Chapter 21

~

"Wise and shine, sleeping beauty!" I heard Aspen open the curtains. I struggled to get up but I chuckled putting on my glasses to find him in front of the window, the sun trying to peek it's way through the white clouds and he finished, "Its someone's big day!"

I chuckled as I sat up, sitting criss-cross on the bed and Aspen came over and jumped on the bed in front of me and from behind his back he gave me a single rose and I chuckled accepting it.

"Thank you..." I sighed tiredly. He nodded.

"No problem..." We somewhat stared at each other and I glanced at his lips and he glanced at mine, and after an awkward silence, he got off the bed and stood up.

"We have to check out of here by 11am for the housekeepers and turn in the key and if we don't they will charge us an extra day," he told me. I checked the time, and when I did I gasped and literally popped out of bed running for my bag.

"Aspen, it's 10:44am!!" I said to him. He laughed but I really was trying to be upset, but a smile escaped my lips anyway. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?!"

"I'm sorry!" He called to me as I ran in the bathroom and he followed.  I began digging in my little make-up bag full of anything but, and I started bursting my teeth somewhat aggressively. "Well, you looked so cute while you were asleep, I didn't want to disturb you," he admitted. I rolled my eyes over at him with the toothpaste hanging out my mouth and he tried to hide a smile. I was trying to be mad at him, but I couldn't help BUT smile and I playfully pushed him out the bathroom.

"Whatever!" I told him but it came out as "Whymable!" And I closed the door in his face as he laughed behind it. I spit out the toothpaste and I opened the door back and yelled,

"You better make sure we have everything!!" He laughed and I laughed too closing the door. I washed my face in ten seconds, use the bathroom in seven, placed my hair in a huge top bun in 30, and put on my black jogging shorts in two, and I kept Aspen's shirt on and just placed a bra on under.

I ran out with the ball of clothes while Aspen stuffed everything in his bag and it was approximately 10:52am, and I slipped my socks on, on the bed and forced my already tied vans on and he laughed at me as he put on his converse.

"I cannot believe you did not wake me up," I smiled at him running for the closet.

"I'm sorry!!" He said again. I stuffed my still kind of wet swimsuit in a bag and into my backpack, and I gathered all my toiletries in the bathroom and unorganizedly threw them in my bag and zipped it up.

"Time check," I asked Aspen biting my bottom lip.

"10:56am," he told me. I gasped and shook my head.

"You know what, just go check out and I'll take the bags out the room," I handed him the two room keys.

"Good idea," he took it from me. He ran out the room and I couldn't help but laugh at Aspen for letting us rush.

"He better make it downstairs before that clock his a double zero," I checked the time. "And take the elevator!" I grabbed my bag and placed it in my bag and my penny board and I went out the door to place it outside, and when I remembered I didn't have a key, I snapped my foot in the door with inches to spare and I pretended to wipe the sweat off my forehead.

I placed my backpack outside the door and my penny, and I went back inside and use the top lock and close it as if I was going to lock it but didn't and that kept the door open.

"Nice thinking Amanda," I whispered to myself. I went over and grabbed Aspen's thin backpack and took it outside and I went back in for his longboard and I placed that outside. I checked to see it I had everything and as good hospitality like Kelly would tell me, I ripped the blankets and pillow of the bed so that the housekeepers could clean them, and all the towels we used on the floor, and I finally checked the room to see if I had everything and I almost forgot my bear and rose Aspen gave me last night and I went to them and I went back outside not closing he door and I saw Aspen jogging down the hallway and I turned to him.

"Well..." I asked him. He smiled out of breath.

"Had one minute to spare," he told me. I chuckled smiling.

"Never. Again," I pointed at him. He rolled his eyes laughing.

"Yes ma'am," he told me. "Got everything?" He went back in the room.

"Yup. I ripped the sheets off the bed so the housekeeper wouldn't have to worry about it," I told him. He looked at me. "Kelly said even though one person did it, it might just make their day a little easier." He nodded.

"Never thought of that," he squinted his eyes at me hiding his lips in his mouth...his left dimple showing.

"Hey, we should take a picture," Aspen suggested. I went over to him.

"A picture? Of what?"

"Of us!" He exclaimed. "A moment caught in time of Amanda and Aspen leaving their hotel on their way to the Richmond Airport to retrieve Aspen's car." I chuckled and went over to him by the window.

"Well, why not?" I agreed. I took the camera off over my neck, and handed it to him and he turned it on. We stood in front of the camera and he placed his arm around my rib, and placed my arm on his right shoulder and we took a happy selfie in front of the hotel window, and we looked at the picture and we saw that it was super cute.

"I like that one," I pointed to the picture.

"Me too. Silly one!" Aspen said quickly. I threw up a peace sign and stuck my tongue, exposing my silver braces, and I winked one eyes and I don't know what Aspen did, but when he took it and we saw the pic, I busted out laughing.

