I woke up to the sun pouring in my window. There were more blankets lying on top of me than what I had fallen asleep with, which meant someone covered me up. The bed was empty beside me, but the smell of bacon and eggs filled my nose.

My heart rate picked up at the thought that Asher might be in the kitchen cooking me breakfast instead of on a plane to London. I threw the blankets off of me, taking the warmth with them. The girl in the mirror looked different as she passed the same time I did. Her hair was a mess and so was her face – all red a blotchy.

The smell of breakfast lingered even stronger as I made my way into the living room and then into the kitchen. But the long, curly blonde hair that belonged to Ellie was not what I was expecting.

The urge to cry hit me like a truck fully loaded. A small squeak escaped my mouth accidentally as I leaned against the counter. Ellie twisted around and gave me a sympathetic smile.

"I made breakfast, are you hungry?" She asked softly, placing a plate with bacon, eggs, and pancakes in front of me. I looked down at it and it felt like I had gotten the wind knocked out of me. It was like I was realizing the mistakes I had really made.

"I'm so stupid, Ellie," I cried as she hurried over to me to wrap me in her arms. I didn't cry though, I was finished with that. But the ache I had and hatred I felt for myself was a lot for me to handle. Ellie let me go and grabbed something off the counter before handing it to me.

"What's this?" I sniffled. My eyes felt puffy from holding back the tears.

"In my opinion, I think you made a good decision. I mean..." I waited to open the folded paper until she was finished talking. "You've got your head screwed on tight, Bea. You have everything figured out and you know where you'll be in a few years. I think this was the best decision."

I couldn't tell if she was just trying to make me feel as if I had made the worst decision of my life or if she actually agreed with it. Instead of answering her, I opened the paper and recognized Asher's untidy handwriting down the page.

Carefully pulling myself onto a stool without taking my eyes off the paper, I began to read it quietly. Ellie disappeared back into the kitchen as I leaned onto the counter.

Bea, I love you so much. I decided to face my problems, not run from them. I'm going to do this for my brothers, my fans, and for you, and for my mom. I kind of had this whole note thought out but I forgot it. Just promise me you'll be happy, and I'll be happy too.

-Asher

The last words he scribbled, "Promise me you'll be happy and I'll be happy too" sparked a memory in my mind. It felt it was just yesterday and that it only lasted for a split second.

I took Asher's hand and sat down on the hood of his car, my converses hanging off the edge. "Have you ever heard the saying 'everything happens for a reason'?"

He laced our fingers together and held them close to his heart. "Yeah," he answered.

"We will all take our different paths after today. But no matter what happens, I want you to promise me something." I looked up into his eyes that were filled with curiosity and bravery and everything I knew he was and held them there.

"Whatever it is, I promise." I giggled at his response.

"Seriously, though." I chuckled. "I want you to promise me that you'll be happy. No matter where you are or what you're doing, just be happy. And I will too."

"I promise, Bea." He kissed the top of my head and hugged me, a moment of silence filling the space between us.

"Mr. Hawkins and Miss Montgomery," our principal called from the back doors of the cafeteria. "Please join us, will you?"

"Ugh," Asher groaned jokingly. "I guess we have to go graduate high school."

I carefully jumped off the car's hood and put his cap on his head and grabbed his hand to run up the steps to the cafeteria doors.

After my short but sweet reverie, I pursed my lips and swallowed the lump in my throat. I folded the letter tightly back together and held it in my hand. Glancing down at my plate of food, I felt slightly guilty for not eating it, but I knew I wouldn't be able to stomach it.

"I have to go get ready for art class," I said barely above a whisper as I walked back to my room. "Thanks for breakfast."

Ellie never said anything about me being wasteful like she would have any other time as I closed my bedroom door. I moped around the room trying to get dressed, putting on a pair of jeans and long-sleeved shirt along with just enough makeup to cover up my cave-manliness.

I was able to get out of the building without Ellie chasing me down and forcing me to eat or spill my beans. Pulling the hood of my jacket over my head, I trudged towards the art building like I was going to my own funeral.

