Chapter Three
Ashley sat looking at her watch. He said he'd be here
by eight, she thought to herself. Glancing up, she saw Andros
walking towards her, a big smile on his face. Sliding into the booth,
he grinned at her and flopped an envelope down in front of her.
"Didn't think I would do it, did you?" he asked, looking around.
"What's this?" she asked, indicating the envelope as she picked it up.
"The letter. You suggested it, remember?" he asked.
"I remember," she muttered, tossing it down on the table
and grabbing her drink.
"So, when are you going to give it to her?" he prodded impatiently.
"I don't know, will you just calm down?" she stated, smiling
at his boyish charm.
"I can't calm down until I know what comes of it."
"If you don't calm down, I'll." she started picking up the
letter and holding it in her hands.
"What?" he glanced up. "Ashley, don't," he warned.
"Or what?" she chuckled as she threatened ripping the letter in two.
"Come on Ashley," he soothed.
Ashley smiled and laid it on the table. "You know I wouldn't
have done it, don't you?" she grinned.
"Yes, I know," he replied, a grin crossing his face.
"I'll give it to her tomorrow. Look Andros, if it's meant to happen
between two people it'll happen. You can't push it."
"Thanks," he replied. "What's this?" he asked, picking up
a brochure. "School on board the Hawaiian Princess?"
Ashley took it from his hand. "Yeah."
"Why didn't you tell me you were going to do this?
We're friends Ashley, why didn't you even mention it?" he asked,
a hurt tone in his voice.
"I just did it," she replied softly, shrugging her shoulders.
Andros just stared at her, not wanting to think about losing his friend.
He watched blindly as she got to her feet. "I have to go.
I'll talk to you later Andros." Ashley walked out the door leaving
a very stunned Andros behind her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Walking into her room, she turned on the lights, illuminating
a picture beside her lamp. Tossing down her keys and the envelope
on her desk, an odd thought struck her. What would he write to
someone he thought to be in love with? Looking at the envelope,
an idea flitted through her mind. Gently picking it up, she held it to
the light, not sure of what she was doing.
"No, this is wrong," she mumbled, dropping it back down to
the desk.
"He's my friend, and I just can't do things like that," she rationalized
to herself.
Picking it up once again, she left her room and walked
into the kitchen. Putting a kettle of water on the stove, she stared
at the envelope. The same envelope that took all her hopes
and dreams away with just one swipe of the pen. The kettle
whistled as the steam flowed freely.
Ashley got to her feet, and held the letter in her hand
over the steam. Within a few seconds, the envelope opened
easily, and she pulled out the paper within. Looking at it, she began to read:
"*My dearest darling,
Love is the flower of time and every petal that falls is an
eternal moment without you.* Oh Andros, this is dog doo." she muttered,
folding it up again. A thought struck her. Wadding up the paper, she
made her way back to her room. Pulling out a sheet of paper, she placed
it in front of her on the desk and began write, speaking the words aloud
as she did so.
"I have finally found the courage to write you a letter. You
may never know who I am, but that hasn't stopped you from giving
me the greatest gift I've ever known." She paused to look at his picture
in front of her.
"Idiot," she smirked, returning to the letter. "If for just one
brief moment I could feel your lips against mine, I would die a happy man."
Ashley folded the paper and put it in the envelope. Her heart
heavy with sadness, she turned off the light and fell asleep.
