Chapter 15: Here Without You

"Ashley are you alright?" Torrie asked her daughter when she saw her sitting alone away from the rest of the others.

"Yeah, I am. Why wouldn't I be?" Ashley asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Honey, I know this must be very hard for you but you must learn to accept the fact that you and John can't be together." Torrie consoled her daughter gave Ashley a warm hug.

"Maybe mom, maybe." Ashley said. "It just hurt me so much when he said he didn't love me after all." She whispered.

"He said that?" Torrie asked, she was very surprised. Only a few mortals she knows would sacrifice their love for the better. And John was one of them.

John was lying on the couch in Randy's room. He was all alone since Randy had gone back to Stacy's room for lunch. Randy had actually asked him if he wanted to go with him.

"You wanna go with us man?" Randy asked. And then scratched the back of his head and looked at him like he just said something dumb.

"Are you alright Randy?" John asked him, he tried to laugh it off but he couldn't seem to.

"Yeah, I know, I think it's pretty dumb. But are you gonna be alright here, alone?" Randy asked him again.

"Of course I will. And who says I'm gonna stay here? I have some business to attend to you know. Even dead people have appointments." He said and tried to push Randy but his hand just went through him.

"Just go." John said and closed the door after Randy went outside.

He was staring blankly at the ceiling as his lips started quivering when 3 Doors Down's here without you suddenly came to the stereo.

I'm here without you baby

But you're just in my lonely mind

I think about you baby

And I dream about you all the time

I'm here without you baby

But you're still with me in my dreams

And tonight there's only you and me

"Where are you Ash?" John asked out loud. It hasn't been nearly twenty-four hours and he losing his mind if Ashley will ever return to him or appear to him or Randy.

"I thought you were suppose to be with me always to guide me." He said out loud. He was clinging onto any excuse to make Ashley come back. He was hoping Ashley could hear him right that very moment.

"But I did drove her away and told her that I didn't love her. That I just used her." John said softly to himself. Regrets started to gush inside of him but he quickly shook his head.

"It was all for the best." John decided and turned the stereo off and went to the window.

"I might as well go." John said and got out of Randy's room without bothering to open the door. He floated his way to the receptionist's desk and look for a name.

"Okay, Andrew Martins… Andrew Martins, room 206." He muttered under his breath when he finally saw the name he was looking for.

"I could go check on him right now. Or I could just go watch Randy and Stacy for a while." John thought to himself. "I should go check on them first, maybe I could help Randy or something." He decided and floated to the parking lot and saw Randy and Stacy about to leave the building.

"Alright, get in." Stacy said to Randy.

"Okay. No! wait, you're driving?" Randy asked her.

"Well, yeah. It's my car after all." Stacy reasoned and got inside the car and placed her hands on the steering wheel. She honked at Randy two times to make him get inside the car.

"But I'm the guy and it's just so… so awkward to look at!" Randy protested. He was still standing beside the car looking at Stacy.

"Just get inside the car man!" John said from the backseat, he was sitting comfortably with his arms behind his head.

"You?" Randy looked at John, not believing he was there.

"Who are you talking to babe?" Stacy asked.

"Nobody." Randy answered glumly.

"Just get inside the car, besides it's my treat. I'm beginning to think that you don't have trust in me as a driver." Stacy said and pouted at him.

"No, no. Okay, I'll get in." Randy said and finally gets inside the car and John just waved at him. He just threw him dagger looks from the rearview mirror.

"Just take it easy man. I thought you said it's okay for me to come and I'm here to watch over you." John said and smiled lazily at him, he was enjoying every moment of this, knowing Randy couldn't retaliate. Randy just gave him the best what-are-you-my-angel look he could muster.

"Randy? Are you alright?" Stacy asked when she saw her boyfriend sulking like a three-year-old.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just don't mind me. I just can't wait to see what you have planned for us." Randy said, trying to take his mind off the fact that John was there behind him, spying on him and Stacy.

"Why do you want to do this Ash? You're only hurting yourself." Ashley's younger sister came to her.

