When He Saved Me

t h i r t y - s i x

---- Madison's Pov ----

I sat on the edge of the balcony, the cool breeze tugging at my hair as the city sprawled below me, its lights flickering like tiny stars. The world felt quieter here, somehow, like everything was slowing down just for me. The sunset had faded, leaving behind a canvas of dusky purples and soft blues. I needed moments like this moments when the chaos of life felt distant, when I could just breathe.

It wasn't long ago that I couldn't imagine finding peace. I had been stuck in a cycle of hurt, of holding on to a past that I thought defined me. Cade had nearly destroyed me, leaving me questioning everything about myself, my worth, and my future. But now, sitting here, I realized just how far I'd come. The pain wasn't gone, but it no longer consumed me. It was a part of my story, yes, but it didn't dictate the direction I was headed anymore.

And a big part of that was Asher.

I thought about the way our relationship had unfolded the awkward moments, the laughter, the pain, and the healing. It was like we had both been walking through our own versions of hell, only to find each other when we needed it most. He had been there for me in ways I didn't know I needed, and in return, I'd helped him face the ghosts of his own past, particularly the one that had been haunting him for years: his father. Watching Asher reconcile with his dad, watching him finally let go of the anger that had weighed him down for so long, had made me believe in the possibility of healing. Not just for him, but for me, too.

He came out and stood beside me, his presence warm and solid as always. I glanced up at him, seeing the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. There had been a time when I wouldn't have believed this moment was possible—that we could both come through our pasts, broken and bruised, and still find something beautiful in the wreckage. But here we were, finding strength in each other.

"You okay?" His voice, quiet and filled with concern, pulled me from my thoughts.

I smiled softly and patted the spot next to me. "Yeah, just thinking. You okay?"

He sat beside me, our shoulders brushing. "I think so." I nodded my head in understanding.

We didn't need to say much—our silences were just as meaningful as our words. But I could tell he was thinking, too. Maybe we were both realizing how much we'd changed.

"It's been a long road," Asher said finally, breaking the quiet, his voice tinged with the understanding of someone who had walked beside me through the toughest of it.

"A really long road," I agreed. "But I think we're both in a better place now. It feels... right."

He nodded, his eyes steady on me. "We've both had to let go of things we couldn't control."

I leaned back slightly, looking out at the city once more. "I think that's been the hardest part. Letting go. With Cade, with everything... I held on to the anger, the hurt, because it was all I knew. But it didn't make me stronger. It just made me afraid to move forward."

"And now?"

"Now I see that healing doesn't mean forgetting. It means finding peace with the past, letting it be a part of me, but not the part that defines me." I glanced at Asher, feeling a rush of gratitude for how far he'd come—and how far I had, too. "I've learned that I'm not defined by my mistakes, or by people who didn't value me. I'm more than that."

He smiled softly, his eyes never leaving mine. "You're more than that, Madison. And I'm proud of you for seeing it."

"I'm proud of you too you know. For what you did for your father." I respond softly. "I know that was hard for you."

"Thanks Mads."

I took a deep breath, the weight of everything finally settling into place. "I think... I think it's time for both of us to start living for ourselves. Not for what anyone else expects, but for what we want. What we deserve."

Asher's smile widened, his hand finding mine. "Yeah. It's time for us to start living for us."

And in that moment, I knew everything was different. I wasn't looking back anymore. I wasn't chasing something that wasn't meant for me. I had finally learned to let go of Cade, to let go of the guilt and the regret, and to move forward with the life I had built for myself. And now, I was building a new future with Asher, someone who understood me, who supported me, who made me feel seen and heard in a way I had never experienced before.

"We've come a long way," I whispered, squeezing his hand.

"We have," he replied, his voice steady and full of certainty. "And we're only getting started."

I leaned my head on his shoulder, feeling his warmth seep into me as the last of the sun disappeared behind the horizon. The city hummed below us, but here, in this moment, I felt still. I felt at peace.

But just as I let myself settle into the calm, I heard footsteps approaching. The sound was faint at first, and then louder. "I found them!" Jules yelled over her shoulder as she peaked outside.

"What are y'all doing out here?" She laughed.

"Just talking." I smiled.

Ethan, Brooke, Jake, Noah, and Nicky all filed in behind her.

"Its a party out here." Ethan laughed. 

Nicky slid onto the bench next to me, her hand resting on my knee. "You two okay?" She whispered so only me and Asher could hear.

I laughed softly, my gaze flicking between her and Asher. "We're okay Nicky. Really." I could feel the weight of everything I'd been through lifting just a little more, like I was finally allowed to stand tall. 

Jake, who had been standing near the door, grinned. "You know, I wasn't sure we'd ever see this version of you, Madison," he said, his tone half-joking, but the pride in his eyes was unmistakable.

"I wasn't sure I'd ever see this version of me either," I admitted, looking at Asher and feeling the truth of that. "But I'm here now thanks to all of you."

"We love you Mads," Brooke added, nudging me with her shoulder. 

I smiled at her, feeling the warmth of her friendship in every word. "I love all of you guys."

There was a beat of silence, a quiet understanding settling between all of us. We had all been through our own journeys, but we were here together now stronger, wiser, and ready to face whatever came next. I looked at each of them, at Jules, Ethan, Brooke, Jake, Noah, and Nicky, who had been constants in my life when everything else felt uncertain, and I realized just how far we'd come as a group.

But then, Asher squeezed my hand, pulling me back to him. I turned to face him, feeling the bond we shared deepen as we sat side by side.

"You okay?" I asked softly.

Asher looked at me for a long moment, the weight of his past visible in his eyes, but so was the peace he was learning to embrace. He nodded slowly, his gaze unwavering. "I am."

I leaned into him, my head resting against his, as the world outside continued to move. There was so much left to heal, but we had made it through the hardest part together. I didn't know exactly what the future held, but I wasn't afraid anymore. And neither was he.

As the group settled around us, joining in the peacefulness of the moment, I realized that this was it the beginning of a new chapter, not just for me, but for all of us. I had a future ahead of me, one where I could be true to myself, one where Asher and I could build something real. Something unbreakable.

And for the first time in a long time, I wasn't looking back.

We were ready. Together