"Ashley! Ashley! Are you alright?" I heard voice. A girl's voice... it feels familiar, I have heard it before... I remember now. It's Lizzie. I slowly opened my eyes only to see Lizzie sitting beside me on my bed, with a worried expression. "Est-ce que tu vas bien, Ash? (In French) You had the same dream again? You were breathing so heavily!" I didn't said anything to reply her but she understood maybe, because of which she sighed. Yes, i had the same nightmare again. The nightmare that i am having from the day i ran away from my home, from my own marriage.

"Ash, You really want to avoid that dream?" Lizzie said with worry in her eyes. "Don't worry about me Liz, I've already healed from those wounds, so they will not bleed again.", I said, trying to reassure, but i don't know whom, me or Lizzie? "Oh really, Ash? But the same dream you see everyday says something else! These fast breathings everyday, the same dream everyday... you can fool everyone else but ask yourself, can you fool yourself too?" Lizzie said countering me. I couldn't reply anything, maybe she felt it, that's why she said with a sigh, "Ok Ash, i am not going to lecture you about the things you don't want to talk about. Get up and Be ready!"

I got up, went to bathroom and locked the door behind me. I can still feel the sweat on my forehead that came when i was in the nightmare, i can still feel the shaking of my hands, my fingers... and my tears. Maybe Lizzie was right, I can lie to the whole world but i can't lie to myself. I raised my head, saw myself in the mirror. My hazel eyes have became puffy already. The things from my past came flashing in less than a second. My mom, my dad, my grandpa... Parker.

Everyday, they come haunting me, in my dreams... I don't even blame them because that is what i deserve... I left them all alone, left them crying. Maybe... it's Karma that's why I am getting back what I did to you guys... I hurt you and i neglected your love... That is why I get nightmares every night... That you all hate me, Hate me from the bottom of your hearts. Mom telling me that she regrets giving birth to me, Dad watching me with disgust in his eyes, Grandpa calling me an Unfilial Child, And Parker... He regrets meeting me...

Half an hour later I heard a knock on the door, I had been crying since then... i didn't even got ready for my school. I asked Lizzie to give me five minutes. I need to get myself together. After coming this far, I can't back off now. I can't become weak now. This is the last year of my Highschool, I just have to work very hard so that i can get admission in the University I came here for-Cherry blossom University, so that I can achieve my dream.

I know you guys must be hating me for my actions and even have forgotten me.. that is the thing I can't do anything about. But I can't stop now, I gathered my courage from these three years... and now that I am very close to my Dream... I can't become weak!!!

Vienna, Austria

Mom's hand suddenly stopped while serving Ash's favorite mango pudding, which she used to eat like a baby, dripping it on her clothes, her lips stained all over with the pudding. "Mom?" I asked, to make her come out of her thoughts. In a sobbing voice she said, "Park... this pudding was my Ash's favorite, she used to eat it every time..." She started crying, I stood up and hugged her... "Mom... don't cry, please get yourself together..." She loosened herself and with a spark in her eyes, she exclaimed, "You know? One day she hid herself in the kitchen cabinet and ate pudding, so that she wouldn't have to share it with anyone, and when we found her, the pudding was all over her mouth and her clothes were stained with the pudding..." As she said the last line, she burst out with tears, "Park... Where is my Ash? How is she? I miss her... I miss her a lot..." I hugged her again, "Mom... we miss her too... And we all know she is not a weak girl... she is fine, I am confident enough."

Dad stood up from his chair. He had been watching us, but what can he say? He is as helpless as all of us. But still he said reassuring mom, "Yes, Maple... although I am sad that she ran away without telling us her problem... But I am happy that she chose to listen to her heart. She is a very capable and sensible girl... don't worry about her." Mom nodded her head. I glanced towards Grandpa, he was silent from a very long time, Even after knowing that because of his Promise, Ash is not with us... i didn't saw an ounce of guilt on his face...

Mom asked Dad with hope, "Honey, do our Ash... misses us?" Dad replied in an instant, "Of course, Honey!"

"Yes Mom, Of course she should be missing us... she loves us so much, she loves you so much! But mom, we have to understand that, for now her dream is more important. I wish she will fulfill her dream one day And will come back to us as usual laughing and running and calling you- 'Mama and papa, I came back!'"

