7 YOU CALLED ME

Covering my face with my hands, I just got home. I was sitting on the couch and tears were streaming down my eyes.

I didn't know why, but I feel so happy because I saved someone's life. I am so happy and so proud of myself right now, it's not like everyday you can save someone's life.

"Tears of joy, seriously." I chuckled lightly as I wiped my tears from my cheek using tissue paper. I don't know why but it felt like I've done it before, saving someone's life.

I was going to close my eyes when I heard a notification from my phone, slightly irritated I took my phone and looked who messaged me.

'Yo!! I am so proud of you!! Ashleah saved someone's life!'

I chuckled, it was from Nash. He didn't stop telling me that he was proud of me because I saved someone's life.

'When are you going to stop saying that you ARE proud of me, Nash?'

I answered him, and it took a couple of seconds before he could answer. A sudden flush crept across my cheeks when I saw his message.

"I would never stop. That's my girl!"

I didn't know why but I couldn't stop smiling and my heart kept beating loudly. What the heck is happening?

'Yeah, well then take a good rest. Goodnight Nash."

I clicked the send and he answered with a sticker saying goodnight, I pulled my knees together hugging it tightly while smiling lightly.

'Goodnight, Ashleah.'

I closed my eyes and smiled to myself, I hope this continues. I just want happiness, and now it's finally happening.

I opened my eyes and I almost screamed when I wasn't inside our house nor laying down the couch. I was inside this strange room, white room and I saw a door.

With trembling legs, I stood up and bit my lower lip slowly. Where am I? As I walked closer, I only heard my heart beating loudly. I tightly held the door knob and gulped before opening it.

I was welcomed by a soothing sound of water splashing and birds chirping, the grass was green and perfect, flowers were around, tall trees with beautiful leaves on it. A bench, with a man sitting on it.

My eyebrows furrowed as I almost lost breath when the man looked back and smiled at me. He looks familiar. I gulped and tears started to form inside my eyes.

"Ashleah." and when he called me, it felt like everything went in slow motion as I gave him that longing look, my trembling hands covered my mouth and tears are now streaming down my eyes dripping down to my cheeks.

He was that man in my dreams. The one that the girl called Father.. I didn't know why but I ran up to him, hugging him tightly and cried. I heard how he sobbed when he felt my arms around him, he was quite tall.

"Ashleah.. I've been waiting for you." He said while crying, softly caressing my hair, hugging me tightly. It was like he never wanted to let go.

"Y-You.. I.. Are you my Father?" My voice cracked as I moved away from the hug, and he smiled slightly, his eyes were sad.

"Ashleah, I know that you don't remember me. But, you know.. I won't ever leave you." He said as he kissed my forehead, I shut my eyes close as tears started to flow down again.

I didn't know who this person was, the only clue was he was the man in my dreams who the little girl called 'Father' and I couldn't stop myself from crying.

"W-Why? I can't remember you-- no. I don't remember you, but why? I feel like I've been missing you so much. The pain." I cried out and he hugged me tightly, softly whispering.

"Ashleah, stop crying. I don't want my princess to cry." My heart skipped a beat as I looked up and my eyes widened, for a sudden moment I felt so happy.

"I feel so happy because I saw you.. your embrace feels like home." I snuggled closer while a small sniffle came out. He chuckled lightly, we were both looking at the peaceful view infront of us.

"I was your first home, Ashleah. If you only knew how sad I was when I heard what happened to you." I blinked a couple of times, confusion was eating me.

"Happened to me? What are you talking about?" I faced him and he gave me a light smile and looked up, I did the same and my mouth was left wide open when I saw how beautiful the sky was.

I couldn't even see a sky like this on Earth, it was full of pollution. Ah, we really did destroyed the earth.

"The sky is clear today." He smiled, I let him continue what he was saying. "I can't tell you the truth, he won't be happy about it." He said and I saw how his happy look turned into a look of sadness and guilt.

"HE? who is he?" I asked him and he chuckled. Now, I'm confused. What is he talking about?

"I can't tell you. But oh well, tell me about your life today." He obviously avoided the topic, I sighed and just nodded. I mean, if he doesn't want to talk about it.

"Yeah, so I'm currently studying. Uhhhh,, my parents are making it up to me because they felt sorry. Sudden deaths suddenly came up. I have a friend too, Nash." And when I said the last part, his eyes soften.

