Na out.

    quot;Good-bye, Noa; sly.

    speaking. t anyto say; t. Surned from , closing tco  in, and drive a looking back. Srong o  it from.

    Noating  to t so be alone.  quietly in cer drifting by as tes passed.

    After ernity  turn to look at  t - and ened as s in the chair beside him.

    quot;Im sorry,quot; Allie said. quot;I ;

    Noa;Dont be sorry. e bot ;

    quot;Its still ;

    quot;I kno; urned to ;Is to make it easier?quot;

    S;No. Not really. I o do t sure o say to .quot;

    Ser and a little more distant, as if salking to ;I guess it depends on ,   kno;

    Noa a tigomaceady, but s.

    quot;Youre not going to tell  us, are you?quot;

    quot;I dont kno.  asking myself ed in my life.quot; S;And do you kno I ed t, I  you. I  us. I love you and I always ;

    Sook a deep breath before going on.

    quot;But I also  a  ing anyone. And I kno if I stayed, people  lying  I love  make me feel t I care for  be fair to  staying  my family and friends. I raying everyone I kno kno.quot;

    quot;You cant live your life for ot to do ;

    quot;I kno; s;but no matter . Forever. I o be able to go for look back anymore. Can you understand t?quot;

    ried to keep eady. quot;Not really. Not if it means losing you. I cant do t again.quot;

    S say anyt lo;Could you really leave me  looking back?quot;

    S o crack. quot;I dont kno.quot;

    quot;ould t be fair to Lon?quot;

    S ans t. Scer before ansly. quot;No.quot;

    quot;It doesnt o be like t; ;ere adults noo be toget;

    o  ;I dont  to live t of my life t you and dreaming of ;

    tears began to fill ;I dont kno; she finally whispered.

    quot;You can. Allie... I cant live my life   of me.  oo beautiful to just t a;

    S respond. After a moment ly turned o o look at  eyes. After a long silence, Noaears from enderness on  as  elling him.

    quot;Youre not going to stay, are you?quot; ;You  to, but you cant.quot;

    quot;O; sears began again, quot;please try to understand quot;

    o stop ;I knorying to say - I can see it in your eyes. But I dont  to understand it, Allie. I dont  it to end t  it to end at all. But if you leave, ;

    So o cry  back ears.

    he wrapped his arms around her.

    quot;Allie, I cant force you to stay  no matter  couple of days  t;

    ly, and t got out of  ears.

    quot;I o get my t;

    go inside ead  do. co tened as ts faded into nothing.

    Ses later  and o, iced t s stopped crying.

    quot;;

    Noaook t slo to tear it.

    t of ture of  fourteen years ago. Noaiced t sail of   as if s from a recent pograph.

    t of t of tail tc ree.

    quot;Its beautiful, Allie. t; tempted a smile. quot;I told you t you ist.quot;

    S do ime for o go.

    to  speaking. , Noail ears welling up in ly brushe places hed kissed.

    quot;I love you, Allie.quot;

    quot;I love you, too.quot;

    Noaime. taking  t of letters and tbook next to  and fumbled for turned tion. It started easily, and to turn over impatiently. It  time.

    Noaanned face. S ook it for just a moment, moving ly against her skin.

    quot;Stay ; Noa sound, and t more ted. tears began to fall  s speak.

    Finally, reluctantly, s t a bit. If s leave now, she never would.

    Noa a bit as tarted to roll a trance-like state as  ty of tuation.

    che wheels.

    Sloo turn from o ake o to t. Edging for him now...

    S time  smiling before so accelerate, and he waved back weakly.

    quot;Dont go!quot; ed to s as t  say anyte later tracks t  behind.

    ood t moving for a long time. As quickly as she had come, she was gone.

    Forever time. Forever.

    ceadily ah her.

    But, like her, he realized sadly, she never looked back.