50
Ashlynn
Wait for Me – Kings of Leon
A s I start making my way toward the entrance of the venue, I start to feel bummed that Anthony and I didn’t get more time alone. However, I know he is busy with this competition. Not only with his riding, but the other guys as well. As I am walking my phone starts ringing, and it is Heath.
“Hey Heath! Are you at the airport already?”
“Yeah, we are getting ready to board. I just wanted to give you a heads up and let you know to have fun and see you when you get home!”
Once I hang up from Heath, I swear I hear someone yell my name. I look around and don’t notice anyone right away. I take a few more steps and that’s when I hear his voice so clear, as if the crowd’s noise faded away.
Ashlynn, Wait…
I don’t make a move while facing the entrance still. I wait, and that’s when I feel Anthony behind me, wrapping me in his arms in a tight embrace and pulling me into him. My body molds to his. I bite the inside of my cheek because I can feel my eyes starting to get teary. Anthony rests his forehead against me; I feel him take a deep shaky breath.
“I am so fucking sorry for everything. All the shit I said, I didn’t mean any of it. If you were a distraction, you are the best one to have and the only one I ever want to be distracted for,” he says, with his voice cracking.
Oh god, I can no longer hold the tears off. I just let them fall freely.
“Ashlynn, please look at me; let me see you.”
I turn around to face him, but am having a hard time doing so. He nudges my chin to look up. That’s when I see the tears in his eyes, turning them the most beautiful green. My tears start falling steadily now; he grabs my face and wipes the tears from my cheeks. “I know you are still hurt by everything I did and said. I can see it in your eyes and it fucking kills me, knowing I am the reason for that.” He takes a deep breath and continues. “Your heart is still hurt, and I don’t know if you are ready to give it back to me again. I know I have no right to ask you this, but please don’t give up on me–wait for me.” Just when I don’t think I can handle much more, he continues. “When your heart is ready, I know we will find our way back to each other.” He kisses my forehead, and that’s when I feel his own tears fall on my cheeks, mixing with my own. He then kisses my lips so softly, barely pulling away with his mouth still close enough for me to feel his breath on my lips and the smell of peppermint. “I love you, Ashlynn. You are my forever.”
Once he is done, he turns and walks away from me.
I am just standing there, watching his retreating form and am still reeling from the emotional whiplash he just gave me. I wasn’t expecting any of what he told me. He seems to understand me better than anyone. Even though I try to act like I'm okay, the truth is, when I saw him today, all the emotions came rushing back. He knows, though, I am here to be with him. I quickly compose and gather myself, heading in the direction he went. He can’t just tell me all those things and just leave. As I am walking, he is nowhere, though. I even stop back by the tent; everything is put away, and no one is here, either. I give up for the night and decide to go and sit on the beach.
After sitting on the beach for a few, I look up at the stars and see a shooting star. The inter child in me makes a wish, like I always do. After, I get up and head to my hotel room to get some sleep. As the elevator stops on my floor, I step out, walking with my head down trying to find my key card. Once I pull it out of my purse, I look up and see Cora and Chase heading into her room for the night. Cora doesn’t see me in the hall, but Chase and I lock eyes. He looks like a deer in the headlights; he doesn’t know what to do. I look at him and whisper, “Please be good to her!”
Chase puts his right hand over his heart, “You have my word.”
After that, he disappears into the room. I don’t know Chase all that well, but he seems smitten with Cora. After I get into my room, I get ready for bed and crash. I didn’t want to get all emotional on this trip, but here I am silently crying by myself. It’s not because I am sad. I am crying because of everything Anthony laid bare to me, and I know he meant every word of what he said.
I wake up the next morning and it is still dark out. That can’t be right; Have I only slept for a couple of hours? I roll over and look at my phone and it is 4:30. Right as I set my phone back, I feel the throbbing pain of a headache coming on. I sluggishly get out of bed for some medicine. Once I take it, I crash again. I am jolted awake by constant knocking on my room door. I can hear that it is Neha “whispering” even though it’s just her normal voice. Without thinking, I get up to answer the door. Once I open it, it–sure enough–is Neha and Nick. “You are running a bit late; it is almost time to go watch the dirt competition.” Neha tells me.
I look at Nick, who is looking up at the ceiling. “Nick, what are you doing?”
Still not looking at me, he says, “Ah, Ashlynn, I am pretty sure Anthony wouldn’t want me to see that much of you!”
Right as he says this, my eyes go wide because I am in nothing but a very skimpy white tank and a pair of cheeky undies! I instantly jump behind the door, shielding myself. “Oh my god. I am not all the way awake. Don’t look at me!”
Nick starts laughing at me, “You have very nice legs, Ashlynn!”
Neha smacks his chest. “Excuse me! Though, I have to agree. You’re working out has paid off!”