"Trust me Crys, I don't even know why I want to do this." Ashley said to Crystal.

"Is this how love really is?" Crystal asked her slowly and Ashley looked at her intently before nodding.

"Some say love is a gentle death." Ashley replied and smiled half-heartedly.

"Then I don't wanna fall in love ever." Crystal said.

"Never say never. You'll never know what's going to happen. I have to go Crys. Just don't tell anybody where I've gone." Ashley said.

"Wow! An angel just asked me to lie." Crystal teased her and Ashley just stuck her tongue out.

Ashley came floating in Randy's room. She was careful to be silent but she saw no one. The room was empty.

"Where are you?" she asked in frustration. Then Ashley closed her eyes and disappeared. She reappeared next to John on the backseat. But she didn't make herself visible to anyone. She was scared. She turned her head to see John smiling. He was making faces at Randy.

"Well, he seems happy." Ashley thought.

"I have to take my mind off Ashley." John thought. "Might as well enjoy myself with helping Randy and Stacy."

"If you're happy now John then, I have to let you go." Ashley said to herself and leaned close to John and gave him one last kiss and disappeared. John was startled when he felt something touch his lips. It was such a familiar feeling. Then he realized…

John thought. Ashley said to herself and leaned close to John and gave him one last kiss and disappeared. John was startled when he felt something touch his lips. It was such a familiar feeling. Then he realized…

"Ashley!" he exclaimed that Randy almost jumped off his seat.

"Randy?" Stacy looked at him curiously.

"I'm okay. I'm okay. It's just that I thought I heard someone scream." He said and gave John a dirty look.

"Man! I swear Ashley was here. I swear." John panted like he was out of breath. Randy just looked at him casually so not to make Stacy suspicious.

"I have to go find her." John said. "I need to tell her I made a mistake of letting her go. I have to." John said and floated away.

"So what should I do?" He asked Trish again.

"Offer her your friendship. Stacy's much of a sucker. She's too good in nature that she'll definitely accept your friendship. Then slowly but surely, take Randy off the scene." Trish said simply.

"Are you sure about that Trish? I mean, do you really think Stacy would accept?" He asked nervously.

"I'm sure. I'm her best friend remember?" Trish reminded him and he smiled at her thankfully. "So, I have to go, I have some things to do. Just do what I say." Trish said and lightly brushed her lips with his. He couldn't help but take a sharp breath.

"See you around." She said.

"I'll see you." He replied hoarsely. What is up with Trish's actions? He couldn't help but think.

"Hey, it's me Jeff." Jeff said over the phone.

"Oh! Hi Jeff!" Stacy replied. "What made you call?" she asked him.

"I still haven't seen Trish." He sighed.

"Oh, lighten up, you'll find her soon. Maybe she just went to the mall to buy something." Stacy assured him.

"Yeah, maybe. Stace are you busy?" Jeff suddenly asked her.

"Actually, Randy and I are on our way for lunch right now. Why?"

"I just need your help that's all. It's… it's about Trish." Jeff said slowly.
"Yeah, when we return to the hotel , I'll see you then we can talk about it, okay?" Stacy said to him and Jeff sighed.

"Yeah, thanks Stace. Oh, here's Trish. Got to go. I'll see you soon okay?" Jeff said as Trish approached him and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.

"Who was that?" Trish asked curiously.

"Oh, it was just Stacy." Jeff answered casually and Trish mentally raised an eyebrow.

"What did she want?" she asked.

"Nothing." Jeff shrugged his shoulders and put an arm around Trish.

"So, you're gonna see her later?" Trish asked him again.

"What are you, the CIA or something? I was just asking for a favor." Jeff said.

"Okay." Trish answered but she still wasn't convinced.

"So, where have you been? I've been looking for you all morning." Jeff said to her.

"Oh, I just went to see a friend." Trish answered.

"Okay." Jeff answered and threw a secret look at the room Trish just got out. He couldn't help but feel something was not right.

"Room 206." He remembered.