Say Goodbye

  SAY GOODBYE

  Written by

  Kate William

  Created by

  FRANCINE PASCAL

  Copyright © 2015, Francine Pascal

  To Ben Baglio, with special thanks for all his excellent work

  SAY GOODBYE

  "Go on," Elizabeth whispered to Todd, avoiding his eyes so she wouldn't break down. "Get in the car, Todd. They're all waiting."

  "You go first," Todd urged her. "I don't want to leave before you do."

  Elizabeth nodded. Kissing Todd on the cheek, she turned and took a few tentative steps down the drive. She could feel Todd watching her. I'll just keep walking, she told herself. One foot in front of the other, and by the time I reach the end of the street, they'll be gone. They'll—

  A sudden panic broke over her as Elizabeth realized that this was really it. In just a matter of seconds Todd would be gone. A new flood of tears burst from her as she spun around and ran back up the drive to where Todd was standing with his hand on the car door. "Todd!" she cried, flinging her arms around him. "Oh, Todd, I'm going to miss you so much!"

  CONTENTS

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  One

  "Elizabeth, if you don't open your door this minute, I'm going to break it down!" Jessica Wakefield wailed. She pounded on her twin's locked bedroom door with both fists.

  A moment later the door flew open, and Jessica found herself face-to-face with her twin sister.

  "It's no use, Jess," Elizabeth said wearily, stepping aside as her sister walked in and threw herself down on her bed. "I'd really rather be by myself right now."

  Jessica shook her head in disbelief, her blue-green eyes wide with wonder. "It isn't true, is it?" she asked. "Is Todd really moving to Vermont?"

  Elizabeth wiped her tear-streaked face with a tissue. "It's true," she said. A second later she broke down completely. "Oh, Jess," she sobbed, "I don't know what I'm going to do without him! I feel like a part of me is dying!"

  Jessica stared silently at her twin, her eyes filling with sympathetic tears. She couldn't stand seeing Elizabeth so upset. Her sister meant the world to her, and watching her break down this way made Jessica feel so helpless.

  Except for a small mole on her right shoulder, Elizabeth and her twin were identical down to the tiny dimple each showed when she smiled. Both had sun-streaked shoulder-length blond hair, sparkling blue-green eyes, and slender, five-foot-six-inch figures. But there the resemblance ended. Elizabeth was practical and organized, and longed to be a serious writer one day. She liked to concentrate on one thing—and one boy—at a time. Jessica tended to be more excitable. Wherever the action was, Jessica was sure to be right in the middle of it. And over the years Jessica had come to rely on her sister to get her out of the scrapes she was so famous for. The twins' handsome, dark-haired older brother Steven was a big help, too—but Elizabeth was the one Jessica depended on. And she couldn't stand to see her twin looking as distraught as she did right now.

  But Jessica could certainly understand it. Elizabeth and Todd—they were practically inseparable! Jessica could barely imagine her twin without her steady boyfriend. Not that she hadn't tried. More than once in the past few months, Jessica had tried to persuade her sister to spend less time with Todd Wilkins. It wasn't that Jessica couldn't see Todd's merits. Before Elizabeth and Todd had started dating steadily, Jessica had been interested in Todd herself. As the twins, Todd was a junior at Sweet Valley High. Brown-haired and attractive, he had warm, coffee-colored eyes and a lean, athletic build. He was one of the best basketball players in the school and a terrific dancer. He was also a warm and sympathetic friend. Jessica had heard Elizabeth itemize Todd's good points so often she knew them all by heart. And deep down Jessica agreed with her sister one hundred percent. But that didn't mean she didn't think Todd was just a tiny bit dull.

