break the heartbreaker : luke

epilogue

VADA'S POV

(2 MONTHS LATER)

"this is it, huh, v?" ashton says over the phone, "our last day of highschool."

i balance the phone in between my ear and shoulder as i pull my pants up, needing to jump a bit as i do so, "why are you even awake right now, fletcher?"

the time on my clock reads 4:56am. ashton called me as soon as he saw that i was online, and i've been talking to him the whole time i've been getting ready.

"it's our last day of highschool, claudine," he repeats, "of course i can't sleep. just thinking about everything that lies ahead makes me wanna be a freshman again, not caring whether or not my pants matched my shirt."

i knew ashton would get sentimental. i mean, who wouldn't? we've spent each day together since we were kids, and once highschool ends, we'll both be going to separate worlds.

i put my phone on speakerphone as i wear a shirt and put a hoodie over it.

"i get you, ash," i answer, staring to collect my things and place them in my backpack, "the future is so uncertain. we don't know where we'll be in 5 years or 10 years. we don't know if we'll still be friends, even."

"not helping." he grumbles, and i know he's pouting.

i leave my room and go downstairs, making sure all appliances are turned off and unplugged.

"no, i just want you to realize my point. the future is uncertain," i say, "we don't know what's going to happen. we have no control over anything. but we do have something we have control over."

"which is?" he asks.

"the present." i answer, heading outside and closing the door behind me.

i get in the car, and i gesture that i'm on the phone, causing him to nod and start driving.

"you get it, right?" i continue, "we have control over the things we do now. at this very moment, at this very second. so why spend your last day of highschool worrying about the future we can't control?"

"seatbelt, petal."

i smile at him, and lock my seatbelt in place.

"you're right." ashton says after a moment of silence, and i know he's started to reflect.

"right?" i answer, opening up the brown paper bag which was on my seat when i got in, "don't go on thinking too much about the future, that you'll start to forget to live in the present, and you won't get to appreciate everything that's already right in front of you,"

i take a bite from the pancake sandwich, rolling my eyes in satisfaction once the flavor kicks in, "and you're right, ash, that today is our last day of highschool. and we'll be going our separate ways, but isn't that all the reason for us to make the most out of today?"

"the future is just going to be there, waiting for us. it's not going anywhere. but today only comes, well, today. and today is happening right now," i continue, "do you really wanna spend the last day of highschool worrying about college?"

"no, i don't." he answers straight away.

"great," i answer, taking another bite, "so make every second count, okay? do every highschool thing you can do. go to sleep again and press snooze on your alarm before getting up after the fifth snooze. drive your car to school again and park at your usual parking space. walk on the hallways and do that weird handshake thing whenever you'd pass by michael and calum. order your usual chocolate chip cookie at the cafeteria. do you get what i mean?"