AN: For reasons I'm not going to discuss I am changing Rianna to the name Jada. Please excuse me if you still find the name Rianna in this and the rest of the chapters. I can't find every single one and I can forget. (: I hope no one is too thrown off by this change.
For this chapter I'm hoping to get to 100 reviews! So thankyou to anyone who reviews.
And a note to those people reading my story to snitch; please don't. I write so people can read about something they love and because I love to write. Don't turn this into something it's not. I really don't mean this is in an angry or mean way. I'm simply just saying. Thankyou, I appreciate it.
SenseOfPretend: I totally agree with you. Hahaha
Melfletcherr: its okay, don't worry about it! I appreciate your reviews no matter how late they are.
Tahlia: Rianna (Jada, as she is now) isn't based on anyone. In fact, none of my characters are based on real people apart from Short Stack themselves.
Rhonna: Thankyou lovely. Lol. Short, sharp and sweet, hey?
Love Like Woe – The Ready Set
My heart was in my throat. Everything felt like it had come tumbling down on me and I was crushed by some unknown force. Maybe it was heartbreak? Andy was still staring dumbly down at me, his arm back at his side. The water had spread around me and I was now sitting in the middle of a puddle, liquid soaking my jeans and legs.
"Ashli," Andy whispered, hurt. "Please don't say that. I – "
"Shut up. Shut up!" I screamed, scrambling to my feet. "You don't know anything!" Jada was now seemingly afraid, cowering behind Andy, stretching out to take his hand. Just as she did, I turned my red-hot glare to her.
"You've ruined my life, I hate you. I hate you!" I screamed, stepping towards her. Andy, now looking fierce, blocked my path, putting a hand on my shoulder. I grabbed his wrist and clenched my fingers around it, throwing it off my shoulder. I didn't care when he winced in pain; my nails had bit into his skin.
"Don't touch her," he growled. My stomach heaved again, making me feel like I was about to be sick. He was so close to me that I could feel the head radiating from his body. It was like I didn't know who he was anymore. He was a stranger to me.
"How could you…?" I whispered, too low for anyone else to hear. Slight pain crossed his eyes but it was gone in an instant, being replaced by a protective glow. Andy opened his mouth, those perfect lips so close but too far away. He was about to say something comforting, caring.
"Get away." Disappointment and torment thundered through my body and my breath caught in my throat. Tears spilled over my cheeks without warning, cutting a path through my thin layer of foundation. "I don't want to see you until you say sorry to Jay," Andy commanded. "So unless you're going to apologise, leave."
"How can you do this? Why are you doing this to me? What the fuck have I done wrong to – " My shouts were cut off by a sharp shove. Andy was angry. Very angry. I saw the hate burning in his eyes. And he'd pushed me. Hit me. My eyes wandered glassily over to Sophie and Lauren who were both staring at the floor. Then they went back to Andy. He was still staring furiously at me, hands intertwined with Jada's. My stomach coiled, sprung. And I pushed past him roughly, running for the bathroom. I found one in an instant, pushing my way inside and falling down next to a toilet. My stomach emptied itself, leaving the depression and hate behind. Tears streamed down my face with every thought and memory that pulsed through my brain. The bathroom was empty, thank god, so I was free to wash my mouth out in peace. Looking at myself in the mirror, I saw the distraught in my eyes and the way my mouth was turned down. Not bearing to look at myself any longer, I fell into the corner. I sobbed. Bawled. Howled, my throat burning with every sob that wretched out of it. After a minute or two, the door opened and Sophie and Lauren walked in, looking shocked at my state. What would you think if you best friend was huddled in a corner, crying so hard that shrieks filled the room. I bet you'd be pretty scared. But my friends didn't move backwards. No, they moved towards me, kneeling in front of me and pulling me into them. I clung to them, realising that they were the only two things I had left on the earth. They made soothing noises, trying to calm me down. But it didn't work. My distress and agony had overtaken my body with such force that I couldn't stop it; couldn't stop crying. After five minutes of my uncontrollable crying, Lauren stroked my hair and pulled away from me. She winced visibly but I didn't care.
