Faction Center: Dauntless High

Chapter 35: I Love You

Luke is sprawled out on the couch, cuddling with Calum. I quickly snap a picture, but remember that I really needed to see Ashton, who is nowhere to be found.

"Uh, where is Ashton?" I ask.

"He's out writing songs." Michael responds.

"Where?"

"That depends. He could be at the park, on the roof, in hi-"

"Wait, what do you mean on the roof?" I cut in.

"He likes to be up high when he has to think. That's my best guess as to where he would be now, the park is one of his next favorite places for solitude, but the roof is his absolute favorite spot." He laughs and scratches his bright green hair.

"Thanks." I begin to walk out of the room, but stop shortly. "How exactly do you get on the roof?"

"In his room, he has a ledge on his window with a ladder up there, at least that's what I heard." I start to run in that direction. "Good luck!" he yells.

I swiftly climb out the window, and climb the ladder up onto the the roof. I immediately spot Ashton leaning against the chimney, pencil and paper in his lap. I sit down next to him.

"Hey." I say softly.

"Hi." He sighs. I lean against him, and rest my head on his shoulder. We sit in silence like this for a while. finally, he speaks up. "How'd you find me?" he asks.

"Michael thought you'd be up here. What are you writing anyways?" he hands me the notepad, and I read what is sloppily written down.

'Are you somewhere feeling lonely even though he's right beside you.

When he says those words that hurt you, do you read the ones I wrote you?

Sometimes I start to wonder, was it just a lie?

If what we had was real, how could you be fine?

cause I'm not fine at all.' It reads.

"Who's that about?" I finally ask.

"Just someone special. It's for the one, you know. I just wish she would show up already. And I wish that she will realize how beautiful and amazing she is. And I just wish she never notices how weird it is that a guy like me got ahold of somebody like her. Because that shouldn't have happened."

"It's okay, Ash. You'll find the one. She'll be perfect, the best one for you. And she'll love you so much. The right one will come, trust me, you'll know it."

"But what if she already came? And my chances with her are ruined all because of one choice I made? What if she's right beside me, and doesn't even realize it?" I look at him, studying the tears flowing from his hazel eyes, and the curls of his light brown hair blowing through the wind. "and what if

I'm too late, what if another choice gets in the way, Tris? What will I do then?" I open my mouth to respond, but he talks again. "The answer is simple, I'll lose her forever. Tris, I can't stay in Chicago anymore. We got a huge offer to tour around the world with another music group. This is our big break, and we leave tomorrow." I stare, shocked at the news. "Just know I love you, and I always will. I always will." And jut like that, he crashes his lips to mine, kissing me more intensely than Tobias ever has. In this moment, I forget everything around me. All that matters is us, and nothing can change that. This may be the last time we ever see eachother, the last time we ever talk, ever kiss, ever even glance eachother. "I'm sorry." he says, standing up and climbing down from the roof. I climb off the roof after a little while, and get into my car, starting the engine. My phone rings, the caller ID reading 'Tobias.' I pick up, and hear some bad news.

"Tris, it's Uriah, he's in a coma from a house fire. H-his house burned to the ground, and he's the only one who got hurt this bad. And there's no way he could possibly make it. I'm sorry. Meet me here." I burst out into tears, the world around me blurs together. I don't even have time to hang up the phone before I see the other car speeding towards me. I quickly say something to Into the phone.

"I love you."