The Last One

Anna’s POV:

I’m on the bed gazing out of the open window which floods the room with warm summer air and the hum of the city below when Ashley interrupts my daydream, “Anna?” I drape a blanket over my legs as I beckon him over. He approaches slowly, as if one wrong move might make me bolt, “It’s okay,” I reassure him, “I’m okay now, totally over it.”
“I mean, can’t say I wholeheartedly believe you but sure,” he smiles doubtfully.
“Okay whatever,” I laugh, “Really though, it’s okay. I literally don’t even mind. But thankyou. So much. For everything. Honestly, I can’t thank you enough, let me know if I can ever do anything for you.”
“Anna, I don’t need you to ‘pay me back’ or anything. I would’ve done it for anyone.”
“I know but I don’t know what I would’ve done if you weren’t there,” I insist.
“Kick, scream, yell?” He suggests.
“I wouldn’t want to make a scene,” I laugh nervously.
“Seriously?” he raises his eyebrows, “You’re that considerate! Everyone should be as nice as you.” My cheeks burn as I mutter my thanks, it’s silent for a while – I think I might’ve surprised him and continue to do so as I laugh suddenly, “Well, it’s not all bad. I somehow managed to meet my idol.”
“Are you kidding?” His eyes light up, “You just made this positive. Incredible!” I laugh along with him but my cheer is short-lived as a grimace forms on my face, “Might have to seriously reconsider you as an idol though. Bloody hell Ashley! What is this, dishwater?” His shock turns into relief as he realises that I’m only criticising his extremely poor capability in tea making. “You know that favour…” he suggests.
“I would be teaching you how to make a proper cup of tea with or without your permission,” I nudge him lightly.

Ashley’s POV:

I trade the tea for two cups of water as a replacement. I come to the decision that anyone who could possibly want to hurt such a caring and passionate woman must be heartless and it is beyond me how any such human could exist. Even sat back at the window, her petite silhouette all that I can see, I bet that she’s just watching the city with wonder. I’ve seen very few people with a presence as strong as hers onstage, and that’s not even mentioning the sheer amount of life that she has and, undoubtedly, extracts from every person she meets.

“What ya lookin’ at Purdy?” I almost believe that she possesses some sort of mystical powers before realising that glass is reflective and that she’s definitely seen me leaning in the doorway, watching her for at least a full minute. “I promise I wasn’t perving.”
“You sure about that?” Her eyes glint in the warm glow of the fairylights she's hung around the room, “Nah, I’m just joking, don’t worry.”
“Actually,” she frowns, her expression a mixture of confusion and concern which grows into a bashful smile as I tell her how kind she is and the energy and happiness she seems to have about her, “And when you perform… Just, wow. Very few people have that much energy and a presence that big onstage.”
“Thankyou so much,” she’s gone shy, “Back at ya, I guess, I mean, I’ve never actually been able to see you guys live but your music just… It’s always been there for me, that’s all. And the whole ‘hey it’s Ashley Purdy’ at the beginning of videos and dark aviators,” she giggles, “God, you were my favourite.”
“I can tell that, you keep calling me God,” I laugh back, “And what’s with the ‘were’?”
“Fine, are. Ashley Purdy you are my favourite member of Black Veil Brides,” I act smugly until she continues, “Unless I find that one of the others makes a better cuppa.”
“Hey,” I whine playfully, “Did you hear your impression of me just now? You can’t compare my tea to that, it was almost as bad as the tea!”
“Only almost though,” she sits back accepting victory as our shoulders shake and our stomachs hurt; it’s as if we’ve known each other for years.

