Twisty and turn chapter.

Hangovers were hell. Scarlett was painfully finding this out as she stepped under the hot blast of her shower. Every sound was an agony. Small dings sounded like atomic bombs in her ears. Even her eyes were foggy. Maybe it was because she had cried nearly all night. Cried for more reasons than she knew. Humiliation, despair, forgiveness, self-hate, anger, love, all of them wrapped up in one huge, confusing ball. Her head hung against the cream colored shower wall, allowing the streams of water to wash away all of the make-up residue and guilt clinging to her body. As the liquid gurgled down the drain, Scarlett let out a shuttering sigh. Everyone had noticed her condition. Both roommates, Cathy and Emily, had grilled her about Ashley and thrown her back into a rage of tears. They then hasty made some pastries and wine, troubled at what had possibly made Scarlett upset.

The remainder of the night was spent wallowing in panda paws ice cream, ripped tissues, popcorn, and sappy movies. Scarlett yearned to be held by someone, anyone. She itched to lay her head down in her mother's lap, or have a pair of strong arms encase her small body and promise everything would be all right.

Unfortunately, her Mother was far away and such a man did not exist.

Though the night had been dim for Scarlett, the day held a promise, a light, that had been shined upon her through a telephone conversation. And with none other, than Ashley Wilkes. At first she had let the wireless ring and ring until it became a monotonous noise. When it was becoming unbearble, Scarlett had thrown the phone at Emily's face, telling her to keep it hostage.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with this?" Emily asked, as a Side Kick fell into her lap on top of her magazine.

"Keep it away from me,"

"It keeps ringing, Scarlett. Just answer the effing phone." Emily was always making these catchy little remarks.

"No!"

"Scarlett...it's Ashley! Take it!" The phone was chucked at her head, and unfortunately Emily had excellent aim. It was difficult to resist the vibrating, silver device, and the urge to hear his voice overcame her after about the fourth ring.

"Hello?" She asked, plucking an apple from its dish and hurling it at Emily's head as revenge.

"Scarlett! How are you?" Ugh, small talk.

"Fine." Keep it cold, but civil, she reminded herself.

"Are you upset?" He asked reproachfully, honestly frightened of Scarlett's tempers.

"What do you think?" Scarlett petulantly sank down into a chair, crossing both legs. Her free hand worked her hair into a sloppy bun. She knew that if it remained at her shoulders, it would be torn from her head.

"Scarlett, you know I didn't mean all of the things I said last night..." His voice sounded distant, saddened even.

"You seemed pretty convincing."

"Scarlett, be fair. I was drunk and saying things that made no sense at all,"

"So you don't love Melanie?" She asked it as a sarcastic joke, but soon became frightened at the long pause that ensued. "Ashley?"

"No,"

"No, what Ashley?"

"No, I don't love her," Scarlett's breath stopped altogether. She smiled unconsciously, feeling every feeling from the night disappear.. She had known all along he loved her.

"What do you mean?"

"We've been fighting a lot over small things, and she doesn't want me to change my job-"

"I didn't know you were leaving the publishing business!" Scarlett declared, knowing her only reason for staying in the damned industry was to be near Ashley.

"Well, I wanted to go into politics. She's a democrat and I'm a republican and-"

"Mhm, well that's a shame." Politics were utterly awful. She hated thinking about them, speaking of them, and looking at the people who took part in it. Scarlett only wanted to talk about her and Ashley as a whole. They could go into politics together! She nearly laughed at the thought...

"I'm sorry for boring you, but I did have a reason for calling, I swear." Ashley's voice dropped into a softer note. Scarlett didn't know that Melanie was in the room next to him, watching television. Their quarrels always left them both in separate rooms.

"Well, what is it Ashley?" Scarlett's voice dipped demurely. She wanted him to ask her somewhere, anywhere.

"Come meet me by the park on 54th Street. I have something to tell you and you'll like it, I promise. Be there by nightfall. I'll be waiting," Scarlett jumped from her seat and squealed like a six year old. Emily grinned and turned to look at her. She was dashing into her room, articles of clothing being examined and tossed aside like puppies.

"I'll be there. Good-bye Ashley," Scarlett clicked the phone off and fell back into her bed, the warm mass of her comforters surrounding every inch of her body. A warm happiness crept into the spaces of her empty heart. Her eyes slipped out to the window, gasping as she saw the sun. It was slowly sliding below a hill crest, melting the light away with it. She didn't have much time!

