Chapter 25

Ally had been next to Trish all day long and she swears she can't take a minute more of this. They had stood at the doors or sometimes next to the coffin with Brady as friends, family and all the people who knew May paid their respects and offer condolences.

Standing there, watching people cry, mourn and wail at their terrible lost. It was all too much for her. It was just too much. Watching people suffer their losses was one of the saddest most heart-wrenching scenes a person could go though; and right now she was lost.

She wanted to let out all of her emotions but she couldn't. Her need to be there, to be strong for her best friend was greater than the need to ease her pain.

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets
In midnights, in cups of coffee
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife
In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, a year in the life?

Music started to softly pour out of the stereos as Ally reacted to the song. She loved that song. It was a sad, yet classic song that a person could love. It just touched the raw emotions of losing someone.

A few days later, Ally sat in-between Trish and Dallas. Elliot and Austin were on the other side of Dallas while Brady stood in front reading his memoir of May.

"My grandma... she... May was such a kind person. One day, I recollect, was when a poor dog had been injured in a brawl with another dog, she immediately took him in and nursed his injuries day in and day out.

When I was sick it was a few sleepless nights for her. As I dove in and out of sleep, she would always be there. Whenever I opened my eyes, she was always there ready to take care of my every need. She really was a truly passionate person." By now Brady was under a waterfall of tears. No matter what he did, more would flow down his cheeks.

Not being able to continue he steps down and nods to Trish. Ally noticed that the podium had been empty and nudged Trish, turning to her. But Trish shook her head. Trish didn't want to talk yet. Mainly because she couldn't. Ally nodded in understanding and took her place.

She quickly ran up and adjusted the mic created some feedback. "Sorry," she squeaked. "Trish, my best friend and May's great niece isn't ready yet. Frankly, I'm not ready myself. I didn't expect the day to say good-bye would come so soon." She chuckled, but it died down as fast as it started.

"It felt as if it was just yesterday that I would walk into the town library to be greeted by her warm, gracious smile. I moved here when I was just sixteen. I had no one at the time. May was the first person to open up to me. She made me feel wanted," Ally confessed, looking towards the picture of May that stood near her. "She..." Ally was trying her best not to break down in front of everybody, but she was currently losing the fight.

"She was a wonderful woman. Kind to all kinds of people. I was an outcast and I... I didn't know where I belonged. She helped me find it.

"When I worked at the library with her, in fact, that's where I first met her. I was going through a hard time then and she helped me through it all. As I worked I found out that I had a love for children. I saw how gentle May was with them and I seemed to have inherited that habit. I found kid's innocence cute and all. May helped me with my dreams of becoming a writer. She encouraged me, even on my lowest days."

She went on to tell all her thoughts and her story of her and May.

"Thank you," Ally whispered and took her seat. Like practiced, Dallas would go up after Ally, but Trish stepped in.

"I'm ready. I can do this," she said, more to herself and her friends. Dallas sat back down as he was just getting up. Trish carefully took her place and wiped a tear that dared escape.

"Hey everybody. I'm Patricia de la Rosa. May's great niece." Everyone was surprised. Trish rarely used her real name; she despised it. "I know all of you must be surprised or confused even, but I feel that I needed to introduce the full me." She gave a watery, tear-filled smile.

"Anyway, most of us here are family with the exception of a few close friends." Her eyes trailed from her family; JJ, Pops, Mami, Brady; to her friends; Ally, Austin, Cassidy, Dez, and Dallas.

"We all knew May and how great person she was. As a kid, I was rash, arrogant, immature and just plain loud." Those who personally knew Trish, laughed.

"I always had pushed her away, but she didn't let that hold her down. When she came down with pancreatic..." Trish shook her head and closed her eyes. She heaved a breath. "When she... I'm sorry," she added as she started to bawl before all of them. "I didn't even..." She wiped her nose. "I-I didn't know. E-Even then..." She wiped a few tears and shook her head. "I'm sorry." And just like that, Trish flew down the steps to her seat to hide her tears even though everyone had already seen them.

