Author's Note: Sorry it has been so long since my last update, I was just home over the break and was really bored and had no motivation.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The Return of the Ashleys
"Looks like things are finally settling back into normal," TJ commented to Spinelli as they walked to lunch.
"Except, you know, not," Spinelli replied, "we may all be friends again, but we've all grown up too much for things to be the way they were when we were in grade school."
"You keep throwing out these sentences that I can't figure out if they are hints or not," TJ said, frustrated as he changed the subject, "are you ever going to tell me about your life? I mean, everybody in the entire universe knows except me."
"I wouldn't go so far as to say the universe," Spinelli smiled at him, but then turned serious, "look, TJ, this is really difficult for me to talk about. But, I promise you, when the time is right I will tell you. And you will absolutely love me for it."
With those words, Spinelli walked away to go join Gretchen and the others in the lunch line, leaving TJ shaking his head behind her.
"Somehow, I have a feeling that she's never going to tell me," TJ said, before hurrying to join the rest in line.
---
"Hello Ashley Spinelli," Spinelli could hear Ashley A.'s voice as herself and Gretchen were having a quick run to the girls room during lunch. Spinelli rolled her eyes and turned around, not surprised to find all four Ashley's standing behind them, hands on hips.
"Hi Ashley A., T., Q., and B.," Spinelli calmly said, rolling her eyes at Gretchen, who smiled.
"You look like you didn't get much sleep last night," Ashley B. commented to her, "did your mommy not give you a curfew?"
"Of course not," Ashley T. continued, "you silly girl, her mom just walks around like a zombie."
"I think she just forgot," Ashley Q. said, "she is rather a forgetful girl. But, that is rather interesting news to forget. Because, you know, when there is one bad seed in the family, they are all bad seeds."
"Ashley's, why don't you go pick on somebody with your IQ level, please?" Spinelli coldly said, while Gretchen turned a faint shade of pink in her cheeks as if she was more offended by the comments of the family than Spinelli.
"That hurts us so deep," Ashley A. sarcastically said, "I just don't understand why you force us to do these things?"
"Do what things?" Spinelli asked, "Talk to me? Because I do not recall under any circumstances asking you to talk to me. Forget forcing you to talk to me."
"Well, you just scream for a little Ashley group time," Ashley B. informed her, "I mean, with those clothes and that hair style, you definitely need us."
"She needs you like she needs an ice pick through her right eye," Gretchen said, under her breath.
"So, the faithful side kick has returned," Ashley Q. rolled her eyes, "of course, you aren't a very good sidekick."
"I don't know," Ashley T. cocked her head, "she is a good side kick, except not very faithful."
"Shut up," Spinelli said, gritting her teeth.
"Oh come on, she managed to tell us a lot about you Spinelli," Ashley B. grinned, "and you shouldn't be ashamed about it."
"Will you guys leave her alone?" Gretchen uttered, looking nervously around as more students stopped to see what the six girls were talking about.
"Why?" Ashley A. asked sharply, "you were the one who spilled the beans on all of her problems."
"Yeah, like the fact that her entire family is consisted of losers," Ashley Q. said, "with brothers who are too involved with ...,"
"That's enough," Spinelli snapped. She looked about ready to pounce on any and all the Ashley's.
"Spinelli ... don't," Gretchen said, grabbing her friends arm, "this is exactly what they want from you."
"You're right," Spinelli shrugged her shoulders, beginning to walk away with Gretchen following her.
"Of course, her whole family probably ran a drug ring," Ashley A. said loudly, "or several. They definitely had enough brains to try that. Which is, like, none at all."
Spinelli turned around and looked at Ashley A. and said slowly, "what did you just say?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, were you too slow to catch that?" Ashley A. asked, her lip curling, "I mean, it must be a family thing or something."
Spinelli ran and pounced on Ashley A., tackling her to the ground.
"Spinelli! What are you doing?" TJ asked as he joined the group, trying to pull her off of Ashley A.
