I was pretending to be deeply engrossed in my English homework one night, when there was a knock at the door. Dylan wasn't home, and Mom was on a date so I was kind of cautious as I opened the door. Ashley was in the doorway, a suitcase at her feet . it was raining and her shoulder length hair fell in wet clumps around her face.
"Ash, what's going on?" I asked, stepping aside to let her in.
"I told Mom about Devon and me," she said. "She freaked out. She said I was way too young to get married and that I have my whole life ahead of me. She forbade me to see him again, so we're running away together."
"What? Ash, you can't do that! Are you crazy?"
"Not you, too, Paige. Come on, we've been friends forever. Support me on this."
"Where will you go? Where will you stay?"
"His family lives in California I think. We're going to go stay with them for a while. I don't know what I'm going to do, Paige."
"At least stay until the rain lets up?" I asked.
"Can Devon come in?"
"Of course. I'm going to go make some coffee, okay?"
She nodded and I went to the kitchen. I couldn't believe this, Ashley was so responsible—so...Ashley. Now she was going to run away with some guy? I heard the door open and I turned. Suddenly, I realized why Ashley was so hung up on this guy. He was tall, and had short blond hair and deep blue eyes. His cheekbones were high and prominent.
"You must be Devon," I said, shaking his hand and smiling.
"And you must be Paige," he said, flashing a smile.
"The coffee's almost done," I told Ashley.
We sat down at the table and there was an awkward silence. "So, what happened?"
"It's a long story," Ashley said. "I wanted to tell Mom about the wedding so I did. She freaked out, She said that I was going to turn out just like her and she didn't want that to happen. She also said that I was only seventeen and that I needed to stop and think about what I was doing to my future. She just doesn't understand." A tear escaped Ashley's eye and Devon put his hand over hers.
I wanted to tell Ashley that maybe her mother was right and that she was young and she did have her whole life in front of her. I wanted to ask her what she was going to do about Law School, but I knew that would only drive her away. She was my best friend and she needed me right now. "Its okay, Ash. Maybe we could go talk to her. Just me and you, like old times? Remember when you drove your bike into her new car? And I went with you to tell her? She didn't freak out as bad because she didn't want to scare me? And I stayed long enough for her to cool down?"
She smiled. "I remember."
"Maybe I should talk to her for you."
"No," she stood up. "Its stopped raining, and we have to get a start. I'm sorry, but I have to go."
"Ashley," I said.
"I have to go, Paige," she hugged me. "Goodbye. I'll call you!"
With that, she turned and ran from the house.
I picked up the phone to call Craig, I needed him right now. My best friend had just left town with a guy she barely knew and I didn't know when I would hear from her again.
The phone rang once, twice, three times...four times. "Hello?"
"Craig?" I asked.
"No, this is Joey. Craig's...at a friends house. Can I take a message?"
"Uh—yeah—tell him Paige called?"
"Okay, I'll tell him."
For the first time in a long time, Craig wasn't there when I needed him.
Authors Note:
Now, I know that it probably isnt that easy to leave the country but humor me! Read and review!
