“Spence? You remember when you were six, and we went to the county fair, and that little boy took your cotton candy and rubbed it in your hair?”

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it ever since she mentioned it, and I’m not sure why. I just feel like I’m missing something important. I remember it – bits and pieces of it anyways. I remember the boy rubbing the cotton candy in my hair and mom hugging me because I was crying, and I remember seeing the boy get shoved to the ground – probably by Glen.

I lean back on my bed with a sigh. My fingers anxiously fidget with the edge of the pillow I’ve been clutching. This is going to bother me until I can figure it out. I just know it-

*Clink*

I sit up quickly at the sudden noise. It wasn’t loud, but-

*Clink*

This time I see the pebble hit the glass. I toss the pillow down carelessly on the bed and quickly move to the window.

Ashley. She came for me.

I open my window, unable to keep the grin off my face. I knew she wouldn’t let my mom keep us apart, but I wasn’t expecting her to be standing beneath my window grinning up at me holding a "WE’RE RUNNING AWAY" sign. Aiden carefully leans the ladder against my window, and Ashley’s gesturing for me to come down quickly even as she glances around to make sure no one’s noticed what’s going on.

Time seems to crawl as I put together a bag of essentials. I keep glancing worriedly to my door, afraid that at any moment my mother will come in and catch me and send me far away. My lips twitch into a half-smile. It wouldn’t matter where she sent me. Ashley would find me.

I climb down the ladder as quickly as I can without making much noise. Ashley takes my bag as soon as I reach the bottom of the ladder and grasps my hand tightly, leading me to Aiden’s awaiting SUV. I stop short, pulling Ashley back to me. She’s got that adorably confused look on her face, and I know she’s worried that I’ve changed my mind. I just lean in and kiss her. My free hand comes up to her waist, pulling her even closer, until there’s no space left between us.