"Ashli, listen to me," she whispered. I met her eyes. "You don't need Andy, okay? Jada is a cow and Andy is a dickhead. That's just the way everything is."
"But I-I n-need hi-him," I sobbed.
"No you don't. If he makes you cry like this then you don't need him. He obviously doesn't understand how special you are, honey," Sophie said firmly.
"Then w-why is he w-with J-Jada?"
"Because he is an idiot," Lauren scowled.
"Don't s-say that, he's n-not," I sobbed. Sophie rubbed her temples.
"Ashli, yes he is," she growled impatiently.
"Ok-okay." I didn't want to lose anyone else, so I decided that just agreeing with anything she said was the best way to go.
"Now come on," Lauren whispered. "We've got to get going and you can't spend your whole life in the bathroom." I cracked a small smile and let her help me up. Hurriedly, I splashed some water over my face and wiped away all my make up and tears. When I looked relatively presentable, I followed Lauren and Sophie out of the bathroom, gripping Lauren's hand tight. The small group of our friends turned when we got back yet Andy looked angry still.
"Are you going to apologise yet?" He asked, hostile. A sharp crack filled the air around us and I jumped back. I hadn't even seen Sophie move. Andy was stunned, his jaw dropping close to the floor. A bright red hand mark was splashed against his cheek and Sophie was standing in front of him, looking murderous.
"Shut up!" My friend spat, her hand raised threateningly. Andy seemed to recover quickly and his own face contorted with anger.
"If she hasn't apologised to Jay then she isn't welcome here," he snapped.
"Shut the fuck up!" Sophie shouted, shoving him backwards. "Don't you get it?"
"Of course I get it," Andy hissed. "But obviously she doesn't." He jabbed a finger at me and I shrank into Lauren's side. She rubbed my back comfortingly.
"Ashli hasn't done anything wrong! You've cheated on her and you had no bloody right to!" Sophie exclaimed, shoving him again. Bradie and Shaun were standing to the side, looking somewhat excited yet hesitant. Jada was cowering behind Andy again, her cheeks flushed.
"She attacked my girlfriend, that means she's done everything wrong." Fury bubbled up inside of me and I disentangled myself from Lauren, stepping forward. My hand came up and slapped his cheek with such force that his head was knocked to the side and he staggered backwards.
"Ah Ashli," he sighed after he had recovered, looking down at me with his eyes narrowed slightly. "Always feisty. No wonder I cheated on you." I couldn't win. I just couldn't. My stomach had some sort of immense pain spreading through it, making me feel light headed and sick. The last thing I remembered was Bradie stepping forward, his arms out to catch me.
My eyes peeled open an hour later to the sound of voices floating in and out of my head. After a few seconds, I tapped the heel of my hand against the side of my head, trying to clear the muddy soup that had become of my brain. There was a chuckle from beside me and I sat bolt upright. A guy wearing a purple hoodie was sitting across from me. Jumpnow.
"Uh hi," I said, raising one hand and waving it awkwardly. He smiled back and extended a hand.
"Shaun Jennings. A.K.A Jumpnow," he told me, as I shook his hand.
"I know who you are," I replied. "Not in a creepy way or anything." He laughed loudly, throwing his head back.
"I'm in all the Short Stack TV episodes; of course you know who I am." A smile spread across my lips, albeit a timid one, and I knew he and I would be good friends.
"So, where am I?" I asked, rubbing sleep out of my eyes.
"You're in a hotel room," he said matter-of-factly.
"In Sydney."
"Yes, in Sydney." My chest felt like it had a dead weight pressing down on it and an awful knot of loneliness and despair was wound into my stomach. I hadn't felt as bad as that since my parents had first sent me into depression. I had a feeling that's what this was. Depression. Again. A heavy sigh escaped my lips and I settled back on the couch that I'd woken up on, crossing my legs.
"Honey, you're awake!" I heard Lauren exclaim, rushing to my side and sweeping me into a hug. "I was worried you'd be asleep for the next year or two. You've been out for five hours. It's three in the afternoon." I gave her a reassuring smile as she pulled away.
"Are you okay?" Sophie asked tentatively, taking Lauren's place. I shrank away from her words.
