Part Three: Chapter Four: It's A Small World

I wasn’t quite sure what was happening. Since Lia’s death, things had been weird. Nothing felt quite right. I felt like half of me was missing. Lia had been my best friend since preschool, when she lent me her red crayon. I remembered it as clearly as anything.

Even though nothing was the same since that plane crash, there was still some good in my life. Ashton had been helping me through it. He stood by me and supported me. He was always there for me. It was a wonderful feeling.

Just like every other May morning, I woke up to birds singing outside my window. Just like every other morning, he sun streamed in through the crack in the curtains.

Just like every other morning, my alarm, which I had bought in DisneyWorld twelve years ago and never bothered to replace, played “It’s A Small World” from my bedside table. Just like ever other morning, I got ready for school and walked to the corner.

Just like every other morning, I waited there for Ashton. And just like every other morning, he walked up, put his arm around me, smiled at me with those captivating green eyes, and walked me to school.

He knew what I was going through, and his comfort eased the pain. But this morning he could sense that something was different.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, looking at me worriedly.

“Nothing.”

“C’mon, tell me,” he murmured, smiling at me sweetly.

“It’s been six months to the day,” I mumbled, staring at the ground. “And still, no luck in investigations.”