"What the heck are you doing??" I asked Aspen laughing in his shoulder. He looked down at me smiling.

"What!? I said silly, hahahaa!" Aspen had bunny ears over my head with his eyes wide open and his teeth out like some awkward box and it was super funny.

"Alright, alright, my turn!" I took he camera. "Do something random!" Right before I could take the photo, Aspen picked me up and I got scared and actually did take it, as he dipped me upside down and I screamed taking another photo, and when he did that, we both fell on he floor, along with the camera, and he took it and I was rolling on the floor laughing holding my stomach covering my mouth and he was looking at me right beside me.

I finally looked at him still smiling with a fake angry face and he bit his bottom lip at me innocently and suddenly I attacked him, fake punching him, sitting on hip and he laughed trying to dodge me.

"Amanda! Amanda! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He told me.

"You woke me up late, you jerk! Then you almost kill me!! How could you?!!" I playfully yelled at him. He laughed as I continued punching his shoulders and his chest, and he finally grabbed me pulled me over and started tickling me and I laughed uncontrollably.

"Hahaha! Aspen stop! I'm sorry! I'm sorry okay!!" I yelled at him.

"How does it feel now, huh??" He asked me. I kept laughing. "You've unleashed the tickle master!!"

"Aspen!! I can't breathe!" I kept laughing, but he kept tickling me away and finally I pulled away from and climbed over the couch and he gasped.

"Hey!" I laughed as I ran for the door but he caught up to me and gently wrapped his arms around my torso and pulled me back.

"Stop tickling! Stooop," I asked desperately trying to leave from his grip.

"Nope! Never!" He laughed. I ended up falling on the bed and he fell on the floor beside me and we both sat up and laughed and the housekeeper came in.

"Sorry, are y'all busy?" My face turned pink and Aspen's turned a shade as well and we both stood up quickly and he rubbed the back of his neck while I pushed up my hipster inspired prescriptions.

"Sorry no. Ready Amanda?" He looked at me hiding his lips in his mouth like none of that just happened.

"Yup," I replied instantly.

We were about to head out the door but I turned around and ran into his chest and I turned him around. "The camera, the camera. Get the camera!" I whispered loudly pointing to it.

"Oh!" He speed walked over to it and grabbed it.

"Thanks for your hospitality ma'am," he nodded at the women politely.

"Haha, anytime," she replied.

Aspen and I walked out the room and gathered our bags and our boards from outside the door and he placed the camera over my neck like a long necklace and we looked at each other.

"Ready for Richmond Virginia?" He asked me.

"Yup," I replied on my toes and back down.

~

We're outside the hotel and it was really windy out, and I was glad I put my hair in a top bun and Aspen just had on his hat that hid is beautiful black hair, but either way didn't hinder him from looking cute.

"So, which way?" I asked him.

"That way," he pointed. "These are my parts now," he tipped his cowboy hat. "I know my way back home like it's the back of my hand," he told me. I laughed handing him his board.

"Well than let's shall," I told him.

We started on our boards and the wind felt good against our faces and the sun continued to shine in and out of the clouds and it honestly looked like it was going to rain later, but we'll have his car by then hopefully.

"Hungry?" he asked me as we continued down the side walk. I shrugged.

"I'm down if you're down. We have a long day ahead of us; breakfast is key," I told him, giving him three fingers. He smiled.

"Right," he agreed with me.

"But where are we going to go?" I asked. He shrugged looking ahead of him.

"Well the airport is only so far. It's about 15 miles down. If we can find a bus, we can get there quicker," he mentioned. "Unless if you want something fancy, then we can go fancy, but I wasn't thinking fancy, you know?" I looked at him then smiled shaking my head.

"Hahaa, it's okay Aspen, we don't have to go fancy. We can snack in the airport and ride the rest of the way home," I told him. "Or my parents house or whatever," I said quickly. He smiled.

"Yeah...I like that idea."

We continued down the road for maybe a mile, cracking jokes and laughing and when we finally saw a bus stop, we waited there with a Hispanic woman and her child. I sat down as Aspen offered me the spot, as there was only room for one of us, as the women with the child took up the seat.

"Oh, Olivia, stand up! Let this man rest his feet," she told, I assume, was her daughter, but Aspen protested.

"No, no, it's fine ma'am. I can stand."

"But I saw you guys riding your skateboards. You must be tired," she said somewhat sadly.

"No, it's fine. I'll get my rest on the bus," he gestured. "Promise." She smiled as her daughter kept glancing at me and I smiled at her sweetly as she was very cute with long black hair and a semi-chubby face. After she kept staring at me, I looked back at Aspen. "Actually, do you know when the bus is coming?" he asked the lady. I looked at her.

