Yours Truly, Austin Post - Post Malone

32

Life is not easy and Ava has had some very hard experiences but, she feels like she has some normality back. She graduates and her mother is there cheering her on proudly as she walks up to get her diploma - her chest bursting with pride. She has pinned one of Carter's flowers from his flower crown to her outfit, just so she can have him included in this accomplishment.

She starts working at a lovely school that is only a ten-minute walk from her apartment so every morning she stops for a coffee at the bakery on her way and on Fridays she has a slice of peach pie too - it's never as good as Gracie's was.

She has also put herself out there in the dating pool again. She still compares every man she meets to Carter and none of them ever measure up but, she is trying. She had met one guy who seemed nice enough but after two weeks he had thought it was a good idea to tell Ava that he felt it best that she get rid of all the things she has of Carters like his wedding band that she still wears around her neck on a string or his flower crown - needless to say the relationship did not work out.

She does not want a man who will have to play second fiddle to Carter, but she does want a relationship with a man who will respect that she still loves Carter - a man who is not threatened by keeping Carter's memory alive. But, her mom was right - that man just does not exist so she settles for buying a cat instead - her cat is much nicer than any of the men she has had to suffer through on the dates her mother sets her up on.

Hope had also reached out to her and so Ava meets her for coffee or goes shopping with her, it's always a great time. Hope is not as softly spoken as Gracie but she is just as amazing and has that happy demeanor just like her sister so they make fast friends and grow close. But, they don't talk about Austin. Ava does not ask and Hope doesn't volunteer any information. Not because Ava does not want to know or because Hope is keeping that side of life hidden - it's because their friendship has nothing to do with Austin, Gracie, or anyone else. Ava and Hope's friendship is an entity all on its own, it's strong enough to stand on its own.

She still keeps up with Austin's career as she has always been a fan of his music. He has released a few more albums over the passing years and true to his word he goes on tour. There are no pictures of Grayson on the internet apart from a few that the media has managed to snap but Grayson's face is always hidden, either in his father's neck as they walk or under a hoodie. Austin takes him with him on all his tours and even on his appearances and interviews if the rumors in the fandom are to be believed. His fans are respectful and don't take photos or post anything of the sort on social media - as per Austin's request. But, she has read a few posts of fans who have had the luck of meeting Austin while he has Grayson with him. They all say the same thing - Grayson is the cutest kid with a huge smile and dancing blue eyes who had been sweet and kind to them while they were taking photos with his father. Given who his parents are Ava is not surprised he turned out to be a great kid.

It's been five years roughly since she had last seen or spoken to Austin. She had not purposely stayed away, life has just been busy and her weeks seemed to fly by, and she is sure it's been the same for Austin. He would have had a rough few years, it takes a lot of hard work to work through a loss like he had with Gracie and now he is a father. Ava knows because of the man he is he will be pouring everything he has into raising his son.

She had seen a flyer about a year ago in a supermarket that Gracie's Orchard was open to the public and everyone who wanted to could come one Saturday afternoon and pick fruit from it. She had been tempted to go, but the orchard held too many memories and she thought it best not to. Some of the teachers she worked with had gone in the hopes of not only picking fruit but meeting Post Malone. They had come back the following Monday complaining that he had not been there, but they had loved the magical-looking orchard that was kept in immaculate condition. Ava had hidden her laugh - they do not know her history with Austin and Gracie's beautiful orchard. Next time it's open to the public, she thinks she might just go - that peach tree is calling her name.

Like she does every morning she slips out of bed and takes a shower then dresses for the day, she feeds her cat while she makes her breakfast then packs her bag and makes her lunch for her day at school. It's the end of the school semester and her students are all leaving her to progress to grade two so she made them each a little gift and a note telling them how proud of them she is for working so hard throughout the year. She packs their little gifts and then leaves, stopping at the bakery for her coffee and a slice of peach pie because it is the last day of school so why not? She always gets a little emotional when she has to say goodbye to her class for the year, she had grown attached to each child but she will see them around the school so that always helps with letting them go.

She has plans for the holidays too, she intends to spend them with her mom, and then she will be going on away with a few of her friends - she has a lot to look forward to. So with that, she walks into the school gates and smiles when she hears her students call out good morning to her.

They help heal her a little more with each passing day.