I Choose You // Ashton Irwin

Memories

Panic! At The Disco
Oh memories
Where'd you go
You were all I've ever known
How I miss yesterday
And how I let it fade away
Oh where'd you go
~
Ashton talked with his mother about Mina during dinner.
"I remember her, she goes to your school now?" His mother asked.
Ashton nodded. "She moved back. I guess her parents split. She's with her mother now."
"Invite her over for dinner tomorrow, maybe the pictures will jog her memory."
Ashton sighed and finished his lasagna. He helped his mother with the dishes and went to bed. He dreamt memories from elementary school with Mina. When she glued her fingers together in second grade, that time he accidentally threw away the teachers lunch in fourth. They had some great times together.
The next morning during math, Ashton sat somewhere other than his usual place in the back. He sat next to Mina, who happened to be in class before anyone else.
"Hey." She smiled.
"Hi." He smiled back. While everyone was settling down, he invited her over. "I was talking to my mom about you, and she told me to invite you over for dinner. Would you like to?"
Mina nodded. "I'd love to see your mother again."
"Again?" Ashton was confused. Just the day before she didn't remember him at all.
"I was just pulling your leg yesterday, dude. Its good to see you again, Kutcher." She laughed. Kutcher was a nickname given to him by her in third grade. He had the same name as Ashton Kutcher, she thought it was funny. Years later apparently she still did.
Ashton laughed. "You too, Rocky." There was a story behind that name. In kindergarten, Mina would pick up a rock from the playground and keep it in her pocket all day. She did it every day with a new rock for the whole year. Nobody knew why. Ashton called her Rocky affectionately for the rest of elementary school. Before she moved, she gave Ashton her rock collection.
He still had it. Hiding in his basement.
"So you'll come home with me after school?" Ashton asked, pulling out his homework from the night before.
"Sure." Mina nodded, yanking hers from her backpack.
They met up for lunch again, reminiscing about elementary school.
Mina missed Ashton dearly while she was in California, Ashton couldn't bring himself to say he missed her, too.
"I missed you, dude! It was so cool to be out there!" She smiled brightly, her crooked teeth still the same crooked teeth they were when she left.
I cried the night you left. I cried for a week after you left. I shut everyone out. Why did you go? Why did you leave me?
Ashton couldn't, for the life of him, bring himself to say the words he so desperately wanted to say, needed to say. His mouth stayed shut in an interested smile while Mina went on about California life, the beach, the trees, the people. She got so caught up in her memories she didn't even feel sad to have left.
The bell rang for third period and they parted ways.
Ashton was on the edge of his seat for all of class.
Why wasn't he happy to see her? He was ecstatic at first but, now he's...kind of angry.
Was it because she left?
Without so much as a goodbye?
All he got was a rock collection the night before.
Why did he hate her, so much, but, love her still?