Scarlett quickly began a clothing quest through her closet. Her look had to be sweet, sexy and collected at the same time. Two fingers grasped the silky material of a day dress, but ruled it out as being too dressy. Next, her eyes fell onto a deep blue shirt and dark denim skirt. The shirt was a V-neck, low enough to show some of her pale skin and be sophisticated at the same time. Even the skirt was perfect. Short, only coming down to mid-thigh, with a few man-made holes along the denim. The tight material would shape her figure nicely and if she put some dark leggings underneath it would be matronly enough to please Ashley's modest taste.

Within an hour, Scarlett was perfectly prepared. Emily had pinned her hair into a long, straight pony tail while Scarlett applied layer upon layer of make-up. Tonight, she was going to look perfect for Ashley. This was their deciding night.

Two matching stilettos were slipped onto her tiny feet, and she was out the door like a rocket, chomping on a stick of minty gum. Since the park was a mere two blocks away from her home, taking a car would be rather pointless. Running would have to do. The air was already turning from a thermal red, to inky black.

Her feet were making obnoxious noises, but she was only urging them on faster. It seemed she could not move fast enough. With every passing block of cement, it was a yard closer to Ashley. Some men were taking notice of her walking, and began their usual catcalls. Lame.

When Scarlett finally came to the park, she was disappointed that Ashley had not arrived quite yet. She contently settled onto a bench, tightening the sweater she had snatched around her shoulders. Along with its color, the atmosphere was changing. Crisp winds swirled around Scarlett's ankles, chilling through her skin. The patient moments of waiting were beginning to turn unpleasant. This was taking forever! Where was Ashley? Her bored eyes went to watching the sky. It was constantly becoming darker. First slate gray, than deep black, and finally purple. Hours were passing. First one, than two. Nine o'clock swiftly was turning to eleven. The area was growing silent, but Scarlett remained, the small sweater clutched to her skin. Anger was pent up inside of her. So this was how it was going to be? Here she was, deserted in a park among seven year olds. Was this Ashley's plan to humiliate her? Hot tears were starting to form at the back of her eyelids. No, she was not going to sit here and be his bitch. She was not going to be his puppet any longer. Scarlett told herself she could never love a man like this. One who so recklessly used her. Did Ashley honestly think the green eyes and pale skin on her face were only painted there? Did he not think she was a human? He was an asshole, one who did not deserve her time.

As twenty more minutes of silent ranting went on, Scarlett's rage only was collected. Eleven thirty at night came, and she went.

Scarlett leisurely walked home, not bothering to rush back to the questionings of Emily and Cathy. Her rhythmic footfalls were comforting and deafening at the same time. Sometimes she felt as if her own thoughts would drown her and leave her mind a lifeless form that could process nothing.

It did not take long, and it was only irony, that a rushed pair of footsteps came up behind Scarlett, just as the key to her apartment was being fished for within her pockets. A panting Ashley Wilkes stood at her doorstep, bending at the waist and gasping for air.

"Scarlett, we need to talk about something. I am so-" His raspy voice was cut short by her own brittle tones.

"Save it. I don't want to hear anything from you ever again Ashley Wilkes. You made me believe time and time again that you loved me, but you don't. And you know what I realized? I don't love you back. You're nothing but a scared bitch who can't handle a girl of my -how did you put it?- 'strength and passion'. You don't deserve me." A huge weight was instantly lifted from her. Caged anger and years worth of confusion had escaped her, vented towards the person who deserved hearing them. Scarlett wanted to tell him to 'make like an egg and beat it' and she would have, if it wasn't for his face. It was so pale, and clammed up, soaked in perspiration. Obviously he had been running to look for her. Who knows where he had been before? Making out with Melanie, perhaps. For the first time, this picture did not hurt Scarlett. It only disgusted her.

"Can't-can't we talk about this, baby?" He was pleading. Scarlett wanted to see him beg, wanted to see him embarrass himself, just the way she had embarrassed herself over him. She wanted to leave him sniveling on the doorstep, but leave him with something to remember....

"I'm not your baby," With that, she shoved the key she had finally retrieved into the door, and walked inside, feeling free for the first time in years.