Rhydian's POV

I sat at my desk, the one I had once shared with Maddy, but now, the empty seat beside me will remain empty. I tapped the top of my pen against the table and focussed on its gentle tapping. Every other sound slowly started to fade. It seemed like one of those cliché moments in the films where you can only hear the characters' heartbeat. Pathetic? Yes. Hopeless? Possibly. Distracting? No. Nothing I did could stop from thinking about Maddy and the way I had to let her go. 'Some date this has been' those five words were what I said to her to try and hide my pain from her, but, as usual, she saw right through it. I promised her that I'll come and find her as soon as I could. 'We'll find each other'. That's exactly what we'll do Mads – find each other. I promise. I could vaguely hear Tom and Shannon talking about any kind of gossip that was going around the school. Neither of them had particularly enjoyed the send off either, they were both losing a best friend that they had known for years.

Wow. This is going to be a lot harder than I thought!

I knew that if I went with them then it would be harder for them to hide. I knew that people from all sorts of authorities and agencies would come after me. I knew that this was the one way I could begin to repay them for what they have done for me. I knew this. But I also knew that this didn't make it any easier for me to let her go.

To go from everything being happy, and my biggest worry was if she would say 'yes' to going on the date, to having to say the most difficult goodbye yet (and I have had to say a few goodbyes, living in foster care). Now I had no idea where she is or when I would see her again. I looked around to see Jimmy throwing bits of paper around the room and three K's were talking about a new make-up technique – everyone smiling, laughing and joking. I resented the way they could just carry on as if nothing had happened, how they could still laugh and joke with the people they care about. Perhaps not in the same way that I care about Maddy, but they were still with the ones who made them smile.

The picture of her smiling through her tears as I said I loved her too, was etched into my brain. I had done numerous drawings of her in the 24 hours since she had left – but that didn't help either.

"Rhydian? You okay man?" I heard Tom ask. I snapped out of my trance and gave him the most reassuring smile I could manage as I nodded my head slightly to indicate that I was fine (which I'm not!). I don't think he believed me though. Whether he did or not didn't matter, not anymore. I just wanted to be with Maddy, and finally take her on that date that I promised her. 'I love you' her parting words, she sounded as if she were saying a permanent goodbye, even though I knew I would see her again, somehow. Why does it always have to end like this? Just when things are good for us, something comes in to tear us apart. How would me, Shannon and Tom last without our pack leader? How could I be without her knowing that how she feels about me is the same way that I feel about her?

The laughter from the classroom became too much, so I ran out of the door and headed towards the forest. The one place that will always be special to me and Maddy. The place where we have had so much fun on full moon days, but also where we have had to run from death or danger on countless occasions.

I ran for miles, going nowhere in particular, running in twists and turns so I didn't stray too far away from the school, as I know I have to go back there soon. 'Why Maddy? Why did you have to go?' I whimpered to myself as I collapsed under a tree. Wondering where she was and what she was doing.