Nicki's POV:

After leaving Ashtyn's that day, all I could think about was her. She seemed to hide her emotions pretty well, but her eyes betrayed her.

Suddenly, as I was thinking about her again, the doorbell rang. My little brother Sawyer ran to the door and I followed him. "Ashtyn! Hey," I cried as I pulled her into a hug.

"Who is this?" she bent down to greet my little brother.

"I'm Soywer," he said with all confidence.

"Well, how old are you Sawyer?"

"Four!" he proudly held up three fingers.

"Wow! You're big!" He giggled and ran off to tell mom about his friend.

"Here, let me take that!" I said in my most hospitable tone.

"Oh thanks," she replied with more gruffness than normal.

"Something up?" I asked knowing for sure that something was.

"Oh no. I am fine."

I knew she was lying again. I knew something was bothering her. I could see sadness and suffering and loneliness in her eyes. She has told me she is fine at least a hundred times already. I tired of her not telling me how she feels.

"I know you..." I was once again cut off, this time by my little brother.

"Mom says you guys can go to the dundeon," he can't pronounce dungeon.

"The dungeon?" Ashtyn gives me a half confused-half worried look.

"Oh! the dungeon is what we downstairs! Follow me,"

"No, follow me! She always gets lost," Sawyer pushed his way to the front.

"We play games all the time."

"She is really good at making up stories!" Sawyer cried.

"Hey Sawy," I leaned in close,"I think Mom is making dessert." At this thought, he ran off to kitchen.

"Right here," I opened the door and flipped on the switch.

"Woah!" she replied in awe when she reached the bottom step,"Is this your room,"

"Yep!" I laughed as she threw herself on the beanbag.

"This whole basement that- that is amazing."

"Thank you, but do you want to know the truth?"

"Fire away," she pretended to shoot me.

"I get kinda lonely down here."

"Well, maybe you have to invite me over more often then."

"If I do, you have to help me finish unpacking those three boxes," I joked.

"Fine with me," she replied but still in awe of the apparent awesomeness (her words not mine, but I do love my room) of the room,"How long has been since you've moved in?" she asked admiring my huge Star Wars collection.

"About three, almost four months."

"Your house is awesome."

"Hey," I said breaking the silence,"Do you want to watch a movie?"

"Sure," she shrugged,"What do you have?"

Ashtyn's POV:

"That movie was great," I laughed.

"Yeah, it is one of my favorites," she smiled.

"Girls! Lunch time!" Mrs. Aaron yelled.

As we sat at the table, I realized how much I missed my mom. We used to have dinner at a table just like this one, just the three of us. I miss that. How we would eat either Italian food or Chinese food, mostly stir fry. How I would steal all of the pieces of baby corn off of my dad's plate when he wasn't looking. I miss them.

"Ash," a concerned voice broke through my thoughts,"you alright?"

"Oh yeah," I looked down,"I am fine."

No, I am really not.