Changed Since Texas / Post Malone

0.1

"I'm in the tree house Charlie!" he yelled as she ran over and climbed up the small ladder granting her access to their private area.

"Happy Birthday Austin!" she said as she ran over to him and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck.

"Thanks Charlie" he smiled as he hugged her back.

"I have your present for you, but I think my Mom still has it in the car" she said wrinkling up her nose.

"That's okay Charlie, you can give it to me later. Do you want to see what my Mom got me for my birthday!?" he asked excitedly.

"Yeah!" Charlie responded.

"Come on let's go!" he said as he climbed down the ladder.

Charlie followed as Austin grabbed her by the hand when she made it to the bottom, the both of them running over to the garage.

"God they are so cute" Nicole laughed as she brought out a glass of wine for Carly and sat at the round table in the backyard.

"She was getting dressed today and she looked in the mirror and said 'Mommy do you think Austin will think I look pretty' and I thought to myself Lord help me. She's only five and wants attention from boys" Carly laughed as she took a sip of her wine.

"It would be so cute if they ended up together, he loves when she is around" Nicole said as they both watched Austin open the door to the battery powered Jeep Nicole bought for him for his birthday before climbing into the drivers side.

"Only time will tell," Carly laughed as Austin started driving Charlie and himself around the big back yard.

************

"Austin honey come on! It's time for cake and presents!" Nicole yelled as he came running over, Charlie and his other friends close behind him.

She lit the candles on his cake as everyone sang to him, a big smile on his face.

"Okay Austin, make a wish" Nicole said to him.

He closed his eyes tight as he made his wish. He opened them back up and looked over his shoulder.

"Come on Charlie, help me blow out my candles" he said.

"Okay!" she said excitedly as she walked up next to him.

"One-two-three" he counted as they both blew them out together.

"Smile you two!" Nicole said as they wrapped their arms around each other, their cheeks pushed closely together as they smiled with the cheesiest smiles on their face.

"What did you wish for Austin?!" Charlie asked excitedly as she dug into a piece of her cake.

"I wished that we would be friends forever" he said flashing a toothy smile at her. ___________________
May 2004

"Do you really have to leave?" Charlie asked Austin as they swang slowly on the swings at the park down the road from their houses.

"Yeah I guess. My Dad said that I'm really going to like Texas and Jodi can't wait to see me. I mean I guess it won't be all that bad, Mitch is there so there will be someone my age" he said holding onto the chains as his feet drug slowly against the ground. He was only 9, but he was already extremely tall for his age.

"Well what am I going to do?" Charlie asked resting her head against the chain of the swing.

"We can talk every day Charlie, I promise" he said looking over at her.

"I'm going to miss you so much Austin. You are my best friend" she said sadly.

"Remember when I wished that you would always be my best friend at my 5th birthday?" Austin said with a smile.

"Of course I do" she smiled at him.

"I'm not going to let that wish not come true" he said grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Do you think our parents will let us come and see each other?" Charlie asked him.

"I don't know Charlie, Texas is kind of far away" he said sadly.

"Yeah I guess" she said hanging her head down.

They sat quietly for a while before Austin's head picked up at the sound of Nicole yelling his name from across the park.

"Come on Charlie" he said as he waited for her to get off the swing.

They walked quietly up the hill and towards the entrance to the park, both of their heads hanging low as they approached Nicole, Rich and Jodi.

"Why are you taking Austin with you?" Charlie asked Rich quietly.

"I just want to spend some time with him too Charlie, you can come and see him whenever you want" he said with a smile, kneeling down in front of her.

"But Texas is so far away Mr. Post" she said with tears streaming down her face.

"Hey look at me honey. You and Austin have been best friends since you were born. I don't think him moving to Texas will every ruin that friendship. You can call him whenever you want okay?" he said giving her a hug.

She nodded her head shyly as she looked over at Austin.

"I'm going to miss you so much Austin" she said wrapping him in a huge hug.

"I'll miss you to Charlie" he said.

"Okay Austin, it's time to go" Rich said putting his hand on his shoulder as he started to pull him away.

"Come on honey, your Mom is waiting for you at my house" Nicole said to Charlie as she put her hand on her back and pulled her away.

She stopped as she heard the engine to Rich's car start. She turned around to see Austin's face looking at her through the window as he waved goodbye.

"Bye Austin" she said quietly as she put her head down and started walking away from Nicole towards the house she had always called her second home, but now was nothing more than the neighbors house down the road.