"I didn't know May on a personal level, but I knew of her," Dallas started. "People talked about her often and I was amazed by their stories. I knew who she was. She was a regular at Lighthouse Book Café, where I work," he explained. "She was one charming lady and brightened the world when she entered the room."

"I know everyone here is on a sad, miserable mood. But let's brighten it up a bit, right?" Austin asked. "It's the time to celebrate her life! Not mourn her leaving. She lived a full life and we're here to celebrate that. Now, I used to have a dream of being a pop star, instead I became a hockey star. And even though I have skills on the rink, I still have my singing talents which I would like to share with you all."

Austin took center stage and strummed his guitar and began on his cover of Bruno Mars's "Count on Me".

If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea
I'll sail the world to find you
If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see
I'll be the light to guide you

Find out what we're made of
When we are called to help our friends in need

You can count on me like one, two, three, I'll be there
And I know when I need it I can count on you like four, three, two, and you'll be there
'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do,
oh yeah

...

"We are here today to celebrate a life well lived," the priest continued on and on. The guy droned on and on reading from his book. May's only sibling, Caroline and her parent's took in turn to spread some ashes.

Trish, Ally, Austin, Dallas, Brady, and Dez and Cassidy stood behind everyone watching the ashes fly in the wind.

A cold chill spread through all of them. The sun wasn't even out today. A dreary gloom shrouded the whole scene. It seemed to fit.

"Let her spirit fly free with the wind as she always has."

More tears rolled off the girls' eyes as the guys stood there, pretending the tears weren't falling. Ally wrapped an arm around her best friend, crying with her. Soon enough, Cassidy joined in the group hug. A second later, the guys grouped with them and it was one whole group hug. They stood comforting each other, wiping each other's tears.

"Come on Ally," Trish whined.

"No Trish," Ally replied. "I'm not letting you in my love life. It's personal and I'd like to keep it to myself."

"Oh come on!" Trish exclaimed, desperately. "Just why did Austin come here a few nights ago?"

Ally sighed and laid back on the sofa. "It's my life. It's my business."

Trish rolled her eyes. "I'm always here for some gossip. Now, spill girlie."

"For the last time, no," Ally refuted. "It's my love life. It's my personal business."

"But yours sound so exciting. Like a roller-coaster. One guy here another guy there. Not to sound mean or anything," Trish hastily added.

Ally rolled her eyes. "Please. The only boyfriends I've ever had were Austin, Dallas, and Ethan."

"Wait." Trish's head snapped up. "Ethan? Ethan who? Were you two close? How close? Where is he? Who is he? What caused the break-up?" Trish rang out a volley of questions, which Ally barely had time to register before another came.

"Nobody. He's nobody, Trish," Ally replied. "He's just someone I knew of... and dated."

"So why aren't you still dating him?"

"It was a long time ago, Trish. About ten years ago, but still feels like yesterday."

Trish kept silent, but nodded for Ally to continue.

"And if you really want to know what happened, which you must be dying of, I'll tell you later." Ally smirked.

"What?! No! I was all in the mood for a good story! But tell me the rest later, just; what caused the break-up?"

Ally pursed her lips. This was a simple answer, but complicated to the matter. She thought for a moment before saying, "Austin."

Trish's mouth dropped. "Girl, what happened?"

Ally sighed. "I said I'll tell you later. Now, will you leave me alone?"

"Fine," Trish grudgingly caved. "I'll go see what Cass and Red-head are up to."

Ally shook her head as Trish exited the apartment. Her smiled dropped as her gaze fell onto the book that she had hidden next to her. Finally, she was alone. Finally, she could read the book.

She gingerly picked it up and ran her fingers over the cover. The title was raised in several parts. She fingered the title, which brought back many memories, many connections.

She opened the cover and flipped past the pages. Past the reviews for other books. Past a list of titles of other books by the author. Past the title page and publication. To the dedication.

"The Notebook is dedicated 'to Cathy', identified as 'my wife and my friend.'"

Right below it was another dedication. Written by Austin.

