Fractures

50 || Smile

Last chapter! Rlly trying my best to save the sentimentality till the end so I just want to use this chance to kindly ask you vote every previous chapter… and with that, let's jump right in one more time.

Chapter 50: Smile

I still couldn't believe it.

Ashton was alive, he was alive and well, he was coming to me.

A part of me believed this was all an illusion, a dream I was soon to wake up from but judging by the fact I was currently in miss Johnson's stolen car (stolen by her daughter of course not me) driving hours away to get to a fricking beach. I'd say it very much was real

Dia had offered to drive me, insisted really. Seeing as she had so many questions, I could see why.

"But how's he still alive?" She asked as she turned the wheels, swiftly turning the car towards a right turn, lurching us forward.

"I don't know," I replied. Even I was equally confused, I also had questions and yet no answers but right now, I didn't care, I just wanted to see him.

I looked into my phone, checking the time. 4:35am.

We were late but we could make it. Dia pushed on the gas pedal, sending the car speeding as she asked, "you love him don't you?"

I paused for a while, every memory of the time we'd spend resurfacing. "Yeah!"

Dia smiled. "I'm really happy for you, Maddie, you deserve this."

•••

We soon made our way into the rocky road, Dia coming to a stop as she parked right by the side, both of us rushing out the car and into the cold chilly air.

The sun has begun to rise, a golden glow down across our faces as we both searched the vast landscape of the beach for someone, anyone.

But there was no one.

Was this all a dream, a game of some sort. I searched for hours, expectations dwindling as it quickly dissipated into disappointment.

"Maybe we missed something, let's search again," Dia offered.

"No," I said, trying to control the swirling emotions. "We should probably head home, you have classes this morning, we've barely slept. Besides, we don't want your mom to find out about that." I pointed towards the car.

"She doesn't really care, I borrow it all the time…" Dia paused. "Except now I took it without permission and almost crashed it, aka stealing… you're right."

Dia walked up to me with a sour expression that mirrored mine, almost feeling my pain.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you, I really wished I could do more," she said, tucking a hand underneath her flannel shirt and the other over my shoulders.

"There's nothing you could do," I said as we made it back to the car. The momentary silence comforting us.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Dia mumbled, "this was supposed to be magical."

"And it would b–"

"Hey! Sorry I'm late!" A familiar voice interrupted, face pushed through Dia's open side of the window which wasn't the best idea.

"AHH!" Dia screamed immediately throwing a punch square in Justin's face, sending him staggering backwards which in turn had Justin equally screaming.

"Who is he?" Dia asked, scared and shocked.

"Who is she?" Justin asked, cradling his almost broken nose…

"A friend!" I replied to both their questions with that single answer. Dia gasped, a pang of guilt on her face.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have done that, you caught me off guard," Dia apologized.

"Well you caught me off guard," he said, giving a cheeky grin.

"Justin, where's Ashton?" I asked.

He looked over my shoulder with a slight tilt of his chin. I turned around.

There Ashton sat, at the shores of the beach, throwing a wave my way.

I could feel my heart skip a beat as I looked at him from a distance away, unable to speak.

"Go easy on him," Justin warned, "can barely move but was eager to drive almost a two hours journey to get here."

I stepped out the car, my eyes still fixed on my boyfriend as I made my way to him, first in slow methodical step which gradually increased in pace and then in a full on sprint.

Rushing to him, the tears poured down my eyes as I hugged him, unable to imagine I'd feel this, him. His warmth, his skin, everything.

"This is a dream!" I cried, unable to believe it all

"Maybe, but if you squeeze any harder, it's about to become a true crime case," he laughed.

"Oh sorry!" I let go.

I looked up to meet his crystal eyes, the golden morning sun had risen, giving his perfect face a sunkissed glow as we stared into eachothers eyes, unable to speak.

"Ashton, i–"

"Please Maddie," he cut. "I want you to hear from me."

His thumb glided over my face, sweeping the last line of tears off my cheeks. I nodded.

"I love you Maddie, more than the world, I love you more than I've loved anything, I really need to tell you that cause I just realised, time is short, and I don't want to spend a single moment regretting not choosing you, even if it puts my dream on the line."

My lips quivered with emotions as I tried to form words, my face nestled in the clasp of both his hands.

"I've been such a d*ck Maddie but I met you and you changed everything, you made me want to fight for someone else, you made me want to strive to be the perfect version of myself, your smile was my ecstasy..."

I looked up to him, lost in his perfect face as a new round of tears fell down my eyes, I mumbled out, "I love you."

Ashton Malik had seemed to be a stark opposite from me but every second I got to know him, every day I got to see his passion and joy, I realised we couldn't be any more alike.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked.

I smiled. His words always left me with that feeling of joy, with that feeling of pure, unadulterated love. It left me with a smile on my face.

The waves crashed, the water seeping beneath our feets, a flock of birds frolicked in the sky, the early morning chirps filling the place as the sun rise from the horizon, amber golden rays highlighting his perfect face.

He'd said he just wanted to see me smile but the truth was, I'd always been smiling… ever since he came into my life.

"Yes please," I replied in a breath.

The End,
-Thea