Echo Came To Earth

One Abnormal Night Begins

They packed simultaneously, as if their entire lives depended on it. Which for each of them it seemed like their lives would end without the success of their mission.

Aly' pov

Water. Snacks. Flashlight. Barfed phone. Hope. Bike. Helmet. Ride. Alex's house. Thirty minutes early. Yelling.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE LEAVING TOMORROW?" I was in tears. I couldn't believe he would lie to me. We promised to never lie to each other. I never lied to him after Tuck adopted me. I thought I could trust him. I guess I was wrong. I wanted to hurt him the way that he had hurt me. Truth is one of my biggest values, he knows that, so why did he lie?

"I don't know. I wanted our last night together to be as normal as possible I guess. I wanted you to be happy up until the second I left." He was crying too.

"And after that? What am I supposed to do without you?" I whispered. All the fight had drained out of me when I had seen him cry. I've only seen him cry two times since I had first moved here, and once before we were friends, but never before was I the cause.

Alex's pov

She was crying because of me. She had already been through so much, and I had to go and ruin our last night together. I'm so stupid! Silent tears ran down my face. What could I possibly do to make her happy again? To see her smile before I go, I would do anything.

"And after that? What am I supposed to do without you?" She whispered in my ear. Her face was so close to mine. I could feel her quick breathing as she tried to stop crying.

"What am I supposed to do without you? You mean the world to me." I whispered back. My room was empty, and I had just poured my heart out to her, before the night had began. I could feel her tears on my shirt, but I didn't mind. She had said she wouldn't know what to do without me, that was enough. The doorbell rang. We jumped apart.

A silent agreement. A promise. Walked downstairs. Tuck. 'Where is Aly?' Upstairs again. Aly still crying. 'She found out, didn't she?' Group hug. Tuck's tears. 10 minutes until 6:30

Tuck's pov

Helmet. Bike. Where's Aly? Ride. 15 minutes until blastoff. Ring the doorbell. Alex. Tear stains. Questions.

I was crying. They totally had a moment. God dang! This isn't a good thing! Aly just found out Alex was leaving tomorrow! How could that be a good thing?!

I have to find out what happened.

Aly was still curled up on the bed, crying. Alex went over to comfort her. She doesn't need me right now. She needs Alex.

"I'll go tell your parents where you'll 'be' tonight, k?" I said, leaving the room.

I walked downstairs.

"Hey, um I invited Alex to sleep over at my house tonight, is that okay?" I said, rather calmly. Aly is the actress here, not me.

"Oh! That's a great idea!" Alex's foster mom answered.

"But my mom and dad are having a date night, so I wouldn't call them if I were you." I added.

"Okay, thank you Tuck." She answered.

Nailed it.

Aly's pov

I mean the world to him? What does that mean? You know what? I am determined to enjoy this night, no matter if Alex has a crush on me or not. But first, let me finish crying. Omg this is my last night with my best friend. The Mulberry Ballers Club will be no more if we don't pull this off.

"Hey." Alex sat down on the bed next to me, "Guess what?"

"What?" I asked.

"The people who are destroying our neighborhood told us not to finalize any payments on new house yet." He said, taking my hand.

"Why didn't you tell me this before you said you were leaving tomorrow?" I said, playfully hitting him in the arm. Then hiccuping. 

He mocked hurt, "You know, that is a good point." He said. Then he gave me a hug, "Promise me, you will smile after I'm gone. I know I would kill to see you smile."

"Only if you promise me that we will stay in touch. At least, if you leave." I retorted, smiling.

"I promise."

"Me too." Then he kissed me.

No jk. Tuck walked in. Smiling like he had just won the lottery.

"What's up my homies?" He said, breaking the silence.

"Oh my french fries, we got to go!" I said. We were late.