This has been stuck in my mind since I first saw Joseph. It's a bit ridiculous (maybe?), I'm not looking constructive criticism. The OC won't leave my mind so I've decided to write it out. There may be a few errors, I'm typing on a laptop, I haven't used a computer in years so I'm still getting used to the keyboard. If you do enjoy this ridiculous story, please let me know.
"I hate math." The brunette groaned glaring at her textbook, wishing the answers would appear on their own. Her father didn't bother turning to look at the girl as he replied. "If you continue glaring at the book instead of solving the problems you're going to repeat the class." "Maybe you should help me so I don't have to repeat a class. You don't want to have to pay for summer school, right?" The man paused thinking about it for a moment. "Actually, that doesn't sound too bad. You won't be in my hair for three months." "Wait, surely you don't want to have to pay for me to take a class I could pass with your help?" "Sweetheart, money isn't an issue for us. I don't know if you've noticed, but we aren't exactly struggling." He turned around to grin at the teenager sitting on the sofa across from his desk. "Why won't you help me? That's your job as a parent!" She scolded the man. "Oh, you want help? Well, why didn't you ask?" "I DID ask!" "No, I don't believe you did." "Yes I-" she cut herself as the conversation played through her head. Damn it. The man grinned again. He was always right.
"Good morning, Ash!" The girl didn't bother to turn around or even stop walking. "Ash!" The girl was pulled back by her arm. "What?" The brunette mumbled, not bothering to look at the blonde. "I said good morning." "It's raining and cold." Ash replied bluntly. "I thought you liked the rain?" "I don't like it this morning." "So, did you finish the homework?" "Yeah, but I needed Dad's help for the math." Clara grinned at her moody friend. "Oh yeah? I thought the math was pretty easy." "Oh yeah?" Ash mocked. "How long did it take for you to finish the history homework?" "Too long, I can't believe we had so much to read. It was hard to remember everything so I had to keep going back, rereading and everything." Clara groaned as the two of them continued walking to school. "You probably didn't even have to do the reading to know the answers." Clara joked. "Wait, seriously?!" Clara stared at her friend in disbelief when she didn't respond. "Yes, seriously." "You nerd." "I apologize for having interest that don't revolve around guys. "My interest do not just revolve around men." "Boys." "What?" "I wouldn't refer to our classmates as men." "Anyway, did you ask your dad?" Clara questioned the girl beside her. "Ask him what?" "About your medicine." The brunette hesitated a moment before responding. "There's nothing to ask. I have to take medication, a lot of people have to take medication everyday." "Ash, you don't know what it's for." "It's not a big deal, I feel fine as long as it doesn't make me sick or anything I don't see the problem." Realizing that was the end of it Clara nodded with a sigh. "Yeah, I guess." Though they have known each other for years, Clara was finally allowed to spend the night with Ash for the first time a few days earlier. When she noticed Ash drinking an odd liquid she questioned the girl about it. Ash told her it was medicine, however, she didn't actually know what it was for and didn't find it odd she's had to take it twice a month for her whole life, without knowing what it was. Ash frowned as she watched Clara from the corner of her eye. It's more complicated than that.
Ash followed Clara towards a table in the back corner away from their classmates. One of their classmates waves towards them. "Ash! Clara! Eat with us today." Ash shook her head at their classmate. "Sorry, I'm going to do some homework today. Maybe tomorrow." Clara paused for a moment to talk to the girls as Ash continued towards the table. "I'm so hungry." Clara mumbled while placing her tray on the table and sat down. "I can't believe you never eat lunch, I am always starving by lunch." Ash glanced up at the girl as she pulled out some homework. "I eat when I get home. I don't like the food here." "You can bring your own lunch." "True, but I haven't ate lunch at school for awhile now so my body is use to it. If I was really hungry I'd bring something to eat, plus I get most of my homework done at lunch. It's ridiculous they give us so much." "Do you have plans today?" "No." "Want to go to a cafe with me?" "No." "I'll do your math homework for you." "Okay." "Wow, that was easy." "I really hate math." Ash mumbled while starting her English homework.
