The Tale of Your Ordinary Girl

Chapter 25- Ashton

I race to the bookstore after the phone call. People are giving me funny looks racing through town so early. "Is Luce here?" I ask Melody when I finally make it inside the bookstore.

"She's in the back." Melody answers, her face impassive. It doesn't make me feel any better as I make my way to the back. She stands up from her curled up position on her couch. She meets me about two feet from the couch and hugs me.

"I'm ready to talk now." She says.

"Are you sure?" I ask her unsure if I'm ready.

"As sure as I'm ever going to get." She shrugs. She sits back on the couch her back against the armrest and faces me as I sit down on the other side. "Where do I begin?" She asks.

"Who's Lyndon?" I ask her.

"Remember that game we played when we first met at the dinner?" She asks me. The memory vivid and familiar in my mind. I give her a nod. She takes a deep breath and continues. "The last question we got to was 'What is your biggest fear?'" She continues before pausing. I give her another nod that I'm keeping up. "I never told you what it was."

"Because our parents, namely our mothers, came up and I had to go home." And my mother fussed over me the whole way home about being out in the cold on the roof.

So, I want to answer it now." She announces. "My biggest fear is seeing the boy that walked out of my life after promising they'd never leave. That they'd always be there. Lyndon and I were best friends. We grew up together. We did everything together." I rest my hand on hers sitting closer to her. "One day it was the first day of sixth grade. He promised he'd meet me at the bus stop. He wasn't there. I went to his house that afternoon after school and saw the moving boxes. The moving van." She continues. "He'd known for almost a year that he was leaving. They were only renting the house, but his parents had talked to mine about finally making the move permanent after years of renting. The owner had already found the next tenant for the house. He didn't tell me he was leaving. And he didn't even try to stay in touch afterwards. Eventually I got the hint and left him alone. That's also why I was so upset when Cassidy cut me out of her life. I'd already been tossed to the curb once. "

"You and Lyndon were childhood best friends?" I ask her to confirm.

"Before he lied to me for over a year and moved without even saying goodbye." She adds. "I don't make friends very easily. I've never dated until you. It's hard for me to trust people. Lyndon and I were inseparable until he left and cut me loose. I didn't know he was back in town."

"Who lives in that house now?"

"No one. The owner sold the property to be made into the park."

"Cortland Park?"

"Turns out that his parents had discussed it with the owner and that's why they left." She admits, "I was just shocked last night. I never expected to see him again. I'm sorry I ruined our date."

"It's okay. I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks for being so understanding."

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I wasn't." I grin and pull her closer to me. She curls up next to me resting her head on my shoulder letting my arm wrap around her waist. "I love you Luciana. Nothing is going to change that."

"I love you too Ashton." She whispers back closing her eyes.

"My biggest fear. Getting attached. Falling in love. And leaving you behind. My life was constantly moving around. Six months here. Six months there. I never stayed anywhere long enough to get attached. I could always tell when we'd be moving on quickly. I always tried to stay unattached. I knew as soon as I got attached we'd move. I thought as soon as I made a connection more than superficial, we'd be packing and moving somewhere new. Every time he promised it would be the last time. That we'd stay somewhere. This time. I didn't think it would be true. I thought this would be just like the last time." I begin telling my own story. My arm tightens around her waist. Luciana place one hand on my shoulder and sits up her other hand on my back rubbing soothing circles. "I thought. If I could make it just long enough to get through a whole semester I'd be okay. Then our mom's had to run into each other. As soon as I saw you that first time. The girl with her nose buried in a book. The one that didn't give me the time of day when we first met. I knew I couldn't leave. Falling in love and having to leave her behind would be my greatest fear. I can't leave you behind."

She turns me so we're both facing each other on the couch. She rests her forehead on mine. "I'm not going anywhere. We've only got a few more months before schools out. We'll be okay. You're not getting away that easily." She presses a gentle kiss to my lips before pulling back. "I love you to much to let you get away."

"I love you." I tell her. I kiss her softly pulling her closer to me. She wrap her arms around my neck as I wind mine around her waist. I pull back and kiss her nose. "Thank you for telling me."

Luciana picks up the book on the table and give me a questioning look as if asking permission. I nod and she curls up next to me as I stretch my legs and prop them up on the table. She leans against me as I rest my arm on the couch behind her. I press a kiss to the side of her head as we begin doing our favorite pass time. Something I'd never done until I met her. Something I'd never imagined I'd enjoy as much as I do.

"'Your attitude is like the aroma of your heart. If your attitude stinks, you're hearts not right.'"We read together from the book that brought us together. We're going to be okay.