I take the silence as my opportunity to get to know her more, “What made you choose dance?”
“It’s physical theatre actually,” she makes her accent more posh as she corrects me.
“So sorry,” I reply in my best (still awful) posh British accent, “What made you pursue physical theatre in this journey we call life?” She takes a deep breath to stop herself from giggling and answers, “I saw this show and it changed my life. I was 16 and I was an absolute blubbering mess and I thought ‘that is what I’m going to do.’ I have other plans as well, things I want to do after, but I knew if I listened to what everyone kept telling me and didn’t follow my creative ambitions then I’d regret it for the rest of my life.”
“Oh no, please tell me you’re not from one of those families that only likes academics?” She pulls a face and it’s an answer enough, “If it’s actual art, you know, painting, drawing, then no; they like that, my sister’s an artist. But dance, music, acting art is another matter entirely.” I take in her answers and, she asks me about growing up in Missouri. I tell her about the long, warm summers I had as a kid, the hours I spent with my friends and family riding horses around the countryside and about my want to leave the small town for LA as soon as I turned 18. She describes the coastal village that she grew up in, way in the South West of the UK, and her shoulders relax, her smile brightens and I can tell that, in her mind, she’s right there as she tells me how she would spend evenings on the sand with the waves lapping at her feet. “Do you miss it?” Anna asks me.
“I don’t miss living there. Of course, I miss my family, friends, the country, the horses and all that but I know that I can always go back.” A small smile spreads across her face and I can tell that she knows exactly what I mean.

“Hello?” A voice emerges from the hallway and knock at the door causes Anna to pull her blanket up over her shoulders, hiding her neck. “Come in Kenny,” she calls. A lean man with tanned skin and black hair, slightly longer than mine, enters the room and looks at me with confusion, “Kenny, this is Ashley. Ashley, this is Kenny.”
“Hey,” he smiles, “How are you Anna?”
“I’m good, Ashley was worse off. He’s staying the night because his clothes are in the wash.”
“Fair enough, I appreciate you taking care of her Ashley. Anna is my dearest friend, I only stayed out because Adam was drinking.”
“Really? I know his wife left him but, drinking really isn’t a good way for him to cope,” she turns to me to explain, “He drinks stupidly and gets into fights, wonders off, sometimes leaves with random women until halfway through rehearsal the next day and it’s all because he’s so heartbroken over his wife.”
“Well,” Kenny sighs, “Ex-wife, the divorce papers came today.”
“Worse than usual?” Anna asks empathetically, Kenny simply nods in reply.
“Poor guy,” I agree with them.
“Right, well I’ve just come off of babysitting duties,” Kenny brings the tone up again, “Ive dropped everyone to their flats and now I’m off to bed.”
“Happy birthday,” Anna calls as he leaves the room, “I’m sorry you didn’t get to properly celebrate.”
“It’s okay, you can pay me back on my actual birthday,” he laughs back. Anna relaxes once he goes silent and moves the blanket back to her waist. I yawn, Kenny’s mention of sleep making me realise just how tired I am. “I know, me too,” Anna smiles as she stifles a yawn next to me. “Goodnight Anna,” I stand up.
“Night Ash,” her soft voice follows me as I close the door behind me.

I toss and turn, feeling like I’m imposing Anna and Kenny’s space. Usually, I can sleep anywhere easily, and I was definitely tired but something kept me up. I give up on sleeping, instead grabbing my phone, deciding that I need to tell someone about Anna.
Andy, you remember that chick I saw when we watched that show?
I send the text and click my phone off, hoping for a quick reply but seeing it was 1am and remembering that him and Juliet were away for a few days I lower my expectations and decide to attempt sleeping one more time. I stretch back out on the sofa, nearly reaching sleep until the sound of a cry, helpless and small, travels around the apartment and I immediately know that it’s Anna. I knock on her door but enter anyway, quietly and slowly, when there is no reply.

“Anna,” I try and let her know that I’m there so I don’t scare her if she wakes up. She gasps before whimpering and I crouch next to the bed and place my hand on her shoulder. “Anna, its okay I promise. It’s just a dream.” I try and soothe her and she starts to cry as she stirs and holds my hand, half asleep, “Ashley?”
“Yes Anna, I’m here.”
“I’m sorry,” her voice cracks as she curls into a ball and hides her face, releasing my hand.
“It’s okay, do you want me to leave?” she shakes her head, still crying silently into her pillow. I scoop her tiny frame into my arms and hold her, “Is this okay?” I ask her and she whispers a “Thankyou,” before I climb under the covers and stroke her hair until she falls back asleep.

Notes

Hopefully it's okay:)