It was weird walking toward something that usually made me so happy but for that day, it made me even more depressed. Knowing that Asher had left and I had practically drove him away was eating me alive.

Standing outside of the art gallery was Mark. He had his hood pulled over his head with his headphones under it, blocking out the outside world. I watched him nod his head to the music for a minute before tapping him on the shoulder. His face automatically lit up into a huge grin – one that I rarely saw. He ran forward and grabbed me in a hug that I was not prepared for, hence my arms being pinned to my sides.

I found it impossible to smile at him, and he seemed to notice that. "Why the long face?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know."

His expression changed from confused to seemingly happy again. "Go inside. I'll talk to you later."

He walked away then, leaving me curious as to what I should be expecting when I walked through those doors. At first my mind was swirling.

What if Asher was inside waiting for me? What if he'd changed his mind about going, or even better, decided that going with him would be the best thing for us.

Have you ever made a decision that you were determined to be right about, but you knew it was so wrong?

I shoved the doors open with slight eagerness and walked into the dimly-lit building. Only a few lights were on near the back of the large gallery room. I followed those lights to find a guy that looked too much like my brother to be Asher.

I didn't dwell on Luke standing there too much because the painting he was staring at was the thing that caught my attention.

"How..." I spoke softly, barely able to get the words out. Hanging on the wall in front of me was my painting. The painting I loved so much and worked so hard on. Attached to the wall below it was a rectangular black light that hadn't been turned on yet.

Luke glanced at me, grinned from ear to ear, and flipped the switch on. It revealed all the drawings that made up my big, messy heart.

"I got a call this famous dude yesterday," Luke said, still smiling at my amazed reaction. "He said my little sister needed me and that I had better get my shit together for her."

A disappointed look crossed his face for merely a second before he continued. "He wasn't wrong because let me tell you something: this is the best three-hundred bucks I've ever spent. It's beautiful, Bea."

I didn't have to say anything. I wanted to, but instead I allowed my actions to do the talking. Since I had been a total emotional wreck the past couple days, I couldn't talk for the tears and the lump in my throat. I lunged at my brother and wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him like there was no tomorrow.

After I squeezed the life out of him, I took a step back and looked at my hard work put on display. I rubbed my stuffy nose and took a deep breath.

"You didn't have to do this, Luke. I-"

"Could I just get a thank you, please?"

I sighed happily. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said as he draped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him. "And quit being so humble, would you?"

I rolled my eyes at him and turned my attention back to my painting. It blew my mind that my work was being showcased for everyone to see. It made me wonder if it could be a start to the dream I had been wanting to become a reality.

Then I remembered when Asher asked me if I would rather paint the Eiffel Tower. And all my walls came tumbling down.

"How about a penny for your thoughts?" Luke asked, pulling me out of my reverie. I didn't even realize we were sitting on a bench in the gallery room until I stretched my hand across the leather cushion.

"Which ones? There's a lot." Lie. There was only one. Maybe two.

"Want to start with why you're here instead of on a flight to London right now?" He asked me and I looked at him skeptically.

"What exactly did you and Asher talk about?" I gave him a quiet chuckle.

He ignored my question. "You do know that you could be an artist no matter where you are, right? And college? You could finish that anytime, Bea."

"I was just putting my future first, I guess. I have to have an education -" I may have said that, but I had a hard time believing them myself.

"You will never regret anything more than if you don't take chances now, Bea. Trust me on that," he stressed. "Look in front of you." He pointed to the painting that hung on the wall in front of us. "That's a masterpiece. It belongs in a museum, and it's your career. What's the real reason?"

It took me awhile to figure it out what to say, so I gave the only answer I knew: "I don't know."

Luke was quiet for a few moments. He leaned forward onto his knees as he thought.

"It's okay to admit that you're scared," he spoke quietly.

"I'm not scared," I answered matter-of-factly.

"Yes you are," he argued back. I huffed out a breath and glared at him.

"Of what?" I exclaimed, curious to know what he was going to say.