  Still Jessica wasn't insensitive enough to bring that up then. The news of Mr. Wilkins's transfer must have been a shock to poor Elizabeth. That night, at the school talent show Elizabeth had organized, Todd clued everyone in on the news by reciting a sentimental poem about saying goodbye. Jessica had managed to get the story out of Winston Egbert, whose father was a close friend of Mr. Wilkins. He said that the firm Mr. Wilkins worked for had been hinting about a transfer for some time. Knowing how disruptive it would be for Todd to move during the school year, Mr. Wilkins had done his best to dissuade his boss. But the week before, at his firm's semiannual meeting, Mr. Wilkins was told the move would have to be made—and soon. One of the vice-presidents had already found the Wilkinses a temporary home in a suburb of Burlington. But there were still so many details to iron out—a new school for Todd, a whole new part of the country to get used to—that the Wilkenses had decided to move as soon as they could.

  "One week." Elizabeth moaned, her head in her hands. "One miserable week. I just can't believe it, Jess. I can't believe that on Sunday morning he's just going to drive to the airport with them and disappear."

  "Maybe he can commute back to Sweet Valley on weekends," Jessica suggested brightly. "I saw this couple on the news who do that. They're both executives, only she lives in California and he lives in New York. And every weekend—"

  "Jessica," Elizabeth said fiercely, "Todd and I aren't executives! Do you know how much it costs to get to Vermont? It might as well be New Zealand," she added moodily.

  "Well," Jessica said, miffed, "there are always letters. And phone calls. Maybe it won't be that awful, Liz. You two can probably save up enough to visit each other once in a while, and—"

  "It isn't the same," Elizabeth interrupted, blinking back tears. "Jess, I've seen Todd every day for so long that I feel like he's a part of me! How am I supposed to just watch him take off? When I think of all the things we'd planned to do together—"

  Oh, dear, Jessica thought, watching her twin begin to cry again. This just won't do at all. I'm going to have to think of some way to cheer her up.

  Jessica couldn't bear seeing someone she loved this depressed. Sitting in her sister's bedroom upstairs in the Wakefields' attractive, split-level house, Jessica tried to put herself in her twin sister's shoes. But she was having a hard time.

  In fact, the more Jessica thought about it, the less of a problem Todd's move seemed to be. Elizabeth would miss him for a while, she thought philosophically. But she'd get over it! Then she and Jessica could start going out together again on double dates, looking guys over at the Dairi Burger—having fun together again. Jessica just could not convince herself that Todd had been anything other than a drag when it came to her sister's social life.

  No, it seemed to Jessica that this was the very best thing that could have happened. All she had to do now was to help Elizabeth realize that.

  But from the expression on Elizabeth's face, Jessica had a feeling that it wasn't going to be easy.

  "If only there were something I could do!" Elizabeth moaned softly, her face against the woolly material of Todd's sweater. Todd had been out doing errands for his father, and he had dropped by to see Elizabeth before dinner. It was strange how quickly things had changed, Elizabeth thought. A few weeks ago she would have laughed at the thought of squeezing fifteen minutes in with Todd on a weekday afternoon. Now the moments felt precious.

  She and Todd were sitting on the front steps of the Wakefields' house, staring moodily at the occasional car driving down the shady si
de street. Late-afternoon sun brightened the front lawn, but for once Elizabeth was blind to the beauty of her neighborhood. She couldn't imagine sitting out there the following week, knowing there would be no chance that Todd's car might pull into the drive. She couldn't imagine walking into school without Todd there, waiting for her before homeroom. Or eating lunch in the cafeteria without him. Or hanging out on Friday nights at the Dairi Burger alone.

  It was impossible. Try as she might to imagine life without Todd, all Elizabeth could conjure up was a feeling of utter desolation and helplessness. There were so many events coming up in the next few weeks that she had planned to go to with Todd. There were the sailboat races in a few weeks. And Lila Fowler's big spring pool party. A double date they'd set up with Roger Patman and his girlfriend, Olivia Davidson. It all seemed bleak without Todd.

  But these events weren't what mattered most. More than anything, she would miss the ordinary things: the evening visits she and Todd loved so much, the Saturday afternoons at the beach, the warm feel of Todd's arm around her as they walked through the halls at school. "I don't think I'm going to be able to stand this," Elizabeth murmured.

