If You Make a Deal With a Shadow...

Chapter 47

"I hope I see you on the other side so we can kick it like we did before. I hope you leave a little room on the other side so I know I got somewhere that I can go. I hope I'm not banging at the door saying "Let me in". And I pray that I'm forgiven for my sins."

- Other Side by August Alsina

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Aubrey rushed aboard the plane in a frenzy. She was a whirlwind. A complete and utter mess. Payton didn't know what he could do or say to make her feel better. If something happened to Austin he wouldn't know how she would take it and he knew there wouldn't be a way to comfort her. She and Austin had been friends for too long and she would be heartbroken if the worst had happened.

The entire plane ride Aubrey's leg bounced up and down in nervousness. She nearly bit off her entire nail bed on each finger. All she wanted was to see her best friend and to make sure he was okay. The suspense was killing her and she wondered what he had gotten into this time.

It's probably nothing. Just Austin being Austin and since no one has known him as long as me they think it's more serious... Yea, that's gotta' be it.

Aubrey noticeably relaxes... just a little.

Payton fell asleep a few hours into the plane ride. But after an hour nap he woke up to her staring out the plane window. He could tell she was tired, but the worry was eating her alive so she couldn't sleep, eat, or drink. "Baby, come over here," Payton voiced and Aubrey faced him with a blank expression.

"I can't do this, Pay. I—"

He stood up and went over to her, bringing his blanket with him. He handed it to her. "You need to go to sleep. So, get up," she eyed him suspiciously but still did as she was told. He sat down and he pulled her down with him. Circling his arms around her, he began rocking her to sleep. She smiled as the movement put her to sleep in no time.

"Aubrey, I have something to tell you," Austin whispered through the phone.

She groaned and looked at the time. "Austin," she yawned. "We have to get up at 6:30 to go to school. What is it?" her clock read 1:43 AM.

Aubrey and Austin had been best friends since freshman year of high school. The year when everyone started to pick on him and that's how they grew close. Although, they've known each other since fifth grade. Tomorrow was the first day of their Junior year and here he was waking her up. They lived right next door and she didn't understand why he couldn't tell her whatever he had to say when they walked to school together the next morning.

She could feel him smiling through the phone. "I love you, Bre," he whispered before laughing.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. Every once in a blue moon Austin would call her just to tell her he loved her. She never knew why either. It was always so random.

The catch was that he always did it early in the morning.

"I love you too, Aus. Now... go to sleep," she whined.

He laughed again. "Okay, but I really have to tell you something tomorrow," he said quickly before hanging up. All Aubrey did was shake her head and go back to sleep.