Due to serious lack of time from now on I'll probaby be able to write (and therefore post) only half a chapter a time. I was gonna try to write one chapter per day but I doubt I can keep that up. Lets just say 1/2 chapter per day ;)
CHAPTER 4:
When Seth had left them, Ashley felt uncomfortable but she stayed at the table. Quietly listening to the conversations around her. It seemed as if none of the four that sat at her table mind a bit about what just happened. They were just continuing their conversations the way they were before Seth made an attempt to join Ashley. Before Luke suddenly shouted at the guy for no reason at all. At least that was how it seemed to Ashley.
More than once she opened her mouth to ask why they reacted to Seth the way they did. The shouting, the whispering. But each time she closed it again before the actual sentence came out of her mouth. They had been nothing but nice to her and she wondered if she had the right to ask them about it, maybe even going against them. For all she know they had a good reason for what happened. Besides she didn't want what just happened to Seth happening to her. If she would choose party without knowing anything about both sides she could loose the chance to become friends with this crowd and she didn't want that.
Lost in her own thoughts she didn't say anything until the school bell rang. When the loud jangle blared she stood up with the others and made her way back inside. On to the next class. They showed her the way and went to the opposite direction. Ashley quickly walked to the right class room and spotted Seth a little further down the hallway. His eyes meeting hers at the same time.
They stared at each other and it was clear Seth was again waiting for an explanation from her side. As she should give him. After all he had been the first one to help her out a bit and the moment someone started to shout to him she kept her mouth closed. She nervously played with the edge of her shirt as she looked at Seth, searching for the right words. But the hallway became empty and Ashley still hadn't said a word.
She saw the hurting expression coming back on Seth's face while he finally walked further and looked away from her. She bit on her bottom lip as she also walked further and stood still the moment they passed.
" S... Seth", she stuttered " I... I... am...". But she wasn't able to finish her sentence because Seth shook his head and walked further without giving her another look.
Hesitating Ashley turned around, following Seth with her eyes and wondering if she should walk towards him or let it rest for now. When he disappeared around the corner she sighed while she turned around. She took a few steps back so she was at her class room. She glanced one more time in the direction where she had seen Seth disappear before she walked in.
Seeing people look at her because she was once more the last one to enter and way after the last bell rang. She quickly sat down at the most nearby seat. Somehow the unwanted attention didn't matter much to her this time around. She was more worried about what she was going to do about Seth and the others.