"I'm happy it's not raining anymore." Clara smiled as she spoke. "Yeah, but it's foggy." "I know, kind of like the beginning of a horror movie, right?" "Oh shut up." Ash frowned as she headed towards the cafe. "You know I'm right." "I'm going home." "Oh come on, I was joking." Clara reached for Ash's arm tugging her along. "What do you want? I'll buy yours since you were so paranoid the whole way here." "I was not." Ash grumbled as she entered the dimly lit cafe. "A cappuccino." Ash turned to find a table as her friend went to the counter to order their drinks. Glancing around the small cafe she noticed another customer in the corner, feeling her gaze on him he looked up and smiled at the girl. Her hazel eyes widened as she realized she was staring at him. Quickly she found a table across the cafe from the boy.
"Here's your drink, I got you and chocolate muffin too." Clara placed the cappuccino and muffin in front of Ash as she sat down. "So, what are you doing this weekend?" "Sleeping." "You're so boring, let's go shopping." "I don't have any money." Ash bluntly stated and took a sip of her drink. Glancing across the cafe her eyes landed on the silver haired boy again. He must've felt her gaze on him because he looked up from his drink. Noticing her, he smiled once more while pushing his hair back. Ash blushed as she awkwardly tried to smile back at him, then turned back to Clara who raised a brow. "What was that?" Clara smirked. "What was what?" Ash avoided eye contact with Clara as she spoke. "I'm sitting next to you. Even if I tried I couldn't have missed that." "It's nothing, I accidentally looked at him when I was glancing around and he just happened to look up at the same time I looked at him. Being a normal human he smiled kindly in response and I replied by smiling/cringing at him like the awkward idiot I am." While Ash mumbled her explanation Clara glanced over her shoulder at the boy. Once more he looked up from his drink, he stared blankly at the blonde a second before looking back at his drink. "Oh yeah? Well he didn't smile at me." Clara spoke smugly. "Because you obviously stared at him on purpose, that's weird, I wouldn't of smiled at you either." "Anyway, let's go shopping Saturday." "I told you-" "Yeah, yeah. My sister's birthday is in a few weeks. I have to get her a gift. Help me pick something out." Clara nudged Ash with her foot. "Okay, but only because you are horrible at picking out gifts." "What? No I'm not." "You dragged me to a haunted house for my birthday." Ash frowned. "Your birthday is in October! You should love haunted houses and scary movies." Clara exclaimed. "That's not how it works." Ash rolled her eyes. "Sure it is." "You just dragged me there because you wanted to go. That's not how gifts work." "I paid for your ticket." "Clara, shut up." Ash responded before taking a sip of her drink. "Do you have any ideas about what I should get her?" "Nope." "You're always so helpful." "I try." Glancing at down at her watch, Ash frowned. "It's getting late, I should get home." "Want me to walk you home?" "Seriously?" Ash scoffed. "Sure, it's dark out." Clara glanced out the window as she spoke. "You know how haunted London is, wouldn't want a ghost getting you." She teased. "Goodbye Clara." Ash stood up and glared at the blonde. "I mean, we're actually over the catacombs right now." Clara continued grinning as Ash shifted obviously uncomfortable with the conversation. "I hate you." Ash glanced across the café her eyes landing on the boy for a final time, noticing that she was leaving he gave a slight wave. Of course she had to tense up when he waved and quickly turned away. Why did she have to be so awkward.
Walking along the sidewalk Ash frowned. It was dark and foggy, because of the idiot walking next to her she was also paranoid. "I'm sorry." The idiot beside her mumbled. "I forgot about the weather today." The guilt was obvious in her voice. "It's fine, I'm fine." Ash lied. Clara stepped in front of her friend, her guilt filled brown eyes almost made Ash feel bad, almost. "I'm truly sorry Ash." "I told you, I'm fine." Ash shoved past the girl, though was careful not to knock her down. "Let's go." "I'm coming." Ash pulled her jacket tighter, the cold night air was so cold it felt like it was penetrating her to the bone.
