Pieces of Time

20

Ashton's POV

The sounds and smells of this town would be completely destroyed without her here.

I awaited her arrival and with it, the heartbreaking news I already knew.

"Hey loser!" Winter shouted as she approached. "Sorry I took long I-"

I knew what she was going to say, "-couldn't get away." I small smiled.

She sat down on the curb next to me as I got lost in the moment. This would be our last moment. I soaked it in like a sponge, hoping I was wrong and we would meet again some day.

"I'm sorry Ashton, but I have to leave." Her voice was small and so tender.

"Leave where? You just got here." I laughed to hide the pain. A pointless question to which I already had the answer.

"I'm moving today." She struggled naturally.

"Moving out of the neighborhood? What a tragedy. Now we have to break in the new one I suppose." I laughed, attempting to make her feel better.

"No Ashton, I'm moving to America. Today in fact, I would have told you sooner but, I didn't want to believe it." A tear escaped and I bravely attempted to tell it all to her.

"We need to speak before you leave. Give me at least an hour. Please, you need to hear what I have to say." I begged.

"I snuck out to say goodbye. My mom didn't even want me to say see to you. I have to get home." She said.

She quickly stood and started walking back toward her house. I thought about calling after her or chasing her down, but I knew this was a good way to end things. In defeat, I turned back toward mine.

"Ashton?" She shouted.

I turned to find her running back toward me. I met her halfway and embraced her with a hug.

"I'm so sorry." She cried and cried. I started crying too and hugged her tightly.

"It's okay, you'll be back and I'll be here waiting. Waiting to explain everything to you." I smiled down to her, but I knew her mum would never bring her back to me. Not after what I discovered, not after what I said to her.

"Explain what?" She questioned.

"We'll talk when you get back." I smiled.

"If." She cried. "When, when you get back." I smiled.

We hugged again for an eternity until we needed to part ways. She walked away down the street. I tried to follow but I knew if I was never going to see her again, I wanted our last moments to be happy ones and not of I ruining her life.

I groggily woke up, rubbing my eyes.

"Shit." I said as I looked around the room. The girl from my dreams, was Winter. The dream itself still made no sense but after all this time her face cleared. It was Winter. Now more than ever I needed to fix things.

Michael was curled up into a ball a few feet from me and Calum was sleeping on the bed like a starfish.

We tried staying up for John and Winter last night but must have fallen asleep.