empire.

chapter ten.

ashton pov

after;

this was the day of the funeral. only empires mother and brother had flown in.

she and him arrived at our- my, flat, at noon. i opened the door with tear stained cheeks, and she hugged me. i sobbed into her

"I'm sorry, oh my god, I'm sorry." I cried. I thought of the time when I was fifteen and threw a water-balloon at her, and had said the exact same thing.

"Ashton, it's not your fault." She too had years streaming down her face.

"It is! She called me. She called my phone twice. God, I could've stopped it. I could've fucking stopped it."

Later, at the funeral, I was asked to give a speech. I got up and went to the podium.

"Empire. I miss you. Why'd you leave me?" Everybody remained silent.

"Empire Matthews. The funniest, bravest, most beautiful girl I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I loved empire more than anything. She was the light in my life."

I looked across the pews in the church. Luke, Calum, Michael, Empires mother and brother and about 10 of her other friends.

"She was 19 years old, and she was far too young. Much too young. Empire, I love you. Please come back to me."

A single tear streamed down my face.