Farewell -1

We stepped outside and made our way toward the car.

Mom and Dad wasted no time unloading my luggage, while a staff member who was assigned to help … he started hauling my bags toward my new dorm room.

Once he was done, Dad shut the car's trunk with a firm thud and leaned against the vehicle, facing me head-on.

Bob, meanwhile, was still inside the car, completely absorbed in his video game, tapping away like the outside world didn't exist. Mom, on the other hand, left somewhere on campus.

She'd mentioned wanting to tip the guy who had just helped with my bags, but after a while she was taking longer than expected.

Dad locked eyes with me, I knew exactly what was coming next.

That moment… the one where parents launch into their heartfelt life lessons, reminding you how to survive in a whole new world.

And my dad? Oh, he was a pro at this.

For the next fifteen minutes, he filled my ears with encouragement, practical advice, and just the right amount of "you've got this, kiddo" energy.

By the time he pulled me in for a hug, I felt that bittersweet tug in my chest… the kind that made me want to cling to him just a little longer.

A part of me did wish he could stay. But, of course, there was no way my dad was going to move into college with me.

Still, I was definitely going to miss the royal treatment he always gave me. No one else pampered me quite like Dad did.

Just as we broke the hug, Mom finally reappeared.

Only… something caught my eye.

She wasn't alone.

She was talking to someone… a man, but not the one who had helped with my luggage.

I couldn't quite make out his face, but there was something about the interaction that piqued my curiosity.

By the time she reached us, the man had already walked away.

"Oh, honey… come here!" Mom's voice wobbled with emotion, her brown eyes already glistening with unshed tears.

It had been a while since she gave me a moment like this… one that wasn't filled with scolding or setting new house rules.

I fell into her warm embrace, letting the comfort of it settle over me before we finally pulled apart.

"Make sure to be good, okay?" she said, giving my cheek a playful tug.

I nodded with a smile but couldn't shake off my curiosity.

"Mom, who was that?" I asked.

She tilted her head slightly. "Who?"

"The man you were just talking to," I clarified.

Mom waved a dismissive hand, chuckling. "Oh, him? Hahaha, just a quick chat with a staff member, nothing more. Just showing my appreciation." She brushed it off like it was nothing.

"Oh… okay," I said, though my mind lingered on it for a second longer.

"I think we should head out now," Dad said, jingling his car keys in his hand.

Mom leaned through the car window, calling out to Bob.

"Ohhh, get out here and say goodbye to your sister! You didn't come here just for a video game marathon, did you?"

Bob sighed dramatically but paused his game immediately (which was shocking, honestly).

He stepped out of the car and walked toward me.

"Ohhhh, sissss!" he exaggerated as he pulled me into a hug.

I stayed stiff, half-expecting a prank, but he managed to wrap his arms around me properly…. thanks to the slight height advantage he had over me.

Okay, maybe not taller than me, but close enough.

And then, just as he pulled away, he gave me the most innocent expression and said,

"I'll miss you."

For some reason, those three words sent a flutter through my chest.

Maybe because, coming from Bob, it was the first time in ages.

They all got back in the car, clicking their seatbelts into place.

"We're gonna watch you walk in first, and then we'll leave," Dad said, his hand hovering over the ignition.

I nodded and turned toward my dorm, taking a few steps away.

But before I could go any further, Bob suddenly unbuckled his seatbelt and bolted out of the car.

Before I even had time to react, he wrapped me in a tight hug from behind.

Surprised, I turned around and hugged him back.

From inside the car, Mom and Dad let out a simultaneous "Aww."

For a moment, I thought this was it…. the most emotional moment Bob and I had shared in a long time.

And then, just when I was about to fully absorb the moment…

I felt his breath hot against my ear as he whispered…