Falling Like Stars

Chapter Seventeen

"Hey! Thank you!", Alex muttered when Ashley was entering her home.
"For what?", she asked calmly and with a little smile on her lips.
"For today. For giving me a second chance."
"Don't act like we are strangers! When did you become like this? Come on Alex! I gave you a chance because I thought that you deserve it and you know I can't be mad at you for a long time. It's your choice to prove me right or wrong. Stop acting like a cute little apologizing boy, you've done enough. I just need time then everything will be normal.", she felt annoying because of him apologizing too much.
Alex did not know but he only uttered "Okay."
"Bye. Stop overthinking!"
"I can't you know!", and both of them laughed.
"At least try!", and Ashley threw a gaze on him.
"Okay okay! I will ma'am!"
"Good boy!"
"I know."
And they both looked at each other and shared their goodbyes.

And after reaching home he realized that he forgot to ask Ashley when to meet next. Then he tried not to think about it but he did. Then he decided not to fall for her again because he knew that she never felt the same way. So he decided to get thet friendship back.

"Everything good prince charming?", Samantha's suddent entry startled Alex.
"Oh! Mom! You scared me!", he said taking deep breaths.
"Aww! Busy lingering memories?", she teased.
"No!", it was a short reply hiding his face.
"So everything okay?"
"Yeah yeah! Everything is fine!", it was awkwardly replied.

And after a long pause Samantha finally managed to speak something.
"Is she single?"
"I don't know! We've not become so close. It will need time. She didn't want to tell me. She just told she and Ethan broke up."
"Oh. Try to know if she's,"
"Why do I have to know that?", Alex felt annoyed.
"You know why!"
"No! I want my friend back I don't need or expect anything else from her."
"You sure?", Samantha's face was pale.
"Yes."
"So you don't love her anymore?"
"Mom! Who said I ever did?", he was annoyed.
"Oh! I'm your mom! Does anyone have to tell me?"
And there was a pause.
"No mom! I don't think that way. She's my friend and will always be my best friend. She doesn't feel the way so I don't care about my feelings.", and he felt an ache in his heart.
"So you aren't saying that you have moved on?"
And after this question of Samantha, Alex just looked at her and that look made everything clear. Then Samantha gave a compromising smile to him and left.

After that, he didn't know how to spend time so he called Ella and gave a brief description of the day. And he also convinced Ella about the same thing that he didn't want any romantic relationship with Ashley.

And after that event, Alex decided to call Ashley to ask whether they would meet the next day or not but he didn't. He texted her and got to know what she would be busy the next day so they would meet the day after that.

Soon they started meeting literally every day and they started doing everything they used to do. It took nearly three week to make things right. Soon they became the friends they were. They started roaming around every place they used to and every purpose they used to solve. But for there work they were not so connected like two years before. But they again started sharing every small details of their lives and Ashley came to know about Alex's musician life. They shared everything but Ashley about her love life and Alex about why he left. And again it was a day three weeks after that day when they first tried to make everything right.

"I'll be out of town for a week.", Ashley said sitting on a bench.
"Oh. Work?"
"Yeah. We're going for a trip with our team and it's gonna be great."
"Writing team I suppose?"
"Yeah."
"Oh. Your writings are really well. I real one of your novels and have one."
And Ashley felt a sudden shock.
"From where did you get it?"
"I bought one. From the book shop near. Yesterday."
"No one knows it's me. How did you get to know my stage name?"
"I saw the front page of your writing diary and there it was."
"You are such a freak Alex."
"I know."
And then they shared a brief conversation on the way of them home.

"When are you gonna come back?", Alex asked when Ashley's home arrived.
"Today is Thursday so I'm coming back the next Thursday."
"Okay so I'm gonna miss you."
And both of them gave a beautiful smile.
"I'll miss you too."
"We're gonna have a party next Friday. Wanna join?"
"Umm, who're gonna be in that?"
"All of our friends."
"Okay. I'll come. Definitely."
And then both of them wanted to share a goodbye but they were much closer to go away from each other. Both of them felt a desire of doing something and suddenly, Alex hugged her. It was that hug for them, the breathtaking beautiful hug when everything was all right. But Alex felt more about that which he supressed. And then they looked at each other, being shy. And they shared their goodbyes.