I watched as her car sped off into the sunset. I watched until it disappeared over the edge of my world with tears dripping slowly down my face and onto the soft coral of my vest. I had only just caught her as she unloaded the last of her things into the boot of her car and pushed into the driver’s seat.

I remember she rolled the window down and looked me dead in the eye before looking away.
“I can’t do this anymore,” she said, her eyes fixed on the open door to our house. “We can still be friends, right?”
“Do what?”
“You know what!” Her eyes snapped straight back to mine. “I can’t be selfish like this anymore. It’s not just about us. I’m going to be a good daughter and go and marry some well to do man and make my father happy. I can’t lose him!”

“So you’re leaving me for your father?”
She didn’t answer me; just rolled up the window of her old Ford and put it in gear.

That’s where I am now.
“I guess it’s forever autumn again,” I whisper to the air, hoping the words will follow her and haunt her forever.