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Ashlee sighed as she held in her tears.

“What’s wrong, Ash?”

“I..” she paused for a second and looked down. She sighed once more and looked back up at AJ. “I’m scared, Alex.”

“Scared of what?” He asked with a slight quiver in his voice.

“I’m scared, because I don’t want to go through what I went through with Jacob. I don’t want to have to deal with that kind of pain again.”

AJ wiped the tears away from Ashlee’s eyes.

“I’m not going to hurt you. If you’re worried about what I’ve done in the past, don’t. That’s the past. The only thing you have to worry about is me actually letting you go home on Wednesday.”

Ashlee smiled.

“I really like you Ashlee, and I’m not going to let anything like that happen to you,” he said with sincerity and lightly kissed her forehead.

Ashlee smiled and nodded.

“Come on, let’s go have some fun. I’m sure there’s a few things we can do between now and Wednesday.”



A month had passed since that weekend in Tacoma. AJ had flown to Spokane every weekend to spend time with Ashlee, even New Years Eve, but this weekend would be the end of Nick’s stay in rehab so Ashlee knew that he would be unable to make it. It was Thursday night and Ashlee was sitting in her room listen to the mixed cd AJ had made her for Christmas (She insisted that he didn’t spend any money on her, because she knew she’d be unable to buy him anything), going through pictures for her final project for school. As she was thumbing through pictures, she came across a picture she had forgotten she took. It was a picture of AJ sitting on her back porch, smoking a cigarette. He was leaning over, elbows resting on his knees, looking off in the distance. Ashlee remembered taking this picture.


Ashlee turned around the corner to see AJ sitting on the bench, placed outside on her back porch. It was obvious that he was in deep thought. She couldn’t help but notice how good looking he was at the moment. Remembering the camera in her hand, she took a picture. The flash brought AJ out of his own little world.

“Hey beautiful.”

“Hey! What are you doing out here? It’s cold.”

Ashlee walked over to him and sat down beside him. He held up his cigarette and smiled.

“Yea, yea. That’s gross you know...and you're killing yourself slowly,” Ashlee smiled.

AJ chucked, “Yea, whatever. You know you think it’s hot.”

“Yea, I guess so.” She smiled again and kissed him.

“Mmm, nothing like second hand cigarette.”

They both laughed.

“So, what were you thinking about?”

AJ sighed and looked at Ashlee.

“You,” he said with a smile.

“Aaw, really?” Ashlee smiled back.

“Yea,” he blushed and looked away.

“Wait a minute. What’s up with you?”

He turned back to Ashlee and looked her in the eyes. He paused for a moment a took a deep breath.

“I love you.”

Ashlee paused for a moment.

“W-what?”

“I..I know we’ve only know each other for a month but..I love you.”

Ashlee smiled.

“I love you, too.”



Ashlee had been so caught up in that moment, she had forgotten about the picture she took just a week ago. Her thoughts of AJ were now interrupted by her phone ringing.

“Hey baby.”

“Hey beautiful, whatchya doing?”

“Nothing exciting, just homework.”

“Fun stuff. Hey, you have all weekend off right?”

“Yes, I always do. Why?”

“Well, Nicky gets out of rehab this weekend and I thought that maybe you could go down to Florida with me and the other guys to welcome him home.”

Ashlee hesitated for a moment. Maybe him kissing me was just the drugs. Yea. I’m sure he’s over that..

“Baby?”

“Wha..yea..sure! I would love to.”

“Whew. Glad you said yes. Hurry up and get your stuff ready, because I don’t have all day.”

“What do you mea..”

“Just like I said.”

“Alex!”

Ashlee jumped off her bed and ran to her door.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were here?” She said as she wrapped her arms around AJ.

“Because I wanted to see the look on your face,” he said returning her embrace.

Ashlee smiled.

“I love you.”

AJ smiled back.

“I love you too,” he said as he kissed her softly. “Come on, lets get your stuff together. The plane leaves in and hour and a half.”