"Dad, I'm home." Ash called stepping through the doorway. "Me too." Clara called. "You should be getting home, it's late, your parents will be worried." Ash's father spoke from his desk, not turning to look at the girls. "Could I maybe stay here since it's so late?" Clara questioned. "No." His tone was cold and uncaring. "But it's so dark and foggy outside." Clara attempted to tug on his heartstrings. "Yes well, let's hope a troubled spirit doesn't latch onto you as you walk home. There are many of them in London, after all." Frayne replied. Clara glanced towards Ash, did she tell her father about the teasing? Was she that upset about it? Glancing back at Clara it was obvious Ash was just as thrown off as she was. Frayne sighed "Call your parents and ask if it's okay." "Thank you." Franye ignored the girl as he continued working. He was never fond of guest spending the night.
"I don't think your dad likes me." Clara mumbled as she took the pajamas Ash offered her. Ash grabbed a hair tie, pulling her hair back she replied. "He's just antisocial, he spends too much time here working." "I wonder how he knew that I teased you." Ash paused a moment. "I usually walk home alone, even if it's dark. I guess I was a bit tense when I walked in too. He's not an idiot." "He didn't even turn to look at you to know you were tense." Clara scoffed. "You can usually tell by the tone in someone's voice." "Well, whatever. I don't like him either." Clara frowned. "I'm going to fix some dinner, you stay here and do my math homework." Ash grinned over her shoulder before shutting the door. "Damn, I was hoping she'd forget about that." Clara pouted to herself and she pulled out the textbooks.
Ash stepped into the kitchen, grabbing some junk food including instant ramen for the two of them. While waiting for the water to boil she moved towards the living room. "Hey dad, why are you so mean to Clara?" She mumbled low enough to make sure Clara couldn't somehow hear her. "I don't like her." Frayne sat back and stared at his daughter. His grey eyes seemed to darken at the mention of Clara. Ash glanced over him, his black hair was a mess where he continuously pushed it out of his eyes as he worked. He obviously hadn't let the house today, wearing black sweat pants and a simple dark grey t-shirt. He was very young looking, Ash sometimes wondered if he is younger than he claims, when she was young he'd say anything from two hundred years old to only eighteen. Now that she's older he says he's 39. Still, many people mistake him as being his his early twenties. Healthy diet and exercise is his secret apparently. "Do you like anyone?" "Other than you? Not really." He shrugged "Could you at least act like you like her?" Ash frowned. "No, I'm not a very good actor." Of course. She walked back towards to kitchen to fix the ramen.
"You should've got his number." Clara mumbled, twirling the ramen around her fork. "Who's?" Ash questioned after swallowing the noodles in her mouth. "Don't play dumb." "I'm not?" "The guy at the cafe, obviously." Ash glanced up from her cup of ramen. "Oh yeah, you're right. 'Oh excuse me, could I get your number? It's just, you waved at me when I was awkwardly staring at you for a third time. Obviously, we're a match made in heaven.' I guess I really missed an opportunity there." Clara rolled her eyes at Ash's dramatic reply. "He was your type though. Creepily pretty." "Creepily pretty?" "Yeah." Ash paused for a second. "Since when is my type creepily pretty?" "You've always liked pretty guys, they're your type." Ash frowned at Clara. "I don't really have a type." "Yes you do, it's why you're still single. So picky." Turning away from Clara the brunette reached for one of the cookies she baked the other day. She stared off as she took a bit of it. "Ash?" Clara waved her hand in front of the girl's face. "We need to do our homework." Ash glanced at Clara from the corner of her eye as she spoke. "Help me with history?" "No." "Oh come on I'm doing your math homework for you." "All you have to do is review the chapter if you aren't sure of the answer." Clara pouted to herself as she grabbed her history textbook.