"I will be if we don't talk about it," I replied quietly.
"Okay," Sophie said, nodding. "Bradie has some stuff for you, by the way." A smiling Bradie replaced my friend, his arms laden with gaming consoles.
"Bradie," I laughed. "I'm not in hospital."
"I know," he replied sheepishly. "But I wanted to take your mind off it. So I found every single portable game and console I had and brought it for you. I have more at home," he told me proudly, setting the four items on the coffee table in front of me. There was a DS, PSP, Gameboy and iPod Touch, plus a few games.
"Thanks, sweetie," I smiled, reaching up to give him a hug. While I was in his arms, he whispered in my ear,
"I'm sorry Andy is such a dickhead. I know deep down that he still loves you, he just needs that Jada girl to be obliterated." I giggled and kissed his cheek, despite the fact that everyone was watching – Sophie included.
"Thankyou," I whispered back. He nodded and stepped away, joining Sophie's side. Suddenly, the door burst open and Shaun staggered in, carrying a coffee cup.
"Oh HEAVENS ABOVE! The traffic was so bloody heavy! You'd think that ridiculously archaic fossil sitting in the car in front was trying to piss me off! I mean really! What kind of prehistoric antique like that would be allowed to have a permit to drive when they can barely even see past their bloody nose?" He stopped his exasperated and furious rant to see everyone staring at him. "Oh, Ashli's awake." A toothy grin lit his face. "How you doing?"
"I'm doing okay."
"Just okay?" I nodded. "Well then this may cheer you up!" Shaun produced a plastic bag from behind his back. He strode over to me and plonked himself down on the couch cushion next to me. From the bag he pulled a six-pack of V energy drink, two jumbo packets of Skittles and three jumbo Toblerones. A smile spread across my face and threw my arms around him.
"Thankyou so much, Shaun!" I exclaimed, pulling back. His grin turned devious.
"I also picked up a few DVDs," he said, reaching into the bag a fourth time. From the plastic he uncovered 'The Shining', 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' and 'Mean Girls'. I laughed genuinely and smiled again.
"Thankyou so much – all of you," I said sincerely. "Now, who wants to watch movies?" Everyone 'whooped!' and settled around the lounge.
"Which one do we watch first?" Bradie asked, holding the three movies in his hands.
"Mean Girls!" Shaun cried with an excessive amount of delight.
"And you're definitely not gay," Jumpnow muttered, standing up and going into the kitchen for a drink. Shaun pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. I giggled and ruffled his hair.
"Naww, baby," I crooned. "We all know you're – Queen!" Shaun's jaw dropped open and I laughed. 'We Will Rock You' was playing on MTV Classic. Bradie, Sophie and Lauren were in hysterics, clutching their stomachs.
"No no no!" I laughed. "I don't mean you're gay! It's just that Queen was on TV." The boy next to me sniffed and pulled his eyebrows together. He mumbled something incoherent but pulled me into a side-hug so I was nestled up beside him. I saw Lauren shoot a glance at us and Shaun put his arms around me in a brotherly way.
"It's okay, babe," he said to Lauren. "I'm still yours." She smiled slightly but looked increasingly uncomfortable. My forehead creased with discomfort but I didn't move in fear of hurting Shaun's feelings. Bradie put the DVD into the player and settled back on the floor next to Sophie. After a few adds, the movie began to play and Jumpnow returned, flicking off the lights on his way back.
Once Mean Girls and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the cans of V and most of the Skittles were finished, everyone paused for a bathroom break. As I strode into the kitchen, I heard the front door of the hotel room open and close with a squeak. Shaun, who was just about to walk over to the fridge, stopped in his tracks. There was a giggle from the other side of the wall and my blood boiled and froze simultaneously. I felt Sophie's hand on my arm, restraining and comforting me at the same time. My eyes slowly closed and I took a deep breath before reopening them again. When I could see again, I saw Shaun standing in the doorway with Lauren, looking more than uncomfortable. But beyond them, I saw two figures that made my stomach drop in horror. Andy and Jada stood in front of the couch, making conversation with Lauren and Shaun like there was nothing wrong. I spun to look at Sophie, my eyes wide with terror.