"I do, it should be coming in any time now. My daughter and I just came from the doctors," she rubbed the top of her daughters hair. "Someone hasn't been feeling too good," she sighed. That tugged at my heart instantly.

"Oh no, what does she have?" I asked well-concerned.

"A common cold, but I had to make sure my baby is alright. Summer is out and we can't be sick now," she smiled at her. Her daughter smiled.

"Right Mommy," she hugged her. I smiled and sighed a little as that reminded me of Kelly's and I relationship and I was happy to know that their were other girls out there who had relationships like that as well, and it left a warm feeling in my body although I was secretly envious.

"So where are you kids headed?" she asked us. I smiled as her daughter kept smiling at me and I waved at her and she waved back giggling shyly.

"Hehee, oh. We're headed to the Richmond Airport," I told her. "My friend and I are on an adventure... We've been together since Texas," I smiled up at Aspen. He nodded smiling and the women perked up as her daughter went over to me as if she was admiring my face, and I playfully poked her little stomach and she laughed.

"Oh that is so fun. I like seeing kids your age out. I feel technology is winning the best of us, now a days...in every generation." I nodded agreeing with her and her daughter, Olivia, was just so curious of me.

"Excuse me," she said in her little squeaky voice. "How old are you?" Her mother gasped.

"Olivia, you don't just ask people how old they are," her mother scold her. I chuckled.

"No, no it's fine. I'm 17 years old," I informed her. "What about you?" She looked at her mom and back at me.

"I'm seven...so that means..." -she counted on her fingers- "Whoa...you're ten years older than me!!" she exclaimed. We all laughed. "That's a long time from now!" I kept chuckling looking down at her.

"I wouldn't say so. By the time you get up tomorrow, you're going to realize how much time flies by and you'll be 'as old' as me," I explained to her. She rested her elbow on my lap and placed her head on her hand and she looking off into space.

"Hm...tomorrow..." she thought. I nodded holding her back. "But I can't wait that long! I want to be a princess when I grow up!! But..." she sighed. "I'm not pretty enough." We all gasped and even her mother was concerned as if this was the first time she heard that come out her mouth.

"Olivia!" her mom squealed. She turned around.

"Yes mommy?" she said so calmly.

"Who said you weren't beautiful?" her mom asked her. Olivia straighten up and shrugged.

"Me, I said it Mommy." We all were confused and I shook my head, personally disrupted that a SEVEN YEAR OLD was already thinking this way.

"Olivia, why don't you think you're beautiful?" I asked her sadly. She shrugged looking down at the ground as if she was ashamed.

"I dunno. I mean, all princesses are pretty but I'm not as pretty as them. I'm not old enough," she sighed. I smiled sympathically.

"That's not true Olivia. You're a princess right now!" I cheered her up. She brighten.

"Really?" she wanted confirmation. I nodded.

"Hmhuh. See...do you believe in God?" I asked her first hand. She shrugged iffy.

"Yeah, Mommy use to tell me about Him all the time, but I don't think He loves us that much anymore," she sighed hanging her head low. I gasped kind of sadly and Aspen and I looked at each other and back at her mother.

"We've been struggling in our faith," she shook her head. "After my husband got a discharge from him job, and my sister past away, things have been hard....really hard. I feel like a single mother, struggling to keep our family together..." she explained looking at the ground almost in tears. "I just don't know what to do anymore." I didn't know what to say honestly...but surely enough, Aspen spoke up.

"Well don't loose faith. God is still with you. You just have to believe and stay faithful that He is there. Read your Bible every night as that is one of the ways God speaks to us. If you don't know what to read, just ask God to reveal to you what he wants you to read and open it up to a random page and He'll show you. Trust me, I've done it many times," she chuckled. We all did, as Olivia was messing with my legs and I smiled at her and placed her on my lap and chuckled. Aspen continued,

"People say God is silent or He's not doing anything. Well maybe he's just waiting for us to listen or it's our time to move. God is good," he told her with a smile. She nodded and even I looked up at Aspen blushing as even that word could've been for me.

"Thank you and I will..." she nodded. "I'll make the next move." I smiled back down at Olivia.

"And Olivia, if God is a King, and Jesus is the Prince of Peace, you are surely a princess yourself," I told her. "And besides, princesses are more than just based on beauty...but a pure happy heart," I told her. She smiled really big and hugged me as I heard the bus coming.

"Thanks!! I'm sure if I can be just like you with a pure happy heart, I can be a princess myself!!" She exclaimed.

"Of course!" I agreed with her.

Aspen was laughing and her mother was opening her arms for her daughter to enter the bus with her, and we all followed in.

Aspen was the last to enter the bus, and I let the lady and her child enter first. We filed in and the lady sat her by the window and she waved at me giggling. I waved at her too and I sat toward the back with Aspen and I saw her lay her head on her mother and after the bus started moving, I sighed with a smile.

