impacts - Ashton Irwin

e i g h t

ANNABELLE'S POV

I woke up this morning in wonder. My mind kept making stupid theories on what Ashton meant. I wasn't supposed to hear him, but I did. Part of me wants to ask, another part doesn't.

I ponder outside to the mailbox, which was only a few meters away from the house I stayed at last night. And knowing it's Sunday morning, all of the junk mail and letters will be there.

The bursting yellow Sydney sun hits me hard as I cover my eyes, the concrete burning my toes as I quickly tip toe my way to the mailbox. As I open it, junk mail fills the wooden box. I dig through it, throwing half in the bin beside me, knowing my mother and I will never read it.

A blue envelope finds itself in my palm underneath all of the old papers from weeks ago as my fingers trace over the holes in it, from snails chewing their way through. Black pen dents the paper lightly and neatly, the writing very similar.

Written on it, I read;

Belle Wills
17 Kingside Crescent
Sydney, Australia

My eyebrows knot together in confusion, wondering how I did not see this previous weeks ago.

I peeled the envelope open, seeing a three postcards, all with a with a familiar sight. It was New Zealand, and the postcards were from Finn. He must of sent them while ago, seeing the condition of the envelope. Shivers raced up and down my spine as I took in a deep breath before reading it.

Hey Belle!
It's Finn (If you didn't already know that.) Just wanted to send you a postcard
because it was very 'tourist' of me and seeing as I haven't been able to get
hold of you without the phone line cutting out, I thought I would surprise you!
We haven't talked in like 4 days and a lot has happened! Okay, so first of all, the
night clubs here are sick, so many hot girls too, don't tell mum that though.
I'm home in only 3 days kiddo! I still wish I didn't use YOUR money to get over
here, I regret it, I would've gotten you a flight over here but who cares now,
I'm home soon! Xx

Then the writing ends, so I flip to the next one.

It's me again, I ran out of room, so I bought another one today at this
souvenir shop in Auckland. It sucks that you can't remember this place,
well mind you, haven't been here since you were 4. But it's so great, I've
told you that a million times over the phone but god, it's so different here.
More quiet, but more loud if that makes sense. We went shopping the other
day, here in Auckland. It was a break after we'd gone to Tauranga. OH MY
GOD TAURANGA. Xx

End of postcard.

I had to get another one, but Tauranga, we went to this place the locals
call 'Mount,' we went for a walk up this massive ass mountain, which
probably wasn't that big but I'm so unfit, (my muscular physique says
otherwise ;) ) but it was so good from the top, and the amount of girls down
on that beach, they were sexy. Research was good.. Anyway, I'm running
out of room and have no more money to buy anymore of those postcards, that
shit is expensive as hell for a piece of card. I love you super duper much Belle,
Can't WAIT to see you! Call you when I'm driving back home yeah? Have a good day
muncho I hope you're smiling as you read this!!!
LOVE FROM FINN!!! Xoxoxo

The thing is, I wasn't smiling as I read his writing. He should've come home 4 days after he sent them. And he still hasn't set foot back inside his room nearly a month later. Tears were crawling down my cheeks. I felt so stupid for being emotional, but I had a sudden rush of guilt for not remembering that my brother died a few weeks ago. I had been having so much fun I forgot. And the fact that the accident was all my fault.