CRAASH!

Oh man! What did she break this time.

Silence

Huh, guess she finally made it to her room.

***

“Daddy! Wake up” Kyla flies out of her bed and runs into Ashley’s room. Ashley is tossing and turning with tears coming down her eyes. “Dad.” is heard every now and then, and Kyla knows what Ashley is dreaming about. Kyla rushs over to Ashley and instinctively runs her hand through her sister’s hair while the other hand slowly moves up and down her back, slowly trying to calm her down. After about 10 minutes, Ashley stops moving and stops calling out. Kyla slips into bed beside her sister and continues her soothing movements.

“I wish you would tell me what’s wrong. I hate seeing you like this Ash.” Kyla whispers to her sleeping sister. Kyla slowly fallls asleep wondering what would probably happen come morning.

***

Ashley wakes up a couple hours later. She had felt Kyla leave about an hour ago. ‘Being the good student and goin’ to school’ Ashley stays in bed trying to ignore the familiar headache she has. ‘Haven’t had that dream in a while. Doesn’t even matter. But, God I miss him.’ Tears spring to her eyes but she holds them at bay, refusing to cry.

After staying bed for couple more hours, Ashley decides it’s time to get up. She throws on some clothes and drives to her favorite diner to grab breakfast/lunch. Afterward, she drives over to her favorite spot. The Beach. Parking the car, she steps out of her Porsche grabbing her guitar and music book with her. It isn’t that crowded, probably because everyone is still in school. She walks down by the shore letting the waves gently wash over her bare feet. She reaches the pier and sits underneath it, staring out into the ocean with her guitar resting in her lap.

***
Ashley’s P.O.V.
I still can’t believe that I had that dream. I haven’t had it in a long while. Course, that don’t mean there ain’t others. I hate that I have them at all. Why won’t they just leave me alone?

Ashley sits lost in thought. A little while later, she remembers her guitar and starts strumming it. She stops, writes down the notes to what she was just playing and continues strumming the same tune. Unconsciously, words start to come out. Going along with the tune. Ashley sings quietly:

Prison gates won’t open up for me
With these broken wings, I’m fallin’
And all I need is you
Come, please, I’m calling
Show me what it’s like
(To be the last one standing)
And teach me wrong from right
(and I’ll show you all I can be)
And say it for me
Say it to me
And I’ll leave this life behind me
Say it if it’s worth savin’ me

Ashley trails off and writes down the newly sung lyrics. ‘Story of my life’ she thinks. After sitting there for a while longer, she’s jarred from her thoughts by her phone ringing. She looks at it and sees its Kyla calling her. ‘Wonder what she wants?’ Ashley answers the phone.

“Hel..”

“Ashley!! Where the hell are YOU?!”

“Um…” Ashley tries but Kyla just keeps going.

“I come home ’cause I was worried, and, an the nightmare, and I know you were out late, so you know, tired, but you didn’t come in extremely late to school like you normally do just to piss the teachers off, so I got worried and panicked and,,, WHERE ARE YOU?!” Kyla finally finishs a little breathless.

Ashley tries to hold back the laugher bubbling up inside her after Kyla’s outburst. ‘Wow, that girl can talk.’ She looks up into the sky and realizes why Kyla was worried. ‘Damn! It’s dark out here. When in the hell did it get so dark?’

“I’m at the beach, Kyla, chill. I’ll be home soon iight.”

“You better be. Makin’ me worry. Lucky I don’t kick your ass.” Kyla mumbles.

“I love you too Ky,” Ashley laughs. “I’ll be there soon. Why don’t you go make out with Aiden or something til I get there.” Ashley says playfully.

“How did you know he was here?” Kyla exclaims.

“Dunno. Psychic, I guess. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Ashley stands up and heads back to her car. She puts her guitar in the back and starts for home.