Pieces of Us (SatoGou)

Chapter 12

hi y'all

so this is it- the best chapter yet, imo

there's a song that makes me think about them a lot and it's Don't Delete the Kisses by Wolf Alice

just the way the song sounds so romantic and at first she's singing about love not being for her, then by the end she's singing about how she and the guy were meant to be in love. it's just like ash and goh fr <3

also it was played at the end of heartstopper ep 1 if anyone watched that!

"Where are you?" She asks. "I came to see you, but you weren't there."

"I know. Nate told me. I'm in Galar," I explain. It's weird that we're not addressing the fact that we haven't spoken in a couple of years. "How come you came?"

"You don't remember?" She asks, sounding disappointed. I rack my brain for a few seconds, trying to remember whatever it is that I'm forgetting. Then it hits me that it's her birthday. The only communication we've had over the years have been swift texts on birthdays. But that still doesn't explain why she'd show up.

"It's your birthday," I sigh. "I'm sorry, Serena. It's been kinda busy here." I scratch the back of my neck awkwardly.

"No, not that," she says, sighing too. "The last conversation we had, remember?"

Well, this is getting super awkward. "I think I was too drunk. I don't remember."

Silence rings out for a few seconds, and I start to think she might hang up on me, but then she speaks again. "Oh. Alright. Sorry for bothering you, Ash."

Then I sense she really is going to hang up. "Wait, Serena. What was it?"

She hesitates. I hear her fidgeting on the other side, rustling around in bed sheets or something. "Well, do you at least remember what I told you?"

I glance at Goh, but he's still looking down at his phone, not paying any attention to me, or at least pretending not to. "Uh, yeah." How could I forget?

"Well after, when you told me you used to have a crush on me but that you didn't anymore, we talked for like two hours. In the end, we agreed to try again when we were both twenty one, if we weren't already with someone else."

Okay, I definitely do not remember saying that, though it does sound like something that I might say if I was emotionally charged and drunk, I guess. I do remember admitting that I once had a crush on her, because it was what prompted her to confess to me. I had thought we'd just laugh about it, since it had been so many years. I never thought she had ever been in love with me, never mind still.

There's a pause before she speaks again, low and quiet. "You're not with somebody, are you?"

"No, but I-"

"Me neither," she says breathlessly. I can imagine her lying there, her blonde hair pooling around her head on her pillow as she stares up at the ceiling, phone to her ear, smiling. I've always thought she was beautiful. It's why I had a crush on her. But I was twelve. Those weren't feelings. Under different circumstances, I might have met up with her, to see if anything could develop after all. But I glance over at Goh, and catch him looking at me, and that fire ignites in my chest again, and I know I can't do it. I can't consider anybody else until I let these feelings die out. It's pretty depressing that I'm going to have to get over someone I've never even dated, when every other time it's been so easy. I guess you could call it karma.

"I'm sorry we haven't talked," she starts again, and I hear the sheets rustle again, like she's rolling over. "I was trying to figure my life out, but I think I have now, and there's still a spot for you in it. So, what do you say? Can we meet up and see what happens?"