Of Love and Lanterns || 5SOS

- 3 - A s h t o n - Too Many Possibilities

- 3 - A s h t o n - 

The day at the beach was nothing special. We laughed, and talked, we ate a lot of ice cream and we had a couple splash wars. No one mentioned the necklace, and Michael didn't bring up what I had told him last night after Cal and Luke had gone home. It was a calm, happy day, and I had desperately needed it.

Now it's Monday morning, and I need to get up. As I got dressed, I looked out the window and saw that there was a new lantern on Nor - the window. I looked closer, and saw that it wasn't an outdoor lamp like I had expected any normal person to have, but the same style that Nora and I had, with a cord leading inside the window and everything. In fact, it was the same style, and brand as the kind that had been there previously, just in a more recent style like mine and now in a sleek black, rather than multi-colored. Nora had painted it herself one day when I wasn't home to talk to and she was bored. She had always been into art and music, and was also part of the reason I had picked up drums. What did this mean?

I rushed downstairs, barely ate breakfast, grabbed my school things and hurried off to school, almost forgetting to say bye to my mom, Lauren and Harry, all of whom were looking at me like I was crazy. I understood why, I was never excited for school, and almost always managed to be late, but today I had a reason that I didn't bother explaining to the trio. I had talk with Michael. As soon as possible. Who else could I talk to? I didn't want to get my mother's hopes up, Lauren and Harry didn't know Nora existed, Harry hadn't been born, Dad was still here, and Mom was pregnant with Lauren when Nora had moved away. Of the boys, only Michael knew about Nora, though I had managed not to tell him her name. I guess I would have to today.

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In form, which doubled as first period, they guys and I sat together. There was supposed to be groups of six, but there wasn't enough people to have full groups, so Luke, Cal, Mike and I got to be alone. Just as I was about to tell Mikey about the new lantern, the Math teacher, Mrs. Rader, walked in. She was a mean old lady who really didn't know how to teach. Lucky for us, we've been working on a project recently, so we aren't actually learning anything, meaning we don't have to listen to her yell at us too much. I'm pretty sure she started going deaf several years ago. Anyway, the moment she walked in, all talking stopped. No one wanted to get her angry. Following her was a girl who looked awfully familiar. But it couldn't be. . .could it? I looked at my paper and zoned out.

I thought about my old neighbor, and all the memories came rushing back. The memories I had refused to think about for a long, long time.

I remembered all the birthdays we had shared, all the times we met up at the park, and when we did our homework there. I remembered all our sleepovers, and how we would think we were being quieter than a mouse, but in reality we were keep everyone in the house up until two A.M. I remembered how I would always be bullied at school for always hanging out with girls and preferring music to sports, and how Nora would always stand up for me. She wouldn't listen to the other boys, and when they started bullying her too, she just gave them the evil eye until they shut up. A lot of people admired her for her constant uncaring attitude, and we had stayed the best of friends.

Then I remembered our out-of-school activities. All our play dates at the park, and the crafts we used to do at her house and the games we'd play at mine. I remembered the winter crafts of snowmen and and Christmas trees we made, and baking cookies and cakes with her dad. I remembered when we had heard a story about mummies in school and we wanted to make our own, so we wrapped each other in toilet paper and scared our parents. I remembered when we had a water balloon war at school and everyone was soaking and how her mom fussed about the water ruining the seats when she picked us up. I remembered the day we snuck out of the hose on one of those rare rainy days in spring and played in the rain for hours. I remembered how much trouble we were in when our parents finally found us, covered in mud from head to toe, school uniforms completely ruined, and soaked to the bone. I remembered how we had both caught a cold from that day.

This just couldn't be the same girl. it wasn't possible. She had moved away ten years ago with not even so much as a good-bye and I was sure she would never come back.

"Hey Ash?" I felt a nudge in my side, bringing me back to reality. "Can I have the glue please?" I snapped my head up and looked at her.

"S-sure." I said as I handed her the glue. Once again lost in my thoughts. She looked so much like her. It couldn't be her. . . Could it? I got my answer a second later.

"Thanks bud."  I watched with wide eyes as she handed the glue to Calum. Her accent had changed because she'd lived in Norway for so long, but I still recognized her voice. Sitting in front of me was Nora McLeod. My next door neighbor, once best friend, sitting here in front of me. At this realization, I panicked. I didn't know what to do. So I sat there staring at her, and I could feel my cheeks getting redder and redder. I was angry and happy at the same time. I couldn't believe Nora was back, and I was ecstatic that she was, but at the same time, I was angry that she didn't bother to keep in touch after she had moved away. I deserved an explanation, some kind of sorry, but I got nothing. I didn't look away when I heard the recognizable sound of a stifled laugh from Luke. I knew if I looked at him, I would say something I'd regret. I didn't look at Michael when he started talking, but his words unfreeze me.

"Woah dude, your face is really, really red. Are you okay? Not sick or anything?" I had no doubt his words were meant as a joke, but when he asked if I was sick, I suddenly did feel sick. I felt horrible, like I was about to throw up. So I did the normal thing when one thinks they're about to be sick and jumped up, and ran out of the classroom. I knew I had everyone's attention, including Mrs. Radar's, and I didn't like it, so I didn't linger.

"MR? IRWIN!" I heard Mrs. Radar call, but I was already running, and I wasn't about to stop.

A/N: And done I can't think of anything to say so. . .

Song of the Chapter: What the Water Gave Me by Florence and the Machine

- Kat -

Words: 1234/1267

***Edited***