Chapter Twelve
 
               The next morning, Andros sat alone in the park.  The first place he and 
Ashley actually formed their bonds of friendship.  She wouldn't even give him 
a chance.  Sitting in self-pity, a shadow fell across his form.  Looking up, 
he saw Cassie standing there.
               "I just want to know one thing Andros.  Where's the man that 
wrote these letters?" she asked angrily, thrusting them forward at him.
               "Cassie, I am sorry, but..." Andros broke off, looking at the letters 
in his hand.  "What are these?" he asked.
               "That's cruel Andros, really cruel," she snapped.
               "Where did you get these?" he asked, confused.
               "From the man I thought I loved," she answered.
               "I did not write these.  These aren't what I wrote." he replied, looking 
at the black writing that seemed vaguely familiar.
               "You just wait until Carlos gets his hands on you.  I wouldn't want to be 
in your shoes," she threatened, walking away in a huff.
               Andros disappeared, back to the mega ship.  Pulling his letter from the 
drawer, he looked at all three of them together.  The writing was identical.  
"Ashley," he breathed.  Pulling out his cell phone, he quickly rang her home 
number, getting her stepmother.
               "Is Ashley there, this is Andros."
               "Oh hi Andros.  She's outside helping her father load the car," Mrs.
Hammond replied.
               "I have to talk to her," he persisted.
               "We're leaving in like two minutes," she said.
               "Ashley's leaving?  Ashley's leaving me?" he asked, terrified of 
the future without her.
               "Yes, she's leaving to go that school on the boat.  She has to be 
at the harbor at ten," she replied, not noticing the strain in his voice.
               "I have to talk to her.  I have to see her!" he pleaded.
               "I have to go, they're honking.  Bye." she said hanging up the phone.
               Andros heard the dead air on the other end and felt his heart twist in 
his chest.  "NO!!" he yelled into the phone before throwing it away from him.
               Ashley's stepmother got into the car.  "Oh Ashley, that was Andros.  
He said to tell you goodbye," she said, fastening her seatbelt.
               Ashley sank back in her seat.  So this was it. 
               Andros appeared in the kitchen of Ashley's home, glancing out the 
window; he saw the car pulling out.  Running out the door, he called after them in 
a futile effort to make them stop.  She had told him once that if it were meant to
 be it would happen.  That it couldn't be forced, so he would track her down. 
               Running to the corner, he tried to get anyone to stop.  He was frantic to 
get to that harbor before she slipped through his fingers.  Car after car drove past 
him but none would give him the time of day.  Then a familiar figure met his eyes. 
"Carlos!" he yelled in an attempt to get him to stop.
               Carlos pulled a U-turn and pulled up beside Andros. 
               "You have to get me to the harbor, right away." Andros commanded.
               "I've been looking for you," Carlos replied icily.
               "Carlos, you don't understand," Andros said, taking a step back.
               "Cassie told me everything," he stated, advancing.
               Andros, feeling his future slip away, punched Carlos as hard as he could.
               "I think you broke my nose," Carlos muttered through his hands.
               "Are you alright?" Andros asked, then seeing his keys in his hands, snatched
 them quickly.  "I have to borrow your car!" Andros called, as he jumped into the convertible.  
Starting the engine, he took off like a shot.  Out onto the highway, in and out of traffic, 
Andros made his way closer to his destiny.