You stink," she states.

"So do you."

But they don't let go.

Rick has been gone for a month and a half. Summer is just about over.

Kate has been going for a run every day since he left. She only has one bowl of cereal for breakfast now and she eats more fruits and vegetables. She hasn't had any junk food at all. And guess what? She's lost 15 pounds.

They've talked a few times but it's not enough. She misses her best friend. She misses his hugs, his soothing voice, his sense of humor.

Since Rick started at her school people have been nicer to her. All of the people who used to bully her, befriended Rick, which has meant that they have so they're been nicer to her. If she has to go into school next year by herself, she has no idea what it'll be like. Will the bullying start again? Will she just be left alone? She hopes so.

What she does know is that the only way to ensure that people is to toughen up and learn not to take anybody's shit.

One night after dinner Kate is watching TV with her parents when Rick calls her.

"Kate! You'll never believe what happened to me."

"What?" She asked him stepping out of the room so her parents won't hear their conversation.

"I was backstage at my mom's play last night when a fight broke out. I got shoved onstage in the middle of this woman speech!"

"Sounds like something that would happen to you."

"So anyway, I interrupted an important scene and I knew it was important because I help my mother run lines. While everyone was looking at me I figured "what the hell" and decided to change the direction of the play to add in that that woman was having an affair. Everybody loved it!"

"Wow that's so great! So are you going to be like in it now? In the shows?"

"No," he responds with a sorrowful sigh. "But that's not what I wanted to tell you."

"Then what?!"

"The woman whose lines I interrupted was so impressed with my performance that she uh," he pauses to clear his throat and Kate can just imagine the smugness in his smile, "invited me back to her room."

At first she doesn't think she's hearing him correctly so she asks him to repeat what he said.

It's not until he does that she realizes how much more it hurt hearing it a second time.

Before she realizes it, she's blinking back tears trying not to sob. Rick doesn't even notice the change in her voice. He's too busy blabbing on and on about how she's ten years older than him and how he had no idea what he was doing and how good it felt and how wild she was and how it only lasted about three minutes but it was the best three minutes of his life. Kate is so stunned and angry that before she can suppress it she blurts out "you had sex?" She says it so loudly that she knows her parents can hear but she doesn't care in that moment. "You had sex with someone? A woman."

Her anger is so heated and raw that she can't even speak after that. She does, however, hear when her mother walks in her room and Kate uses it to her advantage.

"Look Rick," she says, stressing the R. "I gotta go. Long distance phone calls, you know?"

She doesn't wait for him to respond before she hangs up. When she does all she feels is betrayed.

He doesn't tell her when he's back in town. It's about three in the morning when his plane lands and he is so exhausted, he sleeps for the first couple of days. His mother had agreed to let him stay in New York while she finishes her play on the condition that he get a job.

He's been so miserable these past few weeks ever since he had sex with Natasha. Even though he was excited at first, once the novelty had worn off, he's felt like an abyss has swallowed him whole. He misses Kate so much that she's all he thinks about. Being away from her makes him feel as if something's been yanked out of his chest.

Recently Kate had told him some guy had asked her out on a date and she accepted.

If felt like his whole world had stopped in that moment. That's when Rick realizes how big of a mistake he's making. He's falling for his best friend when what he should be doing is protecting her, stopping her from falling back into her depression.

So he has to put his feelings aside.

The following Monday he goes back to school. He has a note from his mother and he has stop by the office to get his schedule.

The first bell hasn't yet rung so he assumes he's got about five minutes to find Kate before she gets to class. She's a sophomore now so she'll be in the green and blue hallway if she's at her locker.

Rick's about to turn the corner when someone calls his name.

"Look everybody! Ricky Rodgers is BACK!" His friend Marcus announces. Marcus is on the basketball team and Rick has befriended all of them. When they see him he gets a few claps and pats on the back.

"Man, where've you been?"

"California," he answers hurriedly. "Listen, have you seen Kate?" He had tried to go through her bedroom window again this morning like he use to but it was locked.

"Oh your girl was just at her locker," Toby, another player answers.

"Thanks guys," he says heading down the hall.

It only takes a minute to find her because he knows that laugh anywhere, but when his eyes land on the girl leaning against her locker he almost doesn't believe what he sees. Gone are the ballet flats and long sleeves. In their place, Kate is sporting converses and a leather jacket to replace them. And her hair! It's curly. Curly. It dangles gracefully above her shoulders. He wants to go and talk to her, but he notices that she's talking to some guy, who must be really funny because she hasn't stopped laughing.

"He's the new kid," a girl says from beside him. "They've been dating maybe a week."

He turns to see if he knows the girl who is but can't remember her name.

"Andy," she says as if she read his mind. "English last year." He remembers now.

"Thanks."

When he turns back to Kate the guy is kissing her on her cheek before walking away giving Rick a window of opportunity to talk to her. He comes up behind her and puts his hand over her eyes and says "guess who" in the girliest voice he can muster. It's enough to have Kate gasping, hitting his hand out her face, and turning to smash herself into his chest.

"Oh my God what're you doing here?" She practically squeals.

She takes a step back to look at him and flashes him the brightest smile he's ever seen.

"Your braces?" He stammers as the first bell rings. "You look so beautiful."

Kate blushes and looks away. "Thank you." She sticks her hand in her pocket and pulls out a cell phone. "I've got a phone now."

"I see."

"Put my number in your phone so you have it," she says as she writes on his hand. "I've gotta get to class but come by my house after school."

"Okay," he says rendered mostly speechless because of how amazing she looks.

"I've missed you." She hugs him one last time before walking away.