Okay, this is the first in my "my something something" goodbye series, the second is already posted and it's called "My Unseen Goddbye" so here's the origional, which has been rewritten because I lost my pencil written copy. Please review.

My Silent Farewell

By Annabrea Shaw

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The car door slammed again. Soon he’d be driving away, and their summer would be over, their time gone. He’d be gone.

“Are you going to come say goodbye?”

The woman at her bedroom door was ignored as she continued to stare out her window to the street down below. He was standing at the curb, pushing a bag into the overstuffed trunk of the car. Her mother sighed.

“Is that a no?” She was again ignored. He was just slamming the lid to the trunk when she heard her mother’s steps as recede down the hall.

They were saying goodbye, she could see her family hugging his, and then they were getting in the car.

He opened his door and was about to get in before he turned back, and he was looking up to her window. Their eyes met and he raised his hand. Just a short wave and then he slid onto the seat and the door slammed behind him.

She watched as the engine started, where had the summer gone? The brake lights dimmed and the car backed away from the curb, she was really going to miss him. The car turned and she was bolting from her window seat and tearing down the hall before she knew what she was doing.

She nearly bowled over her mother on the stairs, and her father in the doorway, but their cries of confusion were lost behind her with the slam of the screen door as she hit the sidewalk. They were nearly to the corner, and then they’d turn and he’d be gone without a goodbye. She had to catch him, had to tell him.

Tears burned her eyes as she ran faster, passing house after house as the car got faster and faster. Why weren’t they stopping, why didn’t he see her?

The brake lights glowed and they stopped at the corner, she was only halfway there. Tears ran down her cheeks and flew from her chin as she pushed her body harder, urging her feet to go faster.

The lights dimmed, she wasn’t going to make it. And they turned.

No! Only three more houses and she’d be at the corner, three more houses. They were still turning. Two more houses. They had turned the corner. One more house. The brake lights were disappearing behind a row of shrubbery.

They were gone. Her knees seemed to scream in pain as she fell to the ground. She couldn’t even see their car; it had been mixed in with the traffic on the street. They were gone. He was gone.

I was too slow. I couldn’t catch him.

Tears dotted the cement beneath her knees as she sat there, falling faster and unchecked as she cried.

I couldn’t tell him.

He was gone; she’d probably never see him again.

I have to tell him.

With determination she swiped at her eyes and climbed to her feet. She would run to the end of the Earth if she had to, but she had to catch him. And so she ran, darting across the street and paying no attention to the markets and pizzerias she passed, only searching the street for that red Toyota.

There!

And there it was, stopped at a red light a half a block up, if only she could get there before the light changed, she could catch him, could tell him. And she ran. The light changed, and still she ran. She came to a corner, and crossed the street without a glance, she couldn’t see it anymore, couldn’t find the red Toyota among the cars, and she bent her head as she felt tears form anew.

Her feet pounded on the pavement as she kept running, she had to keep running.

Somewhere ahead of her a car pulled to the curb and a door opened, but she didn’t see as she was on a collision course with a man exiting the car.

She impacted and warm arms came around her.

“I was afraid you weren’t going to say goodbye.”

She looked up. It was him.

I caught him.

She sniffled

“I was afraid I wouldn’t either.”

“I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too, so much. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“You…you’ll write, won’t you?”

“When I can.” She grinned.

Slowly, he lowered his head to hers, a small smile dancing in his eyes as he looked at her. Their lips had just touched, in a sweet, wonderful, loving kiss when they were interrupted by the honk of a car horn.

“You’re dad’s waiting.” But she didn’t let go.

“Yeah, we should be going.” He didn’t let go either.

“Umm…”

“You’re mom invited us for Thanksgiving, so I’ll be back then.”

“She did?”

“Mmhmm.” What else was there to say, she had to say something, or else he would leave and she’d feel like she’d left something unsaid.

“Goodbye.”

“I’ll see you.” And they stepped back.

With a short wave, he slid back into his seat in the car, and the door slammed shut. The brake lights dimmed and the car pulled out of its spot and she waved until she’d lost sight of the car in the traffic. Everything was all right, he’d be back at Christmas and all would be well.

But he wouldn’t be back at Christmas. Suddenly finding herself still sitting at her window, she only watched as the car, and the man she loved, drove down the street and turned the corner, never looking back.

She hadn’t said goodbye.

She hadn’t run after him.

She’d never see him again.

And as she stood from her seat, taking in a deep breath as she steeled herself to go down to face her family, she whispered a word that he’d never hear, but she prayed he’d feel, to the man who’d stolen her heart and whose leaving she had failed to accept until now, when it was too late.

Farewell.