"To Ally. My one love and best friend. I miss you."

Straight to the point. She flipped a few more pages, past the acknowledgments, to one last title page with just the title in plain letter. Below it, was another note.

"To Ally:

I've finally finished reading this book! Isn't that amazing? I actually finished it. But I had to. I didn't have to, but I wanted to. This book is the connection from our past, present, and future. (I hope there is a future.)
But I don't think you haven't read this yet. Wow, I actually finished a book before you. Is the world going to end? Sorry, had to say... or write... that. I know it was probably too emotional to read it. That's probably why and I get it.
But now, you have to read it for me. Promise me that you'll read every word because it'll spell out what you mean to me.

-Austin."

She smiled at his note. Classic Austin. Whenever he left her notes, it'd be so cute, and just so... himself. But what'd he mean? she asked herself. Keeping his note in mind, she flipped to the first page and started to read.

"WHO AM I? And how, I wonder, will this story end?

The sun has come up and I am sitting by a window that is foggy with the breath of a life gone by."

Half an hour had gone by so had a mug of hot chocolate. She was so immersed in the story, she hadn't realized how much time had gone by. Ally flipped the page and was just about to continue reading, when something caught her eye. Halfway down the page, the word "dear" had been highlighted. She stared at the word. Why was it highlighted? Paying no attention, she continued reading. A page later, the character's name "Allie" had been highlighted. On that same page, just a few paragraphs below, a comma was highlighted.

She thought back at the first word. "Dear Allie," she thought. Then it clicked. Allie in the story was supposed to be her name. That's what he meant by spelling out how much she meant to him! He had highlighted words, to create a letter to her, in a book that connected the both of them.

No matter how much she just wanted to skip reading the novel and just look for the words, she kept her promise to him. She grabbed a loose piece of paper and a pen and when she would encounter highlighted words, phrases and punctuations, she'd write them down.

Later that night Trish had come home from her day with Cassidy and Dez she found Ally in the same spot with a book in her hands. She decided to her alone after seeing how busy Ally was and not being able to pry the book from Ally's hands.

Deep into the night, Ally set the book down and rubbed her groggy, tired eyes. It had been several hours since she had first picked up the book. She shook her head, clearing away the tiredness and looked down at the paper where she had written out Austin's note.

"dear Allie,

I'm sorry. I... really am. it was so foolish of me, letting you go.

but You must know that You are my best friend as well as my lover, and I do not know which side of you I enjoy the most. I treasure each side, just as I have treasured our life together.

as my best friend and one love, I really can't Let you go.

We fell in love, despite our differences, But I didn't care. I loved you for who you Are. We didn't agree on much or The other way. you and I were different. We came from different worlds.

Our past is what betrays us. I lost you once, more than once Actually, but I changed. I Learned. love, it changes you forever and no matter how hard you try, that feeling just never goes away. but I don't mind.

You are, and always have been, my dream.

I love you. I am who I am because of you. You are every reason, every hope, and every dream I've ever had, and no matter what happens to us in the future, everyday we are together is the greatest day of my life. I will always be yours.

And if in some distant place in the future we see each other in our new lives, I'll smile at you with joy and remember how we spent the summer beneath the trees, learning from each other and growing in love. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me. That's what I hope to give to you forever. I love you.

I miss you. I want to be Next to you Forever. Even if that means I have to wait.

Loving you Always,

-Austin"

Reading the full letter this time, brought tears to her eyes. She could never forget about him. He was always on her mind. He was just so sweet. This letter... his letter... was so clever on his part. It nearly had her falling head over heels in love with him again.

But was she ready to open up her heart, despite the many times it had been broken?

*That note above actually is made up of quotes from the actual book, which I don't own.

A/N: So sorry! It's quite late. But I just had to take my time at the end and the funeral was hard to write because it brings back memories of mine. But I have time to write the next one, so it might be on time. I said, might. But I love the next chapter! It's a favorite.

But look out for my Thanksgiving Auslly one-shot. "My Partner in Crime"!

Thoughts on this chapter?

Review! Follow! Favorite!