Leaning my forehead on the door, I say, “Can you guys just wait for me in the lobby? I will get ready quick.”
Once Nick and Neha leave, I quickly get ready. I pull on a cute blue sundress that has straps that tie at my shoulders and–yes–I pair it with my black and gray checker slip-on Vans! Off the elevator, I meet up with Neha, “Where is Nick; that was beyond embarrassing! Lesson learned to look through the peephole from now on!”
Shaking her head at me, she says, “You seemed a bit out of it. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I just woke up early with a bad headache, so I took my medicine and crashed. You woke me, luckily. Otherwise, I might have slept through the contest today!”
“I wouldn’t have let you miss today; your favorite is the dirt jumps! Let’s go. By the way, have you talked to Cora? I haven’t seen her since she left with Chase.”
I don’t know if I should let her in on what I saw last night–nothing may not have even happened for all I know. I decide to keep it to myself. That’s for Cora to tell.
We make it to the dirt jumps just in time for the rookie riders to head to the deck. I spot Mateo as he is walking and rush over to him. “Mateo! Sorry I am late. Good luck!”
Blowing out a breath and giving me a quick hug, he says, “Thank goodness you are here. I am freaking out about this. These are huge jumps; I feel like I might be in over my head!”
I don’t know what he is worried about., “Mateo, you got this. You have had some of the best dirt riders to teach you.”
Nodding his head at me, he says, “Yeah, I have. Anthony said he’ll stay up on the deck with me the whole time.”
I am relieved for Mateo that Anthony will be up there with him. “You have nothing to worry about. Now, go win!”
We all take a seat and watch as the riders get set and ready to go. To my surprise, the deck is packed for the rookie class. Several riders go before Mateo, and once it is his turn, I stand up and watch him at the rail. He rides down the ramp; for his first set, he does a tailwhip, second set a double back flip, and his third and final set he does a 1440 tailwhip. That’s something I didn’t even know was possible. I look at the deck, and Anthony looks like he is in complete disbelief from Mateo’s final trick. None of us are surprised at all when Mateo wins first place for the Rookie Pro Class in dirt. At that time, I can’t help but notice MaHailey even came to watch him, and runs right to him for a big hug as he makes his way back to our group.
We wait for about an hour for the pro riders to start their dirt contest. I go and sit down next to Cora. “So, did you have a good night with Chase?”
She smacks her forehead. “You saw us? We didn’t do anything. We literally just talked all night, and I fell asleep next to him.” Cora looks like she did something bad. Fuck Brock for making her feel this way.
“Cora, if you had a good night. That’s what matters. Do you want to hear something funny?”
Cora turns to me. “Always, yes!”
I start laughing at myself. “Nick saw me this morning in my very skimpy cheeky undies and when I realized that I opened my room door in that, I jumped so fast behind the door to shield myself. I was mortified, Cora!”
Cora burst out laughing at me. “Oh my god, I wish I could have seen that and your face. I bet you got beat red!”
It is getting close for the pros to start, and I haven’t seen Anthony anywhere since Mateo’s win. He isn’t in the stands or on the deck.
The announcer calls for all the Pro Dirt riders to come up to the deck for the start and final competition for BMX. I am looking everywhere, and Anthony is nowhere in sight. “Why don’t I see Anthony up there? This is his main event, right?” Cora asks me.
“Yeah, it is. I don’t know where he is at.”
After sitting and looking around, Chase comes and sits by Cora. “Sorry I got over here a bit late. I was talking to Anthony. He was fixing something on his bike and is making his way to the deck anytime.”
Chase looks directly at me after he says this, like he knows I was looking for him. I nod my head. “Thank you!”
We watch as each rider does their runs, and some are really good. Chase leans over Cora and tells me, “Don’t worry, Anthony has an awesome ending trick. He will win it.”
Finally, it is time for Anthony to do his run. I am sitting on the edge of my seat, probably more nervous than he is, and he is the one doing these jumps! Anthony is the last rider; he rides down the ramp to get his speed up. His first set is a double back flip; For his second set, he does a barspin tailwhip 360. At least, that is what it looks like, but soon the announcer confirms that’s what it was. For his last trick he does… I don’t even know what to call it!
“Holy shit, what the hell was that? That was crazy!” Cora says with excitement.
I look over to her. “I honestly have no idea what to call that.” The announcers are going crazy and finally announce exactly what the trick is called. He did a front bike flip to a superman seatgrab. I am completely in awe of what he just did.
We all jump up once he is done and back up on deck. We are so loud with our cheering; they announce the winners, and, of course, Anthony takes home first place in dirt.
“Let’s head back over to the tent; he has some interviews. I told him to meet all of us there.” Chase tells us.
We make it over and the sun is starting to set, and Anthony has not come over. So, I start to look for him, I am not sure where to go. After searching for a bit, I text Mateo, asking him if he knows where he could be.