"Guess he's still doing his best to find you." I blinked. Find what?? huh?? THATS IT IM CONFUSED AGAIN. "Everything's good for you eh?"

"Oh! I forgot about this part, I saved someone's life. I didn't know why but I cried." The feelings right now is unknown, I just met this man infront of me, but I felt like I've known him for years. I feel so happy and my trust for him is indescribable.

"You did? I'm so proud of you Ashleah!" He said and looked directly at my eyes, while staring at him I slowly realized that he looked like me, but his hair was silver. Weird color tho.

"Yea, I was so happy." I said and giggled, I heard him whisper.

"You did it again." What? He said the same thing that Nash said!

"So how am I going home?" I asked him, and he chuckled and stood up, stretching his arms.

"I asked him to gave us a couple of hours talking when the right time comes. So you'd probably be stuck with me for a few more hours."

I chuckled and stood up. "If I'm going to be stuck with you, let's have fun shall we?" He laughed and nodded.

"Let's do it. First one who runs to that tree wins!" He pointed that tree far from us, I quickly ran and he did the same. "Wait! That's unfair you ran first!" He complained at I laughed.

"That's what you call the way of winning!" I smiled while running, it really felt like I was running wildly and free. The freedom I've been wishing for.

"I win!" He shouted, he was now holding a fish. I pouted my lips and started complaining.

"That's unfair! The fishes here are slippery!" I said and he started laughing and gave me the fish, my eyes widened and ran away.

"1 win for me!" he said and I stick out my tounge and shouted.

"2 wins for me tho! Let's play more!" I said and looked around. "Let's climb the tree!" I said and ran to the tree near us. He did the same.

Slowly climbing the tree, I froze. When did I learn climbing a tree? I erased those nonsense thoughts inside my head and continued climbing.

As I sat on the branch, and he did the same. The branch was thick and it can take two people. Lol that's great.

My eyes soften when I saw how amazing the view was, it was.. breathtakingly beautiful.

"Ashleah, you don't know how thankful I am when I saw you here." he started talking again, I just continued to look at the view while listening.

"I've been waiting for so long, I thought that you wouldn't come. And yet, I believed. That there will be a time that you will comeback home." I heard how his voice cracked, I looked at him and one by one tears dropped from his eyes, he quickly wiped it and smiled while looking at me.

"Father was waiting for you to comeback to his arms again, Ashleah. I always did." I felt like there was a big lump inside my throat.

I wiped those running tears from his cheek and smiled. "I want to thank you for waiting for me. Seriously, I'm so sorry because I can't remember you, I am trying to remember you. The pain you've been through must've been so bad." I said and he smiled.

"The pain was for you, Ashleah. It was all for you." he said as he pulled me closer, I saw how he closed his eyes before kissing my head, it lasted for a couple of seconds and I felt.. relieved..

"But how did you know that I was coming? and Like.. I'm still kinda confused how I ended up here." I told him, he nodded and explained.

"Because you called me." and when he said that my eyes widened, I remember crying and calling someone Father.. "when I heard your voice, my heart skipped a beat. I was so happy because I finally had the chance to meet you again"

I looked at the sky and the sun's finally going down. "Well, I guess it was a good thing that I called you. Didn't I— W-What's happening?" my hands started to tremble when I saw him suddenly fading away.

"Tell me, what's happening to you?!" I cried out as I moved closer and hugged him tightly, I was already crying.

"Ashleah, you knew that this time will come right?" He said and pulled me away, he held my cheek and wiped my tears using his thumb.

"B-But why?" I sobbed, goddamn it hurts. So.. so much.

"All I ever wished was to see you, and now it that day finally came.." He said, and I saw how his hands started to fade.

"No! no no.. please no.." I cried out. "Please I want to hug and hold you more, don't leave!"

"Take care of yourself Ashleah, please. He's also doing his best to break the curse. Always remember that even if you're not in your best shape or if something doesn't go your way, it'll be okay." he said and smiled.

"Father loves you so so much Ashleah. More than this whole world. My Princess, my little baby, my precious one. Live your life without forgetting everything." he said and he finally disappeared.

I cried and cried. "He got to say his last words to me but I never had the chance to say mine to him." I hugged myself as the sun finally sets down.

'Because you called me' I heard his voice with the wind and I wiped my tears and smiled lightly as I looked up and waved my hands up in the sky.

"Yes, thank God I called you.. Father."