  Todd's brown eyes filled with tears. "I know how you feel, Liz," he whispered. "Remember how we felt when we thought you were moving to San Francisco?"

  Elizabeth nodded, a lump in her throat. The twins' mother worked as an interior designer in Sweet Valley, and several months before, she'd been offered an exciting job in San Francisco. Jessica and Elizabeth had been horrified at the prospect. Together they had done everything they could to change their mother's mind. To their relief Mrs. Wakefield had decided to postpone the move. That had been a tense period for Todd and Elizabeth. The thought of being separated had filled them with dread. "But this is much, much worse," Elizabeth pointed out now. "It's so much farther away. Besides, there's no chance in the world that you guys will stay in Sweet Valley."

  Even as she spoke, Elizabeth prayed Todd would contradict her. Say that there is a chance, she begged him silently. Tell me that your father might change his mind.

  But Todd's response confirmed her fears. "You're right," he said gloomily. "If my father tried to put this move off any longer, he might lose his job. There's no way he'll change his mind now."

  "What did he say about visiting?" Elizabeth asked, fighting back tears.

  "I think I might be able to come back with him at the end of the month," Todd said, trying to smile. "Once I've got everything organized at the new school."

  The new school, Elizabeth thought dully. She couldn't imagine Todd anywhere other than Sweet Valley High. Whom would it be harder for, she wondered, Todd or her? Todd would have so many strange new things to get used to—a whole new state, a different climate, a different world. That would be hard enough. But for Elizabeth . . . to have to see all the familiar places, do all the usual things without Todd there to make them all enjoyable . . .

  She didn't know which was worse. All she knew was that she was going to miss Todd more than she could bear.

  "I guess Enid talked to you about the party at the Beach Disco this Saturday," Todd said after a long silence.

  Elizabeth nodded. Enid Rollins was her closest friend, and Elizabeth knew that Enid had only the best intentions when she announced that she was throwing a big farewell party at the disco for Todd on Saturday. Enid had been like a sister to Todd, and she wanted to do something to make this painful week easier for him. But Elizabeth could barely stand the thought of a party right now. How in the world could she face all her friends the night before Todd moved? It would be impossible to act as though nothing were wrong. To dance in Todd's arms near the ocean, knowing it was the very last night . . .

  "Hey, Liz!" Jessica's cheerful voice called from the open window in her bedroom above them. "Mom says dinner's almost ready!"

  "I'll come back over tonight," Todd said reassuringly when he saw the downcast expression on Elizabeth's face. She couldn't help reacting this way, even though she knew it was hard on Todd. Saying goodbye to him now, even for just a few hours, was painful. It reminded her that in just a few short days—"

  "Good," Elizabeth murmured, lifting her face for Todd's kiss. She was going to have to act like a good sport, however hard it was. There was nothing she could do to prevent Todd's family from leaving, and she was going to have to get used to the idea—fast.

  As far as Elizabeth was concerned, she and Todd still had that one week together. And she was going to spend every single second she could of their remaining time with him.

  Because, she thought grimly, waving as Todd started his car, who knows how long it will be before I see him again after Sunday?

  She had no idea. All she knew was that Todd was leaving and she couldn't do a thing about it. She felt as if the world was about to fall in around her, and all she could do was sit by and watch it happen.

  "Alice, this looks superb," Ned Wakefield said, unfolding his napkin and looking appreciatively at the fried chicken his wife had brought to the table.

  "Not like dorm food, I'll tell you that much," Steven said with a laugh.

  With his dark hair and laughing eyes, the twins' older brother looked like a younger version of Mr. Wakefield. Although he went to school at a nearby college and lived in a dorm, lately he had been spending more time at home. Ordinarily he could always cheer Elizabeth up. But not that night.

  "I hope it's OK," Mrs. Wakefield said dubiously, taking her place at the table. "I had to work late tonight, and I'm afraid—"

  "It looks great, Mom," Steven assured her. A warm smile flashed between mother and son. Mrs. Wakefield, a slim, honey-blond woman, looked especially attractive that night in a slate-blue dress.