"Don't touch me Teej!" Spinelli screamed at him, "you don't understand this!"
"Vince!" TJ exclaimed, turning to the other three boys, "we have to separate them."
The four boys jumped in the middle, Vince and TJ pulling Spinelli off of Ashley. Spinelli looked at both of them, then at the gathering crowd and shook out of their arms.
"I'm cool now," she said quietly, then turned to walk away when a voice that she had not wanted to hear came up behind her.
"Spinelli, Ashley A., Ashley B., Ashley Q., Ashley T., Gretchen, Vince, Gus, TJ, and Mikey," the principal thundered, "in my office, now."
"But ...," the Ashley's protested, and one look at the principals face told them that they better stop protesting.
The group quietly filed into the principal's office. Principal Hammand sat down at his desk and looked at each individual student before speaking, "I would like to know what exactly I just witnessed in the hallway."
"If you witnessed it, shouldn't you know what happened?" Spinelli asked, trying to sound innocent. Principal Hammand turned to her, a scowl crossing his face.
"Ashley Spinelli, do I have to remind you of your record?" he asked, obviously trying to hold in his temper.
"I'm pretty sure I have it pretty well in hand," Spinelli assured him.
"Okay, so Ashley B., please tell me what part you had in this," Principal Hammand politely asked, turning to the other girl.
"I had no part in this whatsoever," Ashley B. haughtily said.
"Me either," the rest of the Ashley's replied with her.
"Your nose bleed would suggest otherwise," Gretchen pointed out to Ashley A.
"Shut up Gretchen," Ashley A. snapped at her.
"Okay, look, Vince, TJ, Gus, Mikey, all of you Ashley's besides Ashley A., you are all free to go," the principal dismissed them, "Gretchen, Spinelli, Ashley A., I still need to talk to you."
"Great," Spinelli muttered under her beath as the rest filed out. However, the noise of the rest leaving seemed to drown out her words, either that or the Principal chose to ignore them.
"Ashley Spinelli," Principal Hammand spoke gravely, "you know what I told you last time you got suspended?"
"That I had two days of suspension?" Spinelli ventured, smiling.
"No, well ... yes," Principal Hammand admitted, "but, the other thing that would happen if you got another suspension."
"Hmm ...," Spinelli said, faking as if she couldn't remember, "was it along the lines of throwing a party for most suspensions in the graduating class?"
"Spinelli!" the principal said, as Gretchen glared at her.
"Oh right, you mean the expulsion thing," Spinelli nonchalantly said.
"Spinelli!" Gretchen spoke up this time.
"I'm sorry Ashley Spinelli, but ...," the principal started, but then was interrupted.
"It was my fault," Gretchen quickly said, "she was just trying to defend my honor. I mean ... I tried to hit her, but you know .. I don't have a good aim at all. She only hit Ashley A. once."
"Gretchen ... you do realize what happens if you take the fall for this?" the principal asked her, looking at her seriously.
"I understand that I will get suspended," Gretchen bravely said.
"Ashley A., is that the true story?" the principal asked, turning to her. Ashley looked at each girl, and the expressions on their faces. Spinelli looked so ... uncaring ... while Gretchen looked desperate.
"Yeah, that's exactly what happened," Ashley A. muttered, "I shouldn't have been making fun of Gretchen, I'm sorry."
"That means two days of detention for you Ashley, Spinelli, two days of detention for you, and Gretchen ... two days of suspension for you," Principal Hammand said dismissively.
"Thanks Ashley," Gretchen said as soon as they were out of the office.
"Whatever," Ashley A. rolled her eyes, "I just didn't want that psycho attacking me again."
"You didn't have to do that Gretchen," Spinelli whispered to her as Ashley A. walked off.
"And let you get expelled?" Gretchen raised an eyebrow.
"I would deal," Spinelli shrugged.
"Sorry," Gretchen shrugged back, "it was my fault anyways."
"Yeah, that is true," Spinelli said, smiling at the girl as they walked out the double doors to go home.