"I can't go out there," I whispered to her, my voice shaking.
"Yes you can," she said softly. I shook my head fiercely. "If you show you're over him then he won't care. If you show you aren't over him then he'll have ammo to throw at you." I chewed my bottom lip and snatched up two bars of Toblerone from the bench and proudly marched towards the doorway. Gently, I squeezed past Lauren and Shaun, avoiding their eye contact as best I could. When I went to sit on the couch, I saw Jada drop her handbag and jacket down just where I was about to sit. I pursed my lips and set the Toblerones on the table, reaching out and picking up Jada's things, moving them to an armchair.
"Uh, excuse me honey?" Jada's sickly sweet voice filled my ears. I grit my teeth. "Can you please put my things back where they were?" Glancing up, I shot her a venomous look.
"Well I need to sit down. And don't call me honey," I said curtly.
"Well you can sit somewhere else," she snapped. Stopping dead, I met her eyes steadily. Her 'nice girl' façade was let down for a split second, but it was enough for me to see that she was still the evil manipulative cow she'd always been. Everyone was silent now, looking between us both.
"Well maybe I want to sit here." She narrowed her eyes slightly at me. I knew that look anywhere. It meant that I would lose.
"Andy, baby, can you please tell Ashli that I need to sit on the couch because of my bad back?" She implored, putting on a baby voice.
"Give the couch to Jay," Andy ordered, standing up. He didn't even have the nerve to say my name. Slowly, I licked my lips. "She needs it because of her bad back." I stepped away from the couch, not wanting to cause any more trouble, and watched carefully as Jada and Andy took their spots on the couch next to each other.
"Thankyou," Jada smiled, all sugar and honey.
"Yeah yeah, whatever you little liar," I hissed under my breath.
"What was that?" Andy asked, hostile.
"Oh, nothing, just reminding myself of something," I said sweetly, spinning on my heel when I saw Andy glare. Hurriedly, I sauntered back into the kitchen, collapsing against the wall. Sophie put her hand on my shoulder.
"You did good, honey," she said quietly, pulling me into a hug.
"I never want to do that again," I moaned softly.
"You won't have to." After a few more seconds, Sophie re-convinced me to go back and sit in the lounge so we could all watch The Shining. Reluctantly, I followed her in and sat in one of the three armchairs facing the TV. Shaun put The Shining into the DVD player and turned the lights off again. At halfway through the movie, some disturbing noises started to float over from the couch. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jada and Andy well…making out. My blood froze again and I closed my eyes. Until the noise became unbearable. I bounced up from my seat and stepped in front of the TV.
"Can you two stop it?" I hissed. They both broke away and glared at me.
"Just sit down and watch the movie," Andy growled, moving his hand to Jada's waist. My eyes zoned in on his hand and I swallowed heavily. That should've been my waist. Shaking my head to clear it, I glowered at them.
"Well it's kind of difficult to concentrate when all you hear is this." I jabbed a hand at them.
"Then maybe you should block your ears."
"Well maybe you should stop and save the slight shred of your dignity that remains!"
"Maybe I don't want to!" Andy shouted, standing and stepping around the coffee table towards me.
"Why are you such a dickhead?"
"I'm not the dickhead, here. You're being completely idiotic about this whole thing!"
"Okay, hold on a second, buddy," I snapped. "I am being the furthest from idiotic you can get. You, on the other hand, are being a complete freaking dickhead with – clearly – no brains!" There was quiet again and someone had paused the movie.
"Why are you so stupid?" Andy yelled, throwing his hands up.
"I'm stupid because I thought I loved you! And I cannot believe I ever did," I whispered, shoving him backwards, turning for the door. Before I got to it, I stopped dead in my tracks and turned my body.
"Aren't you leaving?" Jada asked condescendingly.
"Give me a minute, honey," I hissed then turned my gaze to Andy. "Did you ever really love me? Or did you just say that to use me?"
"I never did," Andy replied, meeting my steady eye contact.
"Say my name in that sentence." He dropped his gaze and I nodded, disappointed. "I thought so." Facing the door again and I pulled it open gently before ducking out into the hall and slamming it behind me.
