"Mom, I've told you for the 5th time, I'm spending the night at Ellie's
house. Is that okay?" She was standing in the kitchen while her mom read a
magazine at the breakfast table. Ashley was ready to leave. She didn't love
lying to her mom, but really didn't want her mom to know she was headed to
a guy's house. At least not yet.
"It's fine Ashley. Acutally, I'm happy that you're back on your feet, doing normal things. I was worried about you after the break-up." Her mom was smiling. "Well, go along and have some fun. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, am I right?"
"Yeah, probably, maybe early tomorrow evening. I'll call you." Ashley walked out the door with her duffel bag, filled with a few different outfits, some money, and her cell. Tonight could be interesting.
Ding Dong. "Hey, El, what's up." A cute blond-haired boy answered Trevor's door. He checked out Ashley for a second, dressed in a plaid mini, black boots, and a black lacey wife-beater. She had streaked her hair red to match. He led them inside, and Ellie disappeared to find Trevor. Of course, it was very disappointing to find out her future lover was already her best friend's, but there had to be some guy interested in giving Ashley some play.
She walked across the green-carpeted living room, and sat in a black and white checkered love seat. Talk about tacky, but Ashley wasn't too interested in the room décor, because a guy caught her eye.
He had dirty blonde, spiked hair, an adorable smile, and he was looking at her. She averted her eyes, only to look back and see him staring again. He had a guitar and started playing, some rock song he probably wrote. It reminded her too much of Craig. She stood up and headed to the kitchen, hoping to find something to munch.
She found a couple girls giggling, but stopped when she entered and glared. Ashley ignored them and went to get something in the refrigerator. She opened it and saw nothing but Coke and some water bottles. She closed it and went to the patio outside.
She looked around the patio and saw some lawn furniture and an old swing set. She sat on the swings and looked around before closing her eyes. All the memories of Craig and their relationship came flooding back. They're first dance, they're first kiss, when they decided they loved each other. Why didn't I realize he was cheating on me? Sometimes when I called, he sounded so preoccupied. I could even hear giggling in the background, but I always thought it was Angie, his little sister. What about the times when he made lame excuses not to see me, "Angie coughed a little bit, she must be sick. I guess we can't go out tonight.", "My band has a private practice, you can't come.", "I know it's only 4:30, Ash, but I'm really tired, I'm going to sleep, I'll see you tomorrow."
A tear slid down Ashley's cheek. "I'm definitely not ready for this." These thoughts made all the pain come back.
"Not ready for what?" The blond haired boy that answered the door was standing in front of her.
"It's complicated." Her eyes were glistening from the tears.
"You're Craig Manning's ex, right?" He waited for the response.
"You really know how to make a girl feel good." She looked down at the ground and pushed around some sand under the swing with her boot.
"He was stupid, you're hot. Manny's hot too, but not my type." He grinned. "I'm Jake by the way."
"I'm Ashley." She smiled.
"You want to go back in, maybe get a drink, or something."
"There is nothing to drink, I already checked, except some Coke and water." Ashley started to move the swing from side to side.
"Well, you probably didn't check the liquor cabinet." He chuckled.
"I've had a bad encounter with stuff like that, I really don't want to get involved, but if you want to stay here and-"She was cut off.
"Suit yourself, I'm getting a drink or two or three." He chuckled again and sauntered off.
Ashley looked up at the sky. The moon at just come out. It was full. The stars were barely visible. "A new beginning" echoed in her head.
"Jake!" He turned around. "Wait up, I'm coming with you." He flashed a smile.
"It's fine Ashley. Acutally, I'm happy that you're back on your feet, doing normal things. I was worried about you after the break-up." Her mom was smiling. "Well, go along and have some fun. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, am I right?"
"Yeah, probably, maybe early tomorrow evening. I'll call you." Ashley walked out the door with her duffel bag, filled with a few different outfits, some money, and her cell. Tonight could be interesting.
Ding Dong. "Hey, El, what's up." A cute blond-haired boy answered Trevor's door. He checked out Ashley for a second, dressed in a plaid mini, black boots, and a black lacey wife-beater. She had streaked her hair red to match. He led them inside, and Ellie disappeared to find Trevor. Of course, it was very disappointing to find out her future lover was already her best friend's, but there had to be some guy interested in giving Ashley some play.
She walked across the green-carpeted living room, and sat in a black and white checkered love seat. Talk about tacky, but Ashley wasn't too interested in the room décor, because a guy caught her eye.
He had dirty blonde, spiked hair, an adorable smile, and he was looking at her. She averted her eyes, only to look back and see him staring again. He had a guitar and started playing, some rock song he probably wrote. It reminded her too much of Craig. She stood up and headed to the kitchen, hoping to find something to munch.
She found a couple girls giggling, but stopped when she entered and glared. Ashley ignored them and went to get something in the refrigerator. She opened it and saw nothing but Coke and some water bottles. She closed it and went to the patio outside.
She looked around the patio and saw some lawn furniture and an old swing set. She sat on the swings and looked around before closing her eyes. All the memories of Craig and their relationship came flooding back. They're first dance, they're first kiss, when they decided they loved each other. Why didn't I realize he was cheating on me? Sometimes when I called, he sounded so preoccupied. I could even hear giggling in the background, but I always thought it was Angie, his little sister. What about the times when he made lame excuses not to see me, "Angie coughed a little bit, she must be sick. I guess we can't go out tonight.", "My band has a private practice, you can't come.", "I know it's only 4:30, Ash, but I'm really tired, I'm going to sleep, I'll see you tomorrow."
A tear slid down Ashley's cheek. "I'm definitely not ready for this." These thoughts made all the pain come back.
"Not ready for what?" The blond haired boy that answered the door was standing in front of her.
"It's complicated." Her eyes were glistening from the tears.
"You're Craig Manning's ex, right?" He waited for the response.
"You really know how to make a girl feel good." She looked down at the ground and pushed around some sand under the swing with her boot.
"He was stupid, you're hot. Manny's hot too, but not my type." He grinned. "I'm Jake by the way."
"I'm Ashley." She smiled.
"You want to go back in, maybe get a drink, or something."
"There is nothing to drink, I already checked, except some Coke and water." Ashley started to move the swing from side to side.
"Well, you probably didn't check the liquor cabinet." He chuckled.
"I've had a bad encounter with stuff like that, I really don't want to get involved, but if you want to stay here and-"She was cut off.
"Suit yourself, I'm getting a drink or two or three." He chuckled again and sauntered off.
Ashley looked up at the sky. The moon at just come out. It was full. The stars were barely visible. "A new beginning" echoed in her head.
"Jake!" He turned around. "Wait up, I'm coming with you." He flashed a smile.