  "I don't suppose," Jessica began tentatively, "that this would be the right moment to ask anyone here about a short-term loan? My allowance—"

  "I'm glad you brought that up, Jess," Mr. Wakefield said in his firmest lawyer's voice. "I knew there was something I wanted to talk to you about."

  "You mean you're going to raise my allowance?" Jessica said hopefully, taking a generous portion of salad.

  "Not exactly," Mr. Wakefield told her. "Do you remember anything about using our charge account last month at Lisette's?"

  Jessica clapped her hand over her mouth. "I completely forgot," she whispered. "I was going to pay you guys back. I was with Lila Fowler, and I found this adorable matching skirt and blouse, and Lila said, 'Oh, just go ahead and charge it on your parents' account. They let you do that without the card,' and—"

  "Lila Fowler," Mr. Wakefield interrupted, "has a millionaire for a father. And you, I'm afraid, do not. So to answer your question about a short-term loan, Jessica: absolutely not. In fact your mother and I have decided that this little bill from Lisette's is going to have to be handled by you. And that's all there is to it."

  "But, Daddy . . . " Jessica, looking anguished, turned to her mother for support. "That bill must be for almost a hundred dollars! Where am I ever going to get the money?"

  "Have you ever considered where your father and I get our money?" Mrs. Wakefield asked mildly.

  Jessica blanched. "Well, I guess . . . you work."

  Mr. Wakefield laughed. "Clever girl. I thought you never noticed."

  "But I can't work!" Jessica shrieked. "I'm still in school!"

  "What about after school or on weekends?" Mrs. Wakefield asked. "Steven always had part-time jobs in high school. And you had that job in your father's office."

  "Don't remind me," Jessica said mournfully. Several months earlier, Jessica had decided that law was the perfect profession for her. The lawyers on her favorite TV shows all led such exciting and interesting lives. In order to find out first-hand how a law firm worked, Jessica had asked her father for an after-school position with his firm. But instead of fighting court battles and defending innocents against injustice, Jessica had found herself responsible for the office filing and photocopying. Thoroughly bored, she had given up her job—and all desires to become an attor
ney—within a few weeks. "That was such a short time," Jessica said now. "It doesn't really count."

  "Don't ask us about counting." Mr. Wakefield chuckled. "You can count, Jess. And you could count the day you used our charge without asking permission. The bill came to eighty-seven ninety-five, and I suggest you find a part-time job that fits around your schedule so you can pay us back within a month."

  "It won't be so bad," Steven said, grinning at his younger sister. "Maybe all that suffering will strengthen your character, Jess."

  "I don't need strengthening," Jessica mumbled unhappily. "I need about ninety dollars."

  Elizabeth was barely listening to the animated conversation around her. She knew her family was purposely avoiding bringing up the subject of Todd's move. They probably thought she needed to take her mind off the whole thing. But Elizabeth couldn't think of anything else.

  Five days more, she thought. Five more days, and Todd would be leaving Sweet Valley forever!

  We just can't let that stop our love, she thought with sudden determination. I don't care how far away he is—I'm not going to let this move destroy the wonderful thing we have together!

  Two

  "I hope you're not going to hate the party Saturday night," Enid Rollins said anxiously, lifting a forkful of salad to her mouth. Her large green eyes were thoughtful as she studied the somber expression on her best friend's face.

  Elizabeth sighed and shook her head. "I'm sure it will be wonderful, Enid," she said at last. "And you're a great friend to think of it. It'll probably be good for Todd—and me, too. If we were alone on Saturday night, we'd just get too sad for words."

  Enid and Elizabeth had found a quiet table in a corner of the cafeteria of Sweet Valley High so they could have a good long talk. Todd was spending the lunch hour in his guidance counselor's office, trying to get his records organized to be sent on to the new school.

  "It must be so hard on you two," Enid commiserated.