Teacher | Ashton Irwin

Forty Two

It had been a week of no school. Actually, let me rephrase that. There was school but it interfered with my busy schedule of crying and screaming into my pillow as I lay in bed.

I didn't want to go to school but I knew I had to. I walked over to Michael who was stood alone at the tree outside. He smiled, "Hey Rachel."

"Hi," I said, "Where is everyone?"

"They're all hungover and not coming in. But-" his eyes strayed over my shoulder and he cheered, "Cal!"

I didn't even turn around to look at him. I quickly pushed past Michael and ran down to the school gates. I slowed down until I was walking quickly.

It was too soon for me to be here. Ashton and I broke up just a week ago. Every single time my heart beat thumped, it stung. It felt like I was being impaled many times with a knife.

I decided to go somewhere that I didn't think I would go so soon. I made my way through the large, creaky gates and down the rubbly stone path.

I stopped when I reached his grave. The grey marble headstone was damp from the rain last night. The grave was coated in grey stones. There it lay; the only flower on his grave was the red rose.

I pulled out my phone and called his phone. His angelic voice sounded the same thing as it did the last time, and the time before that, and all the other times before that.

A tear escaped my eye as i sobbed, "I finally had the courage to go. The grave isn't doing you any justice. It looks the same as the rest. A headstone, stones and flowers. Well, the only flower here is the one I put down on the day of your funeral. It shouldn't be like this. It shouldn't be this way at all. You should be with me. You should've stayed. I feel close to you; not just physically but emotionally. It feels like your right beside me. I know you are. I know you never leave my side. I love you Jack, goodbye."

I wiped the tears away. Jack was always there and I never saw him. I began to walk away but something told me to look back.

I turned my head and saw Jack. He was sat on the grey marble surroundings of the grave. He was dressed in his black skinny jeans, combat boots, white shirt and dark grey hoodie. He sat with his hood up as he took a drag from the joint between his fingers.

His eyes looked to me and he whispered, "Goodbye."

I suddenly snapped back into reality. He was gone.

I walked out of the graveyard. It was surprisingly busy in town. There were people walking, cars driving and it was just busy in general.

I decided to go to the diner me and Ashton went to on our first date. I took the seat that we were in. I took out my phone to see a message.

My breathing hitched when I saw who the text was from. Ashton.

"Call me a stalker but walk outside."

Why? What was so important about outside. I stuffed my phone in my pocket and walked outside.

I froze when I saw Ashton. He had red, puffy eyes from crying. He looked like he hadn't got out of bed this weekend. He wore a grey muscle tee with a band's name on it, black ripped skinny jeans, a black hoodie and black combat boots.

He stood about three metres away from me. He slowly said, "Call me a stalker. Call me crazy. Call me anything you want. I don't care about my career as much as you. I can find another job. I can be a bin man and I wouldn't care. As long as I'm with you," he smiled, "You can call me whatever you want but most of all, I want you to call me yours again. No more secrecy."

I smiled and said, "Promise?"

He said, "Of course. Just kiss me," he hurried over to me and I walked foreword. I wrapped my arms around his neck as his went around my waist. Our lips crashed together. The kiss was gentle but yet passionate. His hands snaked up my sides and cupped my face as his tongue slid into my mouth.

We stayed this way for what seemed like hours but was only minutes. He pulled away, resting his forehead against mine. He smiled, "I want to prove to you that there will be no secrecy."

He took my hand and said, "Thank jesus, I drove here." It had started to rain a minute ago.

We both got into his car. I wanted to see where he was taking me but I also had a strange feeling about it.