Out in the hall, I made a break for the elevators, jamming the button with my fist. Once the doors slid open with a 'ding', I stepped in and searched the floor guide printed on the wall. Checking twice, I pressed the button for the topmost floor and waited as the doors closed and I slowly moved up. The quiet that filled the elevator was deafeningly painful. That knot was still coiled in my stomach, making my legs feel weak and my heart ache with pain. I'd never felt something as terrible as this, and I didn't know how long I'd be able to bear it. Once the elevator got to the top floor, I stepped off with bated breath. It was everything I needed. It was another rooftop meeting area, but there was a large garden in the very middle, next to the elevator. There were large ferns and plants, trees swaying in the incredibly gentle breeze. It was like a mini rainforest. A small voice in the back of my mind wondered just how they'd gotten it up there, but I couldn't dredge up the energy to bother contemplating it. Belatedly, I dragged myself out of the elevator and over to the edge of the rooftop where there was a ledge running around the large perimeter. You'd think they would put a larger fence or wall up so people didn't fall off, but then I guessed they just figured people wouldn't be so stupid as to lean over the edge. I didn't exactly feel like risking my life at that moment – despite what had happened – so I dragged over one of the chairs set around a table and pulled it up to the edge, dropping down heavily. It was getting close to eight o'clock and the sky was darkening rapidly. The air had a bitter chill to it and I hugged my hoodie closer to my body. I could see the opera house from where I was sitting and it looked amazing. The big white arches looked luminous with the lights projecting up onto it made it look like a giant ocean, protruding from the buildings around it. I let my mind wander aimlessly, roaming out to all the infinite corners of my head, and digging up old memories from when I was younger. Some were happy (not many, might I add), some were sad and some were just down right shocking. I'd uncovered some new ones that my brain hadn't been through yet and it made me shudder to remember how much of a troubled child I was. Disgusted, I mentally pushed them away and boxed them back up again. After finding another daunting memory, I blocked off my brain and settled for just staring out over the city. It was exactly nine thirty five when I decided to make my way back down to the room. I damned my pride; it always stopped me from doing things that were probably best for myself. Considering I was getting frostbite. When I reached our door, I was about to lift my hand to knock when Jada burst out, holding her suitcase and bag in the one hand. Andy followed soon after, and I was knocked to the side of the hall, muttering cusses under my breath.
"Jada, babe, please don't go," Andy pleaded, grabbing her free hand. Jada pulled away gently and turned her head to the floor.
"You know I love you," she said. "But I need to be with my sister. She's so upset right now."
"I know," he replied. "But why can't you stay with me, please? I need you." I'd never seen Andy look or sound so desperate.
"I can't, my duty lies with my sister," Jada said fiercely. I admired her for a split second. A girl who could say no to Andy when he was doing 'the eyes' must have some will power. After a few more seconds of their slight quarrel, Jada finally got her way and she slowly went to the elevators. As she was about to step into it, Andy jogged to her and kissed her roughly and sweetly. Something I'd known all too well from him. When the doors to her elevator closed, I felt malice bubble up in my body.
"Gee," I remarked. "You were never that upset when I left." Andy turned around, startled, like he hadn't known I was there. He probably hadn't.
"I…I – "
"Don't bother," I snarled. "I know you never really loved me." Remorse flashed through his eyes briefly but I knew it was there.
"Ashli, I – "
"You said my name!" I exclaimed with mock-happiness.
"Are you going to let me speak?" I shrank back against the wall with his outburst but then stood straight again. He took a breath before continuing. "You don't know anything about why I am with Jada. I love her because of who she is and her amazing confidence in herself."
"Okay, why are you telling me this? It isn't going to change my opinion of her. Jada has no place in my Most Loved People list and that isn't going to change anytime soon." With a small step to the side, I pulled open the door and stepped inside, leaving an annoyed looking Andy standing out in the hall.
AN: Alrighty then, so here are two songs that I really love right now.
:Love Like Woe by The Ready Set (if you noticed, it was the chapter title). This is my favourite 'modern day' song right now…
:Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard. It is a REALLY old song but I love it to bits…
Thankyou all for reading another chapter.