Chapter 6: Getting to know you

Craig's POV

"So...Craig, you and Ashley are becoming really close," Jimmy grinned patting me on the back.

"Yeah, she's a really cool girl when you get to know her," I answered.

"You two seem to get along really well, really really well," Jimmy winked as we walked towards our lockers.

"I guess, what are you getting at?" I asked curiously.

"Since Jimmy, keeps beating around the bush, I'll put it to you plain and simple," Sean said, "Do you like Ashley?"

"As in what?" I asked hoping they were talking about something else.

"As in "I think she's hot and I want to go on a date with her," Jimmy explained.

"Well, I think she's very pretty," I started as I opened my locker.

"And..." Sean and Jimmy said wanting me to continue.

"And like you said, we do get along very well," I continued, I wasn't sure if I was ready to tell them how I really feel. They are my two best friends, but this was a very complicated situation.

"And..."They said impatiently.

"And, like I said earlier she is very pretty," I said repeating myself.

"Would you just answer the question!" Sean yelled aggravated.

"Yes!" I muttered, "I like her,"

"Then why don't you ask her out?" Jimmy smiled.

"Because, she doesn't feel that way about me," I answered getting my things together.

"Well my sources tell me otherwise," Sean grinned. I instantly looked up at my two friends, Is there something they're not telling me?

"What sources? What are you talking about?" I demanded.

"Well, we were talking to Ellie and Emma after lunch, and they seem to think that Ashley likes you too," Jimmy explained. I couldn't help but smile as I heard these words come out of Jimmy's mouth. I never would've guessed that she liked me, she said she was good at acting, so I thought all her emotions were fake.

"Really?" I questioned, "But what about Manny?"

"Screw Manny!" Sean hissed, "All she ever did was boss you around, and cheat on you. She doesn't deserve you."

"Sean's right," Jimmy added, "It's time for you to move on."

"You guys are right," I smiled, "Maybe I'll ask her over tonight."

"Good idea," Jimmy smiled.

"Thanks guys, "I beamed gratefully, "I got to go meet Ashley at her locker. Bye!"

"Bye!" They called back.

After School

I sat in my garage, bored as ever, wondering why I was so stupid. Why didn't I ask her over when I had the chance? We sat in the car, in front of her house, talking for what seemed like hours, and I couldn't get the words to roll out of my mouth. So what did she do? What anyone else would do.

Flashback

"Craig are you okay?" Ashley asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine, "I lied, "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know, it just seems like you want to ask me something," She explained looking up at me. Man, she is so beautiful, I thought to myself. I kept my eyes fixed on her for the longest, like I was in a trance.

"Craig, Craig!" Ashley called snapping her fingers in my face.

"Huh, what?" I asked completely out of it.

"I have to get inside, I'll see you later," She smiled.

"Okay, bye," I smiled back, and like that she was gone.

End Flashback

Why did I put myself in this problem? Why did I beg her to pretend to go out with me? But if you didn't you would've never known the real Ashley, the one who's fun to be around, and has the same love of music as you, I answered myself. That is true, I nodded pacing around the garage. I just wish I could tell her how I feel, I sighed. Right when I said that, there was a knock at the garage door.

"Coming!" I called as I trudged to the door. Right when I opened the door, I was surprised by none other than the person I've been thinking about for the past two hours. Thank you God, for hearing my wish, I grinned under my breath.

"I'm sorry I'm coming so late, but I had to tell you the good news," Ashley squealed holding a piece of paper

"What is it?" I smiled getting out of the way so she could come in.

"I got in, I got in!" Ashley jumped wrapping her arms around me.

"Got in where?" I asked as she stopped jumping and settled down.

"That contest I was telling you about earlier, they saw my tape, loved it and they picked me to play in front of them!" Ashley explained excitedly.

"That's great!" I beamed, "Congratulations!"

"Thanks," She smiled sitting down. All of a sudden a great idea popped into my head.

