More Than a Teacher - Ashton Irwin

72

His keys jingle in the door, his free arm draped around my shoulders holding me into the warmth of his side.

This is it, the beginning.

And I'm so ready.

I just got discharged from the confinement of my hospital room and actually got to breathe fresh air for the first time in days. I had my last check overs and was assessed before deemed well enough to continue the healing process on my own. I've never been so ready to get better and I see being in hospital only kickstarting that for me. It was nothing but beneficial for my mental health.

Don't get me wrong, I still have a long road ahead but I've learnt that I just need to take things as they come. There's going to be many unpredictable things thrown at me but I can't let that scare me from getting better.

It's still early, only 10am so we have the whole day to settle into normal life. God this is going to be so strange. At least for the first few days.

I have no weight on my shoulders. Not an ounce of worry on my mind because it has all been dealt with. My parents are locked up, and Neil is...well, he's gone for good. I guess my medication is working, keeping me from feeling so on edge all the time with all the trauma I'm still recovering from. Eventually in the future I'll be able to gradually wean off it until I'm living my life free of anxiety medication.

Only time will tell when that will be and I like that we don't have a time frame on it. I don't feel pressure to be "better" by a certain date. In fact Kat told me it was all on my terms and that I am to make the decision when I feel I don't need medication anymore. I like that idea. Having control of my life feels so great.

Unlocking the door and cracking it open, my lungs expand with excitement. I'm elated to be home. It's like turning a page to a new chapter and walking into a whole new state of living.

The place is dark despite how sunny and warm it is outside. The curtains are drawn across the floor to ceiling windows in the living area and Ashton's arms slide from my body to open them straight away.

Natural light floods the apartment and I can see that everything is tidy and untouched where we left it over a week ago.

Ash drops our bags off his shoulder in the middle of the living area as I place the clear plastic sleeve on the kitchen counter with my tarnished birth certificate placed neatly inside, trying to preserve what's left.

There's an uncontrollable smile tugging up on my lips. It smells a little musty in here, like something could possibly be off in the fridge but neither of us care. We just stare at each other and giggle.

I trail over to him, weaving through the couches to jump up and wrap my arms around his neck. He wastes no time gripping the back of my thighs, holding them firmly around his hips.

"How good is it to be back huh?" He grins into
my neck.

I get a good view of the beach outside. I will never take that view for granted ever again. I don't have words. I'm so content just being back
here together. I just hold him tight. It feels like a
fever dream. Everything has fallen into place and
our books aren't ending anytime soon.

He pulls back from my neck, our smitten faces meeting at the same height.

"We did it baby, we got through the thick of it," I get butterflies and he rests his forehead against mine. "It's only going to get easier from here."