The Great Escape || a.i. *completed & editing*

3.2

I woke up and Ashton wasn't there so he must have slipped to his own room sometime early in the morning.

I did my normal morning routine, and I went and sat on my bed in my room, thinking about Ashton.

It was officially going to be 2 and a half weeks before he was headed off to college. I was scared what was going to happen to us when that happened. What if he didn't want to be together while he was away? What was I going to do while he was off studying? I was going to be so bored, and I was going to miss him so much.

My heart ached just thinking about this, like what am I supposed to do? I suppose I could always hang out with Calum so I wouldn't get lonely. I could third wheel with him and his new girlfriend he found.

I heard my phone buzz, and I looked to see it was Ashton asking me to come outside.

I went outside and he was waiting for me on the trampoline. I climbed on the trampoline with him.

"Calum wants to meet up later," he said. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay I guess," I said. "When?"

"In a couple hours," he said. "He wants to show her the lake."

"Oh okay," I said.

"We could go early and meet them there," he said and I nodded, climbing off the trampoline and going with him to his car.

I watched him walk in front of me. The way he walked was just so perfect, everything about him. The way his red bandanna was tied around his messy curls, just everything about him. The way his whole face would light up when he smiled, or the way his laugh made a spark light up in my chest. Or the way his hazel eyes were so soft and gentle when they stared into mine, or how his dimples would grace his cheeks whenever he would flash that award winning smile. The way he hugged me, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist, holding me close to him and I would wrap my arms around his neck and rest my head on his shoulder. Or when his long, strong fingers were interlaced with mine, which in comparison were small and delicate. I admired every little thing about him, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Is this what it feels like to be in love?

"Sarah?" Ashton turned around. I hadn't even realized I had lagged a bit from daydreaming.

"Sorry," I said, speedwalking to catch up.

"Are you alright?" he asked me. "You seem a bit... Distant today."

I shook my head. "I'm okay."

"Sarah, tell me what's going on," he said. He knew me too well.

I sighed. "I just can't believe we only have 2 and a half weeks before you leave for college."

He wrapped his arms around me and rested his forehead against mine. "Distance is only going to make it so I won't be able to see you as much. I won't love you any less, and I'm definitely going to miss you like crazy."

"I know," I said. "I just... I'm going to miss you so much." I felt my eyes stinging.

"Don't cry, Sarah," he said soothingly. "Let's just enjoy the time we have together for now and not dwell on it or worry about it until we have to, okay?"

I nodded and swallowed hard, stopping my tears from falling out.

I climbed into his car and he started driving to the lake.

"At least there will be Calum to hang out with to keep me from sitting at home being lonely all day, right?" I said.

"Or Lauren," he shrugged.