"Wait here one second," I smiled and rushed to the kitchen. I opened the fridge and sure enough there was one bottle left. I picked it up, got two champagne glasses, and some napkins.

"This calls for a celebration!" I grinned walking into the garage.

"Welch's sparkling grape juice!" Ashley laughed, "I love that stuff,"

"Me too!" I laughed and popped open the cork, the foam fizzed out of the bottle, and Ashley kindly helped me clean up the stuff that spilled. I filled both champagne glasses halfway, and handed one to her.

"This is a toast," I beamed, "To Ashley, may her performance in front of the judges go well, and her career take off."

"Here here," Ashley giggled, and we both took a sip. We then sat around the garage, drinking sparkling grape juice and just talking.

"So, I think I know who the real Ashley is," I smiled pouring some more grape juice into our glasses.

"No, you know most of the real Ashley, but you don't know the complete real Ashley. No one except my closest friends know the real Ashley" she explained taking a sip

"Okay, then tell me who the real Ashley is," I stated moving closer to her.

"Well, the real Ashley is.." she started as she collected her thoughts, " A goofy, bored, and lonely girl, who wants to break out of Toronto as quick as possible. She wants to go to new places, meet new people, see new things. She wants to..shmooze with the rich people, help the poor people, but still be able to hang out with my closest friends and remain herself. That is the real Ashley Kerwin." I could hear her words ringing in my ears as I let her words sink in. I could see the expression on her face change, as she opened herself to me, she became soft spoken, and had a hopeful look in her eyes. I wish I had my camera with me, because I would love to take a picture of her looking that way, that remarkable.

"That's why I want to be a musician," she explained, "I want to use my music to help others, and touch people like I've been touched."

"Wow," I said speechless, "That's uh..wow," Can I sound more ridiculous? I thought wanting to kick myself. She's practically letting me read her like a diary, and the smartest thing I could say is wow.

"So, why don't you tell me about the real Craig," Ashley smiled.

"Okay, but if you don't mind I want to ask you this one question," I answered, "Why do you feel lonely?"

"Well, I don't know, it's not like I feel like I don't have friends," Ashley explained, "It's like I'm more I'm lonely relationship-wise. It's just that I see Ellie with Scott, and even though I don't like him sometimes, he knows how to treat a lady. He treats her like a princess, and then there's Emma with Sean, they can scream at each other in front of the school, but everyone knows they can't get enough of each other and they're back together like that. I don't know, I guess I'm just envious of what they have. No guy has ever treated me like that ever. They either treat me like crap, or treat me like nothing because they don't even notice me. That's why I'm lonely, I just want to finally experience how they feel, that love and affection." I looked at her and I could see her eyes glazing over, if only I could tell her how I really feel, maybe then I could give her what she wants.

"So, uh now can you tell me the real Craig?"Ashley smiled trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh right," I smiled, "Uh, the real Craig is...a compassionate, sensitive, guy who wants a real family because he's never had one of his own. He wants to be a musician to be famous, but also to be heard and, he wants to find real love, but he's not sure if he knows what love is."

"I may not have a love, but I know what real love is," Ashley commented.

"Really?" I asked scooting so close to her, that my knee was touching her thigh, "Then please tell me what it is."

"Well," Ashley grinned looking up at me, "It's when your heart starts beating fast when you're around them. You guys can talk about anything, but sometimes you get tongue-tied around them because you're so captured by everything about them. It's when you can't help but smile everytime you see or think about them, and you count down the hours, minutes, and seconds until you see them. It's when you want to be around them constantly,and you make up ridiculous excuses just to be with them. That's what love is." I could see her smile grow wider as she focused on the inside of her glass, I knew this was my chance so I had to go for it. I then took my hand and placed it on her heart and smiled.

"Your hearts beating fast, does that mean you love me?" I asked smiling.

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." Ashley answered looking straight at me. She then took her hand and placed it on my heart.

"Your hearts beating fast too, does that mean you love me?" she questioned grinning too.

