Life goes on

Chapter 18: Sealing Promises Part 1

After she was done with John, she headed downstairs to work on some homework. Before she could even get anywhere near her history text book, her cell phone beeped, Grant's number and face appearing on the screen. Ashley opened the phone.

I'm outside...

Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

It's 9:30 at night, on a school night. He came all this way for me? Ashley thought. Millions of questions were bogging her mind. Why was he here? Why did he care now? Does he have to tell her something?

She flipped her phone shut and ran through the house, not stopping until she reached the door and hastily stepped outside. Sure enough, he was standing in front of his car dangling his keys. She ran across the lawn, forgetting the fact she had no shoes on and ran to the car.

"You're crazy!" Ashley screamed to Grant. "You came all this way, just for me?"

"Of course I did. We need to talk." Ashley frowned. "I also missed you," Grant added.

Ashley at a loss for words, they stood there for a short amount of time in awkward silence. Finally, she asked the obvious question that she had been wondering for a while. "Why did you lie to me?"

Grant shrugged and ran his shaking fingers through his hair. "I didn't want you to worry. I'm sorry I even lied in the first place, it was wrong."

"Now you realize this?" Ashley's voice was bitter, but Grant couldn't blame her.

"I don't think I can say sorry enough, Ashley."

Ashley didn't know what to think. She was hurt, but she wanted nothing more than to let Grant hold her. She'd missed him beyond belief, but she was resentful for what she had gone through. Not that it was his fault he had to move, but he had no reason to lie to her. She was so confused.

So she did what she had wanted to do for a while now. She raised her hand and smacked him against his left cheek. Wincing, he touched the stinging spot on his cheek.

"I guess I deserved that."

"I was really, really hurt, you know," Ashley began. "I was nothing when you left. You took my virginity, and then lied to me about why you left. It's aggravating how much I missed you, because I should be mad."

Grant took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around Ashley, basking in the warmth and the contact he craved since he left her. The absence was everywhere for him when he moved. He would listen to her answering machine late at night to hear her voice, and when he would dream of her, he would become frustrated when he realized it was just a dream and she wasn't actually beside him.

"I tried to call you every night to tell you the truth or just to hear your voice but I was mad at myself. I literally can't give you an excuse as to why I lied. I just didn't want you to worry. Is there any way you could possibly forgive me?" Grant pleaded. He truly felt bad as to what he put Ashley through and he wished he could change it.

"I can forgive, but I'm not sure I can forget. I'll move past it, but I won't forget it," Ashley told him the truth.

"I can live with that," Grant spoke honestly.

After standing in the middle of the park kissing and hugging, Amy finally stood back on the ground. "I know people have left you and hurt you before, Ricky, but I won't be one of them.

Hearing those words escape her mouth made Ricky melt. He had never been told that before, and to hear that truly made him feel good. He was past feeling scared about being hurt, and he trusted Amy to not do that. He loved her, she loved him and all they could do was move forward.