"You're scared of what will happen if you go with Asher. You don't know what's going to happen and that scares the hell out of you, I get that. I hate to break it to you kid, but you won't ever know what to expect. You can't know what's going to happen no matter how much you try to."

All of his words reminded me of the things Lia said to me: take chances. "I know that," I assured him. "I just don't want to bring Asher down."

"I heard he was a real dump before he got back with you," he said jokingly, trying to put a smile on my face.

"Where in the world are you hearing all of this stuff?" I asked, trying to hold back a giggle.

"It doesn't matter." He waved it off. "What matters is that you get on a plane straight to London within the next hour. Because if you don't, you'll only regret it."

I smiled because I already knew what was going to happen, even though I really didn't.

"Since when did you know everything?" I asked Luke.

"Since I met my amazing little sister who, in the short amount of time I've known her, has turned my life around. And I love her for it." He stood up then and kissed the top of my head before walking out of the building.

Luke was right; I was scared. I didn't what would happen next and that made me anxious. After all that I had learned over the last few months with finding my brother, experiencing love all over again with Asher, getting to love Lia even more before she left us, and figuring myself out, I had just now realized that it was all because of the chances I took.

Now that I was able to look back at them, I didn't regret a single one of those moments.

I hopped up off the bench and looked all around me. None of the other spaces had been filled yet. I assumed Luke bought my admittance early. I had to remember to thank him a million times again later.

As I got to thinking about it, I knew there was another person I had to thank before I left the country.

Mr. Roswell was sitting alone in his dark classroom when I found him. "Hey, where is everyone?"

My voice didn't even phase him in the quiet room. He lowered the pair of glasses on his face so they were perched on the end of his nose when he looked up at me. A smile spread across his face.

"Well, well," he said, "look who it is."

"Hey," I replied, taking a seat across from him at his desk.

"Did you see your painting in the gallery?" He asked me as he finally just took his glasses off his face and sat them down in front of him.

I smiled happily. "Of course. My brother paid for it. You have no idea how ecstatic I am. Thank you for being an amazing mentor," I said. "And a great friend."

Mr. Roswell smiled and patted my shoulder as he placed his glasses back on his face and picked up the crossword he has been working on. "You're very welcome."

I hopped off of the stool I was sitting on and stood there. "Mr. Roswell?" I asked and he looked up at me. "Remember what you said on my first day? About our want's?"

He pursed his lips as he thought for a few seconds before he nodded. "I think I do. Why?"

"Because this is something I've wanted since I could pick up a pencil – to have my art displayed. But I'm about to lose the one person in the world that willed me to continue doing it when I had reached my limits. I want him more than anything, and then I'll have everything." Everything came out so fast and complicated that I wasn't sure if he would understand a word I had just said. "There's only one thing... he's in a complete different country and I only have so much time to get him back."

He was quiet as he thought the whole thing through.

"You know, our want's are very important. Without them, we wouldn't be very unique. If we didn't want different things or if we didn't want to get up in the morning, we'd be nothing. But we also have needs." Mr. Roswell explained. "We need happiness. So, as a teacher, I'm encouraging you not to leave school in the middle of a semester. But as a friend, I'm telling you to go be happy. Don't be afraid to do what you love and be with who you love, okay?"

The smile on my face made me feel as if my face would rip. I couldn't stop myself when I reached across the desk to hug him. "Thank you so much."

And then I left to make myself happy doing not only what I wanted, but what I needed as well.

I wanted and I needed Asher.

And there was nothing that would ever change that.

______________

The song I chose is Photograph by Ed Sheeran because of its laid back tune and lyrics. That smokin' hot picture is of Matthew Daddario AKA Luke in the story!

I hope you liked this chapter! Please let me know! I'm so excited for you to read the next one because I think it will be one of my favorites to write!

What to look forward to: Lots of laughs and a few tears, some sassy college girls and maybe even a... fist fight? Or maybe not, haha.

I'm very sorry if the whole "Want's" talk is getting annoying. Maybe I just have to think abut it too much since I'm writing the story and you guys have only read it a few times. Who knows.

Thanks so much for reading. Each one of you means so much to me.