Sixteenth Summer

Just like old times

     "Ash?" I said while looking for my pajamas.

    "Yeah?" he said from outside my room.

    I quickly changed into my pajamas and opened the door for him. He closed the door and went to sit on my bed while I was looking for my bag. I almost gave up on finding it when I saw it peeking from under my bed.

    "Can you read to me? It's been so long from the last time you read to me," I shyly said as I was looking at anywhere but him. He softly laughed and said, "You don't have to ask. You know that." 

   His warm gray eyes looked at me and I stared back. His eyes held amusement, but they also mirrored the same thing I saw in my father's eyes when he looked at my mom. No that can't be it, I thought. It's just my imagination...

    He got Clockwork Princess off my shelf and came over to my bed. He sat down on the edge and I sat against my headboard. That book still had the bookmark where he had left it years ago. He noticed the same thing and looked up from the book at me. He looked shocked and his eyes held a bit of longing in them. I stared down at my hands and I just couldn't take it anymore. I had to tell him.

    "I didn't take it with me that time, even if I always took it everywhere with me. My mom had told me that we would probably never come back for a while since it was around the time my dad got the job offer. I guess I hoped that it wouldn't happen, but now I know there was no sense in hoping. I wanted to send you a letter or call you at least once, but my parents always found an excuse to not let me do that. I could also say that I was hoping you would finish it for me..."

    I didn't even bother adding to that sentence because I was already tearing up and I didn't want to cry anymore. I had enough with crying. I stared down at my hands the whole time I was talking. He put the book to the side and put his hands over mine. I looked up and he smiled at me.

    "How could I have finished it if you weren't here? A promise is a promise. Remember? We had promised each other that we wouldn't spoil or finish the book before the other, especially if we were reading the book together."

    I was shocked that he even remembered about that. I thought he had not taken the promise seriously back then because he would always tease me about it. I gave him a small, shy smile and laced our fingers together. He gave me that grin that I fell in love with and I felt my cheeks redden. I looked down and he laughed softly while taking me into his arms and opening the book.

    I settled back against his chest and rested my head back on his shoulder.

    "Do you want to start over again or do we continue from where we left off?" he asked me.

    "Can we continue from where we left off?" I asked him.

    He just nodded and opened it to where it was bookmarked. He started to read and I instantly was brought back memories from when we were kids. Him reading to me while I would read the dialogue with him. Him reading me a book when I couldn't sleep some nights.

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     "Ash I can't sleep," I told him while shaking him awake. He groaned and rolled over to my side.

    "What happened?" he said sleepily while he put his arms around me. I was shaking and he immediately sat up and turned on the lamp beside the bed. His eyes were checking to see if I was alright and I just hugged him, hard.

    "It was a nightmare," I said while hiding my face against his chest. "I can't sleep anymore."

    He scooped me up into his arms and got the book on the bed stand. He opened it to where it was bookmarked and started to get comfortable. As soon as he found a comfortable position, he started to read out loud softly as to not disturb my parents or grandparents. His voice lulled me back to sleep by the fifth page and I was out like a light bulb.

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    His voice brought back many more memories and I slowly being lulled to sleep. I think Ash could tell that I was falling asleep because he bookmarked the page and closed the book. I was almost going to protest why he had stopped, but the I couldn't lie to myself. I was exhausted after all I did today.

    He smiled at me before lying down on the bed with me in his arms. I smiled and snuggled into his chest. I couldn't be anymore happier. I fell asleep after that.

    Grandpa, I wonder if you can tell how happy I am right now...