When i said this my phone rang, i saw the caller ID. I need to pick this up but not in front of Mom and Dad, they will start hoping... and if it isn't a good news, then it will break their heart. I excused myself and came in my room. Locked the door and picked up the call. "This better be a good news!" The person on the line said nothing. "I am sorry, Sir." I yelled, "Does this sorry of yours, gives my Ash back to me?" "No, Sir. I accept that but please try to understand, we have searched whole Austria. And not only that, I have sent my men to other countries. Sir, we have been searching for 3 whole years, but still we couldn't find anything, not even a clue. Sir, I think we should stop this searc--" Before he could complete his sentence, I ordered him, "I WANT MY ASH BACK! You are not doing your job for free! I am giving you money, and next time if you call me, It should better be a good news, else i am taking this task from your hand and giving it to someone better!" I hung up.

My anger was on peak, but only until I saw my Ash's photograph which I took myself for my practice. I loved this photo so much that I put this on my bed's side table... So that whenever I wake up, I feel less empty. I took the photograph in my hand, and tears fell down. I am reassuring everyone that Ash is alright... But I am also scared... How will my Ash live without us, in an unknown place... I stood up and went to Ash's room. It is still. It is lifeless. It lost it's shine. But we are hoping that Ash will come back in her room...and her room will again become full of life. I am crying... I am helpless... "I miss you Ash, Where are you? I miss the way you used to come to me whenever you were in problem, whenever you had any happy news, you used to come to me with a sparkling smile... that I loved. Because of you this house had hustle and bustle, everyone smiled because of you, you made everyone happy in every moment... but now... this house is no longer like that... It became a house of dead, But between all of them... I am alone... and hurt, that you, who shared every little thing with me, didn't told me, what were you suffering from... I am hurt, that you didn't trusted me... If you wanted to break the marriage you just had to say a "NO" to me... and i have broken this marriage.. for your happiness and for your future... but, you chose to disappear like that, instead of trusting me... I am hurt Ash... I am hurt..." I picked up the Diary she used to write everything in... I don't know why but reading this make me feel like my Ash is near me.

Paris, France

Today our results will be declared. Mama, Papa, Grandpa, please bless me, I have given everything in my High school's final exam. I want good grades, so that I can achieve my current dream of studying in Cherry Blossom University. Only good grades can take me there, take me one step near to my dream. I can sense tension in the form of sweat on Lizzie's forehead. Of course, we both are damn nervous. 

Lizzie, without removing her eyes from the computer asked me, "What do you think, Ash? Will we be able to get in the same university?" I know she was nervous because, she was thinking what if We both end up in different Universities? Well... about this I was also kind of nervous, but i knew that Lizzie may be a student who studies just a night before an exam, but whatever she studies is always enough to more than Pass her. I replied while hugging her, "I am confident enough, that you will end up wearing my Pyjamas for the rest of your life." She giggled and said, "Well, of course I don't know why but they always seem softer than mine." And she gasps, I don't know why but now my heartbeat raced. Lizzie looked at me, "Give me all your pyjamas!!!" 

We both hugged. We passed and not only passed, but our results are outstanding! They are more than enough to enroll us both in Cherry Blossom University. 

I can't explain what I am feeling right now. I am one step near to my dream. Thank you for blessing me Mama, Papa, Grandpa, and Parker for giving me blessing and cheering me up. A tear rolled down from my eye. For the first time in three years, I am crying tears of Joy. 

Lizzie wipes tears from my face, "Stupid girl! Who told you to cry alone! I also want to cry, so start your crying ceremony again!" I laughed and cried again. 

Lizzie- She is the first person I met in this unknown country, unknown place, three years ago. I can't even repay whatever she has given me these past years. She taught me French, she taught me how to live here, she and her family gave me shelter. I was the only child of my parents, But with Lizzie I feel like I have a sister.  

I still remember how Lizzie's mother taught me how to cook, how her father always brought the study materials he went to buy for Lizzie. In this foreign city which was cold for me, they gave me a warm feeling of family. And I know if my parents got to know this... They surely would have been happy... Thank God, We both are going in the same University. I can't imagine living a day without her.

Now the only thing left is the Admission. And after that I can give my best to fulfill my dream.