Battle Scars: A Serious Story About Life And The Obstacles We Can All Relate To

Ashley couldn't stand the pain anymore. Her house wasn't hers; it was Toby and his father's now. They had her mother wrapped around their fingers, leaving Ashley feeling like an outsider in her house, left without an ally. There was only one place left where she could feel wanted.

"Dad, are you here?"

Ashley opened the door to her father's house wider, hoping to find him here and not out on one of his many foreign adventures. She knew she should've called first, but she couldn't stay at that house any longer. She's had her problems with her father, but none of that mattered right now, she just wanted someone to talk to. Something was now rustling above her.

"Dad, are you upstairs?"

She started to make her way up the steps, the rustling getting louder and louder. She walked to her father's bedroom and knocked on the door.

"Dad? Is everything okay?"

Ashley went into the room and saw her father naked on his bed, with Marco next to him.

"Marco?! Dad?! What the hell is going on?"

Mr. Kerwin quickly got up and went over to his daughter.

"Oh god, Ashley, I didn't want you to find out this way." "Find out what? That you're sleeping with a teenager? God, I'm going to be sick. This can't be legal!"

Marco gets out of bed now, yawning, obviously uninterested in Ashley's dramatics.

"My ass is legal, honey."

Ashley is in disbelief. She turns to her dad.

"I thought you already had a boyfriend." "Nothing can compete with Marco's hot lips."

Completely disgusted, she sharply turns back to Marco, extremely irate.

"How can you do this to Ellie?!" "Hey, Ellie knows the deal. We get to parade each other around as Degrassi's hottest couple, and we both get we want on the side. She's gay too, you know."

Ashley suddenly brightens up at this news.

"She is?" "Oh you bet, that dyke has been wanting your ass for god knows how long." "I never knew." "Well now you do hon, now sit down and let's if we can do something bout that running mascara of yours. How much of that stuff do you wear anyway? It's not right for you, you are totally a summer sweetie."

The next day at school Ashley walked in with a completely new confidence. She saw what she wanted.

"Hi Sean, what's going on?"

Not waiting for his answer, Ashley suddenly pulls him toward her and they start to make out. She looks up intermittently during it to see if Ellie is watching from her locker; she isn't. Ashley maneuvers her and Sean towards Ellie and slams him up against the locker next to hers, startling her.

"Ashley, what the hell are you doing?" "What? You jealous?" "No, I don't like Sean. no offense."

Sean doesn't hear Ellie, he's too busy trying to get Ashley to stop talking and to keep kissing. Ashley lets out a frustrated cry and walks away down the hall, she's obviously not going to get what she wants today.

"Everything's so messed up, Teri"

Ashley was sitting on Teri's bed crying, Teri invited her over after school because she knew she was upset, but she didn't know how upset.

"The whole school's talking about my dad and Marco, 'oh I heard they got married,' 'oh Ashley has a new step dad.' How can I ever go back there." "It's OK Ash, I'm here for you."

Teri leaned in to make her move, freaking Ashley out.

"What are you doing?" "I saw what you were trying to do with Ellie, I know you like this sort of thing." "Yeah, maybe from a hot girl like Ellie, not from a gross bitch like you."

Teri got a sad look in her eyes and left the room. Ashley felt bad for hurting her friend, but it was the truth. Out of nowhere, Teri lunged at her with a butcher knife and stabbed her in the throat. Ashley gargled and choked on her on blood for a second before dying. Teri looked down at the mess that used to be Ashley, let out a whimper, and then plunged the stomach into her chest, falling to the ground.

The memorial in the school auditorium was packed with people, all buzzing about the tragedy. Principal Radditch had just left the stage, and Craig was invited up to give a speech he prepared.

"Ashley and Teri were beautiful and unique girls and.I'm sorry I just can't.I can't do this.."

Craig kicks the podium over and rips off his shirt.

"AAAAAAAAASHLEYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

He pulls a handgun out of his pocket and blows his brains out, blood and tissue getting all over Paige who is sitting in the first row. The whole auditorium is screaming and she is in complete shock. Marco, who was sitting next to her, looked at her and rolls his eyes. Then he suddenly realizes something and leans over to her.

"So hey, is your brother seeing anybody?"