Ashley was in the middle of packing up her things for college until her mother came into her room.
“What do you think you’re doing young lady,” yelled Ashley’s mother with anger beyond belief.
“I told you, I’m leaving for college and today’s the last day that we can check into our dorms,” replied Ashley with extreme sass; while brushing her wavy blonde hair to the side. Ashley was so frustrated that her parents wouldn't let her to go to college. The peculiar thing was that it wasn’t only because of her parents’ income. She couldn’t quite figure out what the other reason was, but she knew that there had to be one. She was firmly determined to find out what this reason was, though she knew that it would be  difficult.
Later that afternoon at about 3 PM, Ashley knew that she had to do something, though she couldn’t quite grasp the idea. As she was eating her usual afternoon snack in her bedroom, Ashley looked around at the many, many boxes that she had packed earlier that morning. She had this “golden idea.” Her thought was that she could call her closest, most mischievous friend, Jonas. Ashley knew from the bottom of her heart, Jonas would do pretty much anything for her. As she was finishing up her bowl of fresh, strawberry yogurt, Ashley was sorting through the remains that were scattered throughout her room, looking for her phone. “There,” exclaimed Ashley as she reached for her phone.
Scrambling through her phone, looking for Jonas’ contact, Ashley thought to herself, “Should I actually do this behind my parents’ back?” She kept on scrolling for a few more seconds and just blew this sudden thought away, as if the cloud of imagination never even arose. “Here we go, just what I was looking for,” expressed Ashley with joy. As she began to dial Jonas’ phone number, Ashley began to think about her plan, that she hoped, would succeed.
“Hey Ashley, what’s up,” asked Jonas.
“Well Jonas, I need you to help me figure out a plan to get out of my house and into my dorm at the University of Michigan. My only problem is, my parents don’t want me to leave for college, and I can’t figure out why. Do you think that you can help,” asked Ashley as she stumbled over her words.
“I think I can help. I’ll be over in 10 minutes. Oh, and open the patio door that enters into your room, so your parents won’t know I’m here.”
Ashley shuffled all of her boxes near the door so it would be easier to move them into Jonas’ white Ford F-150. As she moved the last box near the patio door, she saw Jonas pull up in front of her newly built, tan-ish colored house. He comes to the patio door with his manly as ever muscles, ready to move about 10 heavy boxes in 2 minutes or less. Ashley knew that eventually her parents would figure out that she was gone, but she knew that as long as she made it to the dorms by 7pm at the latest, there would be no way her parents would be able to bring her back home.
As Jonas put the last of the 10 boxes with the others in his truck, Ashley heard her parents walking up the stairs to check on her. She knew that she had to run like the wind to get into Jonas’ truck and drive away. In about 2.1 seconds, Ashley had already bolted out her patio door, and of course not forgetting the most important item, her phone.
“Phew! That was a close one Jonas,” cheered Ashley as she huffed and puffed, trying to get her body to calm down.
“Oh yes it was Ashley, but we did it,” said Jonas, as he too, was trying to catch his breath.
Ashley was drained. Right as she was closing her eyes to take a nap on the ride up to the University of Michigan, Ashley said to Jonas, “You know Jonas, I don’t think I could have pulled this off without my best friend by my side. I appreciate you, even through times of turmoil and frustration. Thank you for all that you do for me, even if I don’t exactly show it all the time. I . . . I . . . I love you, Jonas,” murmured Ashley as she shut her eyes for the rest of the 2 hour car ride.
Even though Jonas knew that Ashley was 100% passed out and asleep, he whispered back with the sweetest, most precious voice. ”I love you too, Ashley,” as he gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek and placed his arm around her.
At 6:30 PM that same day, Ashley and Jonas pulled up to the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor. “Ashley . . . Ashley, we’re here,” whispered Jonas as he moved his arm from around Ashley’s back and gave her a warm hug, as she was just waking up from her nap.
After Jonas helped Ashley get checked in, unpacked, and settled into her dorm, he knew that it was time to say goodbye, at least for a little while. “Goodbye Ashley, I’m always here if you need me, even if it’s midnight, just give me a call,” stated Jonas as he shed his first tear.
“Thank you, Jonas, I love you. I know you’re always here for me, and I’ll do the same for you. I will never forget you, and I promise to always think of you and talk to you when I get even the slightest moment off free time,” explained Ashley as she started to ball her eyes out.
Though they both knew that this wouldn’t be the end of the road for their strong friendship, they wanted to make every last second together count. For a good minute, Ashley and Jonas just stood there, face to face, holding each other’s hands, just looking into each other’s ocean blue eyes, and crying. When Ashley felt that it was right to go back to the dorms, she knew they had to. She knew that they had to . . . you know . . . kiss. When Ashley and Jonas leaned in for their last hug for a long while, she gazed up, as he glanced down. Ashley brushed through Jonas’ dirty blonde hair, then the magic happened!
As they started to walk their separate ways, they both had the slightest bit of doubt that they would, even though they made a promise, never talk or see each other again. Yes, it can be hard to maintain a firm relationship with someone when you don’t see them often, but you just have to keep one thing in mind: no matter the distance, no matter the situation or circumstance, you will always be with them in heart, mind, and soul.