Forever & Always

Chapter 5 - Alessandra

The rest of the day passed quite quickly. I was sitting in the library finishing up my college assignment, praying the bell would ring soon. I submitted my assignment, and closed my laptop.

When the bell rang, I left the library and walked to my locker. I put my stuff away and nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw Asher standing right next to me.

"Jesus!" I exclaimed.

"Dude! I'm sorry," he said looking worried. "I didn't mean to scare you." He looked at me. "You good?"

"Yeah. I'm good."

He smiled. "You should have seen your face, though."

He started laughing at me. I scowled and began walking away. "Al-- wait!"

Asher caught up with me and stopped me. "Hey," he said. "I was kidding. We good?"

I nodded. "We're good."

We resumed walking down the hallway. When we got into the parking lot, Asher asked, "Could you give me a ride home? I came with Will, but he had to leave early."

"I guess," I told him. "But you're going to have to give me directions.

He nodded. When we got to my car, he stared. "Damn," he said. "Nice ride, Dario."

I gave him a tight smile. "Thanks."

He looked at me, confused. "You don't like it?"

I looked at the car. "I mean, it's nice, but..." I sighed. "It's complicated."

He furrowed his eyebrows, then smiled. "Can I drive?"

I lifted one eyebrow at him. "Why would I let you drive my car?"

His eyes widened, but he quickly recovered. "Because I am the best-looking guy you've ever laid eyes on." He smirked.

I shook my head. "Get in, dumbass."

He laughed and got into the passenger seat.

I started up the car. Asher looked giddy. "It sounds like heaven, too!" he exclaimed.

I smiled at his child-like self. He lifted his eyebrows. "What?" I asked.

"I think that's the first time I've seen you smile all day," he said as my face heated. "It looks good; you should do it more often."

I looked away. He got me there. Ever since Caleb died, I couldn't bring myself to feel happy anymore. In the last months of his life, he seemed so alive that I actually got my hopes up. I could be myself. I stopped worrying. I started hanging out with my friends more often. I spent less and less time with him. In the last month, his condition plummeted. As he got worse, I did, too. I began to push everybody away. I wanted to make it up to him. I felt bad for not spending all my time with him. He was dying, and yet I chose to ignore it. So I spent every day by his side. I cooked him food, I watched movies with him, I played games with him, I made him laugh-- but none of it helped. He kept deteriorating. I knew I was doing something wrong. I began to sleep in his room on the floor beside his bed. I would take him out sometimes, I wouldn't go anywhere outside of the house if he wasn't there with me. I did everything I could but, still, he didn't get better. So now, how could I be happy when I knew that Caleb never will be again? How could I continue to move forward when Caleb never would? How could I face the cruelty that is life without my best friend by my side?

"Al?" I snapped out of my reverie. "Are you okay?" Asher asked.

"I'm fine," I lied.

I drove out of the parking lot, knowing Asher's gaze was on me. We drove in silence for a while before Asher broke it. "Turn here."