Ash opened her eyes, the room was so dark she couldn't see anything around her. She moved to sit up only to realize she couldn't. It felt like something heavy was holding her down. Starting to panic she looked around the room, Clara was sleeping across the room on the makeshift pallet they had made with multiple blankets. Opening her mouth Ash tried to call out for Clara, no sound came out. Her panic grew as she started to struggle more. The more she struggled the heavier the feeling got, holding her down. She glanced to her right towards the door. A dark figure stood a few feet to her right, it was taller than an average human. It looked like a shadow, all she could see was the outline of it. An icy feeling washed over her, frozen in fear she cried, even her tears felt icy against her cheeks. After a moment the feeling on her chest released. A scream escaped her mouth, waking everyone in the house.
"What's wrong?!" Frayne ran into the room and Clara sat up from the pallet "What happened?" Clara mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Ash shook her head, the tears still running down her face. "A monster." She pointed to where she saw the black figure. "A monster was right there." Frayne pulled her into a hug. "It was a monster." She mumbled to herself. "Ash, it sounds like you had a nightmare." Clara stepped towards the bed. "I-" "Clara is right." Frayne interrupted his daughter. "It was just a nightmare." "NO. You don't understand. I didn't wake up. I mean, I did wake up. When I woke up I felt like there was something keeping me from sitting up. It was holding me down, I tried to call out for Clara but I couldn't speak. Then when I looked on the other side of the room there was a monster. It was like a shadow, but solid? Finally I was able to yell and so-" Ash cut herself. It did sound ridiculous. "Go back to sleep." Frayne sighed. "Goodnight." Ash frowned as her father left the room. "Want me to sleep with you?" Clara grinned. "Never." Ash turned her back to Clara as she laid down. "You know, friends usually share the bed when they have a sleep over, or make like a fort in the living room and share it." "Never." Ash repeated.
Frayne frowned as he entered his bedroom, grey eyes narrowed. What happened? Why was she able to see it? Feel it? She took her medicine last week. She shouldn't need it again so soon. Walking towards a small bookcase he looked through the titles. Where was it? It isn't here?! He grabbed all the books off the top shelf, dropping them onto the floor. I have to find it. He shuffled through all the books. Tossing the useless ones behind him as he searched. He reached for the books on the second shelf doing the same, still no book. It's gone. He sat in the middle of his room, his books strown everywhere. Now I have to speak to the idiot. Standing up he headed towards his office, he'll just have to make more medicine for now.
"Did anything interesting happen yesterday?" Frayne questioned the girls as he laid some food in front of the girls. "Interesting?" Ash raised her brow. "I don't know, maybe something triggered your nightmare." Clara looked away from them awkwardly. "You mean other than the chance of a ghost getting me?" Ash glanced at Clara who was fidgeting in her seat. "Technically, there's always a chance." Clara mumbled. "Anyway, I haven't had a nightmare since I was a kid." Ash sipped her orange juice. "Oh? What did you two do after school to get home so late?" "We just went to a cafe." Clara nodded as Ash spoke. "Oh, and Ash flirted with a guy." Clara grinned. "I'm sorry?" Frayne turned towards his daughter as he sat down at the table. Propping his cheek on his hand he stared at his daughter. "I wasn't flirting with anyone." Ash tried her best to avoid her father's grey eyes. "Clara is just an idiot." Frayne stared at Ash a minute more before turning away. "He smiled and waved at you." "That's not flirting." "He smiled and waved because he noticed you, he didn't even smile at me." Ash sighed. "He didn't smile at you because you looked like a weirdo staring at him." Frayne stared off as the girls bickered back and forth. It doesn't sound like anything would've triggered it, causing the medicine not to be effective. "You two need to get to school." As the two girls got their bags ready to leave, Frayne grabbed Ash and pulled her into his office. "Here." He placed a cup in her hand. She frowned at the dark grey liquid. "But, it hasn't been two weeks yet." "Take it." She could've asked right then. He might've given her the answer. But she wasn't sure she wanted the truth.
So, Ash doesn't just do whatever she's told without questioning it. She's been taking the medication as long as she can remember. There is slightly more to it, I just haven't touched on it yet. I just wanted to add that so it doesn't seem odd she takes medicine without knowing what it is or what it's for. If you are interested and would like to read more please review.