"Maybe I don't, maybe I do." I whispered looking deep in her eyes. I took her glass out of her hands, placed both our glasses down and kissed her. I could feel my ears explode, and my stomach do flipflops as we got closer and kissed more. I felt like I was floating on a cloud, and sprinting a never-ending 100 meter dash at the same time, with my heart beating even faster than before. We continued to kiss some more until she pushed me off her and stood up abruptly.

"What's wrong Ash?" I asked looking up at her. She began pacing the garage and her eyes were popping out like she was a deer caught in headlights.

"We shouldn't... we had too much to drink," Ashley said with her hand on her head, "We were drunk."

"Ashley, Welch's sparkling grape juice is non-alcoholic," I explained looking at her confused.

"Right, right," Ashley muttered rubbing her temple, "It's just, we shouldn't do this."

"Why not?" I asked confused, I thought they said she liked me?

"It's just that, you don't want me, you want Manny and we're just friends. There is nothing going on between us, and I'm just doing you a favor, and... I have to go," Ashley said quickly and bolted for the door leaving her acceptance paper and me in the garage.

Ashley's POV

"You did WHAT!" Ellie screeched from the phone.

"I told him, we should've never done that, and I left." I explained laying on my bed.

"I'm sorry Ash, but you're stupid, "Marco said more calm than Ellie.

"She's not stupid," Ellie sneered, "She's an idiot, a nitwit, a moron, A FOOL!"

"Okay, okay," I muttered, "I get your point."

"You really don't," Ellie heatedly said, "How could you be so dumb to walk out on the perfect opportunity for a great boyfriend."

"He doesn't like me though," I explained trying to get them to see my way.

"He freakin kissed you, what more do you need to convince you of how he feels!" Ellie screamed.

"But what about Manny?" I demanded, "The only reason we became friends is because I'm supposed to help him get her back."

"So," Marco said, "He obviously is over her, if he came on to you. What you need to do is go back there, apologize, and tell him how you feel."

"But.." I tried to say,but it was no use, I knew they were right. I had to go back there.

"Let me call you guys back," I smiled, "I have business to take care of."

"You had better," Ellie huffed still a little heated.

"Bye Ash, and good luck," Marco stated.

"Thanks," I answered, and walked over to Craig's house. I looked at my cell phone, and realized how late it was. He probably isn't even awake,but I had built so much confidence while I was walking, if I didn't go through with it, I could never forgive myself. I knocked on the door, and braced myself.

"Ash?" Craig questioned confused. From what it looked like, he hadn't gotten any sleep either.

"Can we talk?" I asked entering the garage.

"Sure, what about?" Craig said though I'm sure he knew what it was about.

"It's about what happened earlier tonight," I said looking at the floor, I was nervous but I wanted to get it over with. "I.."

"It's okay," Craig stated looking out the window, "I should've never done that. I guess I was just so lonely,and I really miss Manny. I should have never taken advantage of you like that. This is strictly business no strings attached. I mean, it's not like we like each other that way, right?"

"Right?" I choked out, trying to fight back the tears,as I felt all the confidence crumble. I'm such an idiot! I could've had him, something I've always wanted though have been hiding it. I really did like him, and I was starting to fall in love with him. The one chance I have to be with him, my thoughts go haywire and all of a sudden I'm thinking about him wanting to be with Manny. I just couldn't let him do something I thought he would regret later on. I guess Ellie was wrong, he doesn't like me like that.

"Here's your acceptance letter, when you left you forgot it," Craig explained giving it to me.

"Thanks," I muttered looking at the floor.

"Ash, are you okay?" He asked really concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I smiled, trying to hide the hurt in my voice as my eyes were having a battle as to when the tears would fall. Oh no, the tears were beginning to win, "I have to go. See you tommorow." Before he could respond, I rushed out of the garage and let the tears fall freely.


A/N: Wow! The review become nicer and nicer each time I get one. To all the people reviewing, and reading I really hope you enjoy!