The Ultimate Senior Year Plan {lashton/malum}#Wattys2016

~Ash~

I was just waiting in the car and Mike was driving.It was pretty quiet neither one of us was saying anything. "So Luke looks better" Mike stated to me and I just nodded at him. "Yeah, it seems like he's much happier" I commented to MIke and Mike just smiled at me. "You think that he'll be released soon enough so he could attend our graduation"  I turned towards Mike and Mike just shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know graduation is in a month Ash. A month isn't going to take care of his eating disorder" Mike stated to me and I sighed. "it's not fair that Luke and Cal not going to be there for graduation" I sighed while I leaned back in the passenger seat. "Yup life is never fair" Mike commented to me and I just looked at Mike. I could see the bitterness coming back to Mike and I didn't want Mike to become bitter once again. "Cal is going to wake up eventually, he's just trying to catch up on sleep" I nudged Mike and Mike rolled his eyes but a smile was on his face. "Tomorrow is school and my parents are actually making me go" Mike complained to me and I rolled my eyes at him. "Of course they are, Mike you need to get an education and another thing, you can't do anything for Cal sitting beside his bed in the ICU" I informed him and Mike just nodded. "I know, I want to be the first person he sees when he wakes" Mike confessed to me and I nodded. "I know" I replied to him before it went into a comfortable silence in the car. "Hey Mike" I finally said something after an hour of silence. "Yeah Ash" Mike said to me. "Do you think you can take me somewhere" I asked Mike and Mike turned towards me when there was a red light. "Let me guess you want to visit Alex's mom" Mike asked me while tilting her head. "I owe it to her to explain what happened to Alex" I elaborated to Mike and Mike just nodded. "Okay, I'll take you" Mike said before continuing focusing back on the road. I had no plan on what I was going to say to Ms. Rocker. Ever since Alex's death, I haven't called her or anything because I didn't know exactly what I was supposed to say to the woman who took care of me when my mom was always busy. How do you comfort someone who just lost her last kid. I heard a fear for parents is their kids dying before they do.  I should have done something more. No matter what Mike, or even Luke say, I will always blame myself for the death of Alex and Jesse. Thinking of Jesse set a whole tone in me, the fact is that Jesse was going to go off to college and he was going to leave our neighborhood. Jesse always wanted to be a doctor but Alex on the other hand hated anything to do with school.  I always somewhat knew that Alex was going end up nowhere but I always kept trying to tell myself, Alex could have done anything he wanted to do. I guess that's where the difference between Jesse and Alex. Alex dropped out of school when he was 12 and Jesse loved school. It was shocking around the neighborhood that One of the Rockers actually was staying in school. To be honest everybody looked down upon on the Rockers because of Alex and Jesse's dad. Their dad was an alcoholic power-driven guy one could meet. All these thoughts were in my head. Mike stopped the car and I just stared at him. "I'll stay here" Mike gave me one of his rare smiles. I took a breath before slowly getting out of the car. "You'll be fine. You got this" Mike was encouraging me now. I walked up to the door and I thought to myself, is too late to turn around and I was already but walk but to the car but then the front door opened. "Ashton" Ms. Rocker voice called out to me and I turned around and there Ms. Rocker was, her eyes were red and puffy and she was wearing sweats. "Um, it's Ash now" I told her while she urged me inside of the house. "Alex did tell me that you go by Ash now. How are you? Can I offer a cup of tea"Ms. Rocker asked me while going to the kitchen. I could hear the cracks in the tone of her voice like she was ready to break down any minute. I wasn't good at comforting people especially when they start crying. "Ms. Rocker, I am sorry about Alex" I told her honestly and Ms. Rocker shook her head at me. "It wasn't your fault, it was nobody's fault of Alex" Ms. Rocker told and I looked around the house, the house was a mess and it looked like Ms. Rocker still had a lot to plan for Alex's funeral. "Sorry about the mess" Ms. Rocker apologized to me and I shook my head. "You should have seen my house" I joked with her and Ms. Rocker let out a fake smile. "Is there anything I can do for you" I asked Ms. Rocker who was boiling hot water. "Ash, you are doing it by being here. I never thank you for bringing Alex to your senior prom" Ms. Rocker had a fake smile placed on her face. "Too bad prom went all wrong" I shook my head at Luke fainting that night and Cal being shot in the chest by his ex. "Alex kept most of his stuff in my house, I think that Alex and Jesse would want you to have some of their stuff" Ms. Rocker told me and I started to go upstairs to where Alex and Jesse's bedroom was and I heard and saw Ms. Rocker crying her eyes out. I continued and I entered into Alex and Jesse bedroom. I sighed and I looked around the bedroom.  It was the same as I last entered the bedroom. I saw a box of comics sitting on top of Jesse's bed. I smiled while I looked at past flash comic books. On the box, it said to Ash from Jesse. Please take care of these comic books.