Twenty Seconds Before

Chapter Six: Blush Pink

I pulled myself out of my memory and focused on getting ready for Ava. We were going to meet at the tree house we built together, before things got complicated. I sprinted to the woods behind her house and sat waiting in the main room. I looked at all our pictures on the walls. We've been together ever since we were young so I was definitely not ready to say goodbye yet. It felt like someone cut me in half and put the other side of me just out of reach.

I reached out and touched the picture of her and I kissing. I miss those days, but I am very happy about my current relationship with Amberly. She wasn't as funny as Ava, and she paled in comparison when it came to spending time together, but she was sweet- and she didn't care about what her soul tracker said. She cared about me regardless of some stupid clock. That's why we broke up.

She came into the tree house screaming with excitement. She was mostly incoherent, but I could tell it was something about her soul tracker beginning to count down. My heart stopped. I knew how much she trusted these little clocks, so if my time didn't match her's I doubt she'd waste any time on me. I really loved her. I really did, so I wouldn't care if our times weren't the same, but I saw the hope in her giant eyes as she asked me to take off my band and show her what mine said and it made me hopeful too.

I unclipped the band and looked at the glass on my wrist. Everything slowed down, like I was in some old movie. I felt a tear drop down my cheek as she pulled my wrist towards hers. Her face dropped and lost its color completely. Six months. My clock was set exactly- down to the second- six months before hers. Her eyes met mine and I could tell from that point on that nothing would ever be the same.

The rest is history. Even though she promised to still love me no matter what, she didn't. There was someone else out there for her. Someone she was destined to be with and it wasn't me. I was heartbroken. I sobbed for days, then got over it. I began to date Amberly and we hit it off. I still thought about Ava constantly, but at least Amberly wouldn't leave.

I heard a knock at the door, turned around, and there she was. In her perfect red dress.

"Hey dweeb, thanks for meeting me."

I breathed deeply and held in all the emotion. I was happy without her for the last year or so, I don't need her. I'll be fine.

"Geeze! You clean up well! Did you just see Amberly or something?"

"No-" I sputtered out.

"Oh Tansen! You actually did your hair for me?! Wow! Today is a day of miracles!" She laughed.

Ok Tansen. No. Pull it together. She doesn't want you- remember? She must have seen the look on my face.

"Hey- are you ok?" she whispered.

"Yeah im fine."

"Oh- okay, you just looked kind of sad..."

"Im fine."

She looked at me with concern in her eyes. I wanted to tell her exactly how I felt but there is no way I could handle that rejection again, so instead I just looked down at my feet and prayed that she wouldn't see the pain I was in.

"That's it. Tansen." I kept my head down- not brave enough to look up and face her.

"Tansen- I have to leave. My family is waiting for me. Please look at me." I felt a tear stream down my cheek as I lifted my face to her's.

"Hey now," She said softly. "Don't cry, we will still talk all the time ok?" She took my face in her hands and wiped the tear away. I held her wrist and looked back down at the ground.

"Tan- Look at me please."

"Ava I-" I stumbled as I lifted my eyes to her's.

"Shhh." she whispered.

She let go of my face and grabbed my shirt in her hands. My face felt like it was on fire, though later she told me that it was more of a blush pink. She pulled me closer and closer to her till I was pressed up against her. I grabbed her and pulled her into a huge hug. It felt just like my dream. I never wanted to let her go. Never. I didn't care if she didn't love me- I can't live without her. I heard her let out a soft sob and held her tighter. I felt her phone vibrating so I let her go. She wiped at her eyes and sniffling answered the phone.

"Yeah mom. I'll come home now. I was just saying goodbye. Ok. bye."

My chest was pounding in my ears. I couldn't feel my legs. I felt like passing out. My Ava was leaving me. MY Ava.

"Tan?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you come here for a second?"

I walked over to where she was standing- In the middle of the giant spotted rug we found at the thrift shop together.

"Tansen Alexander Anderson- I love you. I always have, I always will, and I can't help it. I know that this is terrible timing" She said, chuckling to herself nervously. "But I cant help it. I love you. I love you to the moon and back. I love you more than anything I know. I love you-tansen."

No matter what I tried, I found myself unable to speak. She smiled at me, and grabbed my neck and pulled my head down towards her. "Never forget that okay?" With that she threw herself on me and kissed me. Kissed me deeply and passionatley. She pulled me even closer to her as she began to work her tounge into my mouth. Even when we were together, she never kissed me like this. I held her waist tighter and tighter to me and sat down on the couch. She climbed on top of me and we kept kissing. She slid her hands underneath my shirt and ran them up and down my ab's. Just then- I heard her phone go off. She bolted off of me and grabbed her phone.

"Im sorry tansen." she said, and then sprinted down before I had a chance to talk to her.

"Goodbye Ava" I whispered as I watched her family jump in the car and drive away.