"She's adorable," I whispered. Aspen looked at me as I noticed from the corner of my eye and he looked at the little girl.

"She is.... She's very fond of you I know," he nodded at me.

"I knooow," I said quietly. "But...why?" I had to ask. "I don't know her."

"That doesn't matter," Aspen told me. I continued to look at her as Aspen continued to look at me. "Children...have a....gift of seeing or more like sensing...good or bad spirits." I didn't look at him squinted my eyes hiding my lips in my mouth as Olivia laid on her mom's shoulder, as her mother grasped her. She was sleeping.

"What do you mean?"

"It's like," Aspen licked his lips adjusting his body. "It's like their a cat or a dog. When their owner is sad, the dog knows to comfort them. When they sense someone is mad or afraid of them, they bark or get excited," Aspen told me. "And Olivia, she sense God on you-" I looked at him quickly. "She sees a pure happy heart," he told me with a smile. I widen my eyes and shook my head.

"No, no, that's not true," I protested in a whisper yell. "I'm anything but, I-"

"Amanda," Aspen wanted my attention. But I couldn't calm down.

"Aspen I know deep down I am not a happy person. She can't be fond of me. There's nothing of me to be fond about," I argued with him.

"That's not true Amanda," Aspen said quietly.

"The what is it?" I wanted an answer, and he said right after me,

"God." I looked at him quickly.

"What...?" I said quietly. He nodded smiling.

"Amanda...they see God in you."

"No, I-" he cut me off.

"Amanda, you have a gentle, quiet spirit. It's very settle and humble and people see that- I see that," he corrected himself. I just stared down at the seat in front of me, with a face full of confusion and worry.

"Your mother, Kelly, she grounded you in God, and even if you think He's not there anymore-He is. God doesn't leave us, but it seems that WE do...like Olivia's family did by mistake." He told me. I thought about and I looked at the child and her mother as it reminded me of Kelly and I and I blinked as it was as if I saw everything right in front of me.

~

"Amanda I have to tell you something....serious..." Kelly told me in my room, that I remember was princess themed. I was in the sixth grade, the summer going into seventh.

"Yes Mom?" I asked her, with a smile on my face playing with my pastel colored Legos. Yes I was that child.

"I....I am...sick...and...you might have to stay with your Aunt for a while," she sat on my bed. By the sadness on her face, I knew she was serious.

"What do you have mom? A cold?" I asked her. She shook her head, her eyes watering.

"No sweetie I..." She looked down and I sat beside her looking at her abnormal pink cheeks and her naturally curly red hair.

"Mommy what is it...you can tell me," I asked her. She signed and she looked at me.

"Amanda, I have....I have cancer..." She told me. I just stared at her with wide eyes...as I didn't know what to say.

At the time, I didn't know what cancer was, or the affect it had on people. I just thought it was a serious condition where Kelly had to be hospitalized for special care....

I guess I was part of the way right.

"But...." I tried not to cry. "But are you okay?" I asked.

"Yes, yes I'm okay Amanda," she assured me. "I just need to go to the hospital for a few weeks while you stay with Aunt Bailey. Don't worry I'll be back," she patted my back. I abruptly hugged her.

"But I don't want you to leave Mom," I hugged her. She hugged me too. "You're the only one I have." By the quick gasp that escaped her lips at the time, I knew that was what hindered her most, but she had to be strong. For the both of us.

"That's not true Amanda. You have God in your heart. And He'll only leave you if you do...and He won't. 'Seek and you shall find.' Always remember that. God can't leave you or forsake you," she reminded me. I sniffed.

"But....but it just won't be the same."

"Yes it will," she told me firmly.

I looked at her.

"God is the same as yesterday, today, and tomorrow. And if that's true, I'll be fine, as long as we stay faithful and not loose hope. I'll be better, and I will get better," she told me. At the time I didn't think this, but I think she was stating that more for herself than for me to build her own faith....but it helped me too.

"Well.....I believe you'll be okay Mom," I told her. "God is with us. And he'll never leave us in a time like this," I told her. She smiled, silent tears down her eyes and she nodded once at me.

"I believe that too Amanda.... I do..."

~

I blinked and I looked up to see the bus stop to the entrance of a neighborhood and the girl and the child were heading off and she mouth to Aspen and I,

"Thank you."

I nodded once and waved and the girl slowly opened her eyes tiredly at me as she was barely awake, and she waved goodbye with her tiny fingers and I chuckled smiling waving back mouthing,

"Byyye!"

They exited off the bus and I smiled a little with watery eyes and laid on Aspen's shoulder thinking of Kelly and the women with her child as it resembled us and sighed looking ahead of me and Aspen looked down at me with a smile of sympathy, as if he knew I was thinking about Kelly too, as he cupped my hand that was on my thigh and I whispered to Aspen,

"And you're right..."

~