Our Pain Will Shine a Light

Chapter 14
Andy's POV
Next day

"Andy, I've got news."

"What's up honey?"

"Honey?"

"Just trying it." I shrugged.

"I like it."

"Anyway, what's your news."

"I know how sensitive you are about the whole club thing, but a man that I'm not going to name actually got deported back to Mexico on other charges, but his brother is back, and he's in charge of the place, and better than that, CC's the manager and he's offering you a job as a bouncer for 12.59 an hour."

"12.59? That's good."

"All he needs is your say."

"Why not? I mean, He can't come back. I'll take it."

"Yay!" He shouted like a kid.

I shook my head at him and let him pull me in for a kiss.

"So what are we going to do today?"

"I don't know, but I want to spend it with you because I'll start having to go to work."

"Well we're both broke, so where does that leave us?"

"Play music for me."

"Play music for you?"

"There's a guitar in my closet. You should go get it."

"Alright."

I left him in the living room and looked inside of his closet for the guitar and there it was, sipped up in a flimsy case. I pulled it down and slung it over my shoulder.

When I got back to the living room Ash smiled at me and we pulled the pearl from the shell. The guitar was like any other acoustic guitar I guess. I strummed all of the strings and Ash and I both cringed.

"When's the last time you tuned this thing?"

"It's been a while. I stopped playing when mom died."

"Oh. I can do it by ear. It'll only take a second." Not really

"Alright, now play me something Autumn."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Just play."

"Okay then."

I started strumming the strings and playing a few cords just to get familiar with the instrument again, then I started to play a song that I wrote a while ago.

"The sirens and the mermaid,
Go hand in hand,
Crying tears of sorrow,
For a fallen man,
Drew him in and broke his heart,
With their wiles and their song,
Now all alone they must,
Carry on."

I sung the rest of the lyrics getting lost in the words I wrote long ago. When I was finished, I looked up at Ash who was speechless.

"You wrote that?

"Yeah. It was depressing wasn't it?"

"What? No. That was beautiful. Come here," I sat the guitar aside and listened to him. He took me in his arms and kissed my forehead. "You're really talented Andrew."

"You think so?"

"I know it."

"Well thanks I guess. Now you entertain me."

I laid my head in his lap, and he absently put his fingers in my hair. I didn't mind at all, shit felt nice.

"Okay, I'm going to tell you a story."

"Go for it."

Ashley's POV

"Alright, there were two boys who were best friends, and the youngest of the two was in love with his friend. The problem was that the other friend was into the slutty looking girls and he drunk all the time. One day, the friend couldn't take it anymore, and he told him, they were a couple after that, and every night his boyfriend would say I
love you, but he never said it back. One day the younger friend hurt himself, and when he woke up from his small coma, he broke up with him, saying they'd be better off as friends. The older friend realized how much he really did love him, but he still couldn't tell him that. See, the older friend had gotten his heart broken, so he didn't like the word love. Then he just couldn't help himself so he told him. A year later they got married and the story ended with a wedding reception and angels."

I looked back down and Andy who was looking at me with a particular face.

"Hm? What's the story called?"

"We Shared This Fantasy."

"Sounds interesting."

"It was, but between me and you And everybody reading this it wasn't written very well."

"Oh. Well maybe the author can rewrite it one day. Which I might Then I'll think about looking for it."

"Don't look for it now. You'll cringe."

He laughed, but was stopped short by coughing. It started getting uncontrollable and he groan out in agony.

"Ashley! What the fuck is happening."

"Shh. It's alright. Just withdrawals."

"Withdrawals? It's been weeks since I had one."

"They can come back a lot. Have you been craving recently?"

"The last night, but that's when I took that nap," He groaned.

I slipped my hand under his shirt and rubbed my hand soothingly around his back.

"I'm sorry Autumn. It'll go away soon. Does it help when I rub your back."

"Y–es."

"Alright then. It'll go away in a minute."

"O–"

I'm assuming he was going to say okay, but he was cut off by coughing. I continued to massage his back with my hand and eventually he had calmed down.

"You feel alright now Autumn?"

"Don't call me that."

"Well why not?" I asked with a playful smile on my face. Andy usually did that to be funny.

"I'm serious. Get your hand off me."

I frowned and moved my hand away, holding them up in surrender.

"Andrew, did I do something?"

"Just leave me alone, alright?"

I would have stopped him, but when Andy tells you not to do something he means it.

What the fuck did I do? God, that boy.

I walked to my room and didn't even bother to knock.

"Autumn..."

"I said don't call me that."

"I'm sorry sweetie."

He sat there with his knees to his chest, looking upset, then he looked up at me.

"No, I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Mood swings from not having the drug."

"But Ashley, it's been weeks."

"It can always creep back up on you. You just have to distract yourself."

"I have been. I have you."

"And I have you, Andy."

"It sounds weird hearing you say Andy."

"It's your name."

"Yes, I know, but you keep giving me all these pet names like honey and Autumn."

"You told me to stop calling you that."

"I was just angry. I've actually grown to like it."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"Can I have a hug?"

"Of course you can."

I scooted closer and put my arms around him.

"What am I going to do Ashley?"

"I don't know Autumn, but we'll get through it."

He sat in my embrace for a few minutes then broke free.

"I need to take a smoke."

"Alright honey."

I kissed his head and watched him leave the room.