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The school bus graveyard was eerily still under the light of the full moon, the skeletal remains of forgotten buses casting long shadows across the field of rusted metal. Most of the usual sounds—groans from the decaying engines, the screeching wind through the wreckage—had quieted down for the night. Only the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant howl of something from deeper in the graveyard broke the silence.
Ashlyn stood at the edge of the ruins, her arms crossed tightly around herself as she stared at the horizon. Her eyes were tired but thoughtful, looking at nothing in particular as the world slowly turned toward the new year. The year had been... difficult, to say the least. But maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for something different—something better.
"You’re not going to make a wish at midnight?" Tyler’s voice broke through the quiet, pulling Ashlyn from her thoughts. She hadn’t heard him approach, but she knew it was him instantly—the familiar sound of his boots on the gravel, the low hum of his presence in the graveyard.
Ashlyn turned, the corners of her mouth pulling into a small, wry smile. Tyler stood a few feet away, his posture casual, as always, but there was a softness to his expression tonight that she hadn't seen before. The wind tousled his messy hair, and his eyes, as always, were bright with mischief—and something else, something almost... tender.
"I don’t usually do the whole 'wish' thing," Ashlyn replied, her voice flat but not unkind. "Seems like a waste of time."
Tyler grinned, stepping closer. "You sure about that? I mean, sometimes the universe just needs a little nudge. Plus, you know, I’d love to hear what you’d wish for if you actually had one."
Ashlyn rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress the warmth that bloomed in her chest. It was always like this with Tyler—he never took things too seriously, but there was something about the way he looked at her, something about how he just got her, that made her heart beat a little faster.
"You’re ridiculous," she said, but the words had no bite. She could feel his gaze on her, like he was waiting for something, something more than just the usual snarky reply.
She looked back up at the sky, where the first few stars were beginning to appear, the last remnants of daylight fading into a deep, velvety night. There was something oddly peaceful about the scene, despite everything.
"Maybe I do have a wish," Ashlyn muttered after a long pause, her voice quiet.
Tyler’s eyes widened slightly, his usual teasing expression softening. "Yeah? What is it?"
She didn’t answer immediately, her fingers twitching nervously at her sides as she wrestled with the words. She wasn’t used to this—talking about her feelings, expressing what was on her mind. It felt strange, almost vulnerable.
But for some reason, standing here with Tyler, in this moment, it didn’t seem as scary.
"I wish our life didn’t have to be so messed up," Ashlyn finally said, her voice a little shaky. "I wish… things could just be simpler.”
Tyler took a step closer, his expression soft and serious for once, completely unlike his usual carefree self. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder, grounding her in the present moment.
"I get it," he said quietly. "I really do. I don’t have all the answers, but... I think sometimes, we just have to keep pushing through. We’ve got each other, right? That counts for something."
Ashlyn turned to face him, surprised by the sincerity in his voice. His blue eyes, usually so full of mischief, were now open and vulnerable, just like hers.
"We do," she admitted softly, her heart feeling a little lighter at the truth of it. "We’ve always had each other, even when things were bad."
Tyler smiled, a rare, gentle smile that made his eyes crinkle at the corners. "Exactly. So, maybe it’s not about making everything perfect. Maybe it’s about finding the good stuff in the middle of all the chaos."
The sound of distant fireworks began to echo through the graveyard, signaling the arrival of midnight. Ashlyn could feel the weight of the moment settling over them, and for the first time in a long while, she didn’t feel so alone in this weird, messed-up world.
"You know," Tyler said with a slight tilt of his head, "if you had a wish... now would be the time to make it."
Ashlyn looked up at him, her gaze softening. She could feel the sincerity in his words, the unspoken promise that no matter what happened, they’d face it together. Maybe that was enough for tonight.
"Alright," she said, taking a deep breath. "I wish... for a better year. For us."
Tyler raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint returning to his eyes. "Is that your wish, or are you just trying to make me feel all sentimental?"
Ashlyn smirked. "Maybe both. But if you don’t like it, I can always make a new one next year."
Tyler laughed, the sound echoing through the quiet graveyard, and for a moment, everything felt okay. The stars twinkled overhead, the fireworks lit up the sky in bursts of color, and in that fleeting instant, Ashlyn realized that maybe, just maybe, things weren’t so bad after all.
"Happy New Year, Ashlyn," Tyler said, his voice soft and warm as he gently nudged her with his shoulder.
"Happy New Year, Tyler," Ashlyn replied, her voice just as quiet, but filled with something deeper than she could quite explain.
And as the new year began, they stood there, side by side, they had each other.
And maybe that was enough to make everything feel right.