=Normal POV=
(Saturday, 6/9/2018-8:30 pm)
(Archian Island, Berk)
(Berk Isle Palace)

A simple conversation regarding what the friends thought about Hunter and Nicole's relationship suddenly turned awkward when one of the two people who were being discussed walked up to stand behind Ashley just in time to hear her make a very interesting statement about opinions not mattering regarding relationships because it was about the two people who were together, not what everyone thought about them. And now the table was quiet as Nicole had demanded to know why she said it, though, no one quite knew why she had to know. Every time these two spoke; something revealing came out about hers and Hunter's past relationship. So all they could do was remain quiet and not get in Nicole's way, as it was very clear she wasn't going to let anything slide that had to do with Hunter to keep him from getting anymore hurt than he already had been. Honestly, none of them could blame Nicole either.

"Where's Hunter?" Addilyn wondered, not seeing him there with her.

"Hunter went to get punch, thought I'd come over and see everyone since we've been minding our own since we got here. Wasn't expecting to drop in on a conversation about Hunter and I." Nicole replied.

"I…Wasn't saying anything bad…" Ashley informed quickly.

"I heard what you said, Ashley. I want to know why you said it, because up until just now when I heard it from your mouth; I didn't believe you were capable of understanding what a relationship was all about, as you didn't seem to understand things when you were with Hunter." Nicole replied.

Ashley sighed some. "Look, Nicole…I know what I did was wrong. Okay? I've known since it happened, and I feel awful that I did things the way I did. If I could go back and change it to telling Hunter the truth that my feelings changed; I would. I would do it in a heartbeat. I'd go back and not have cheated on him, I'd have told him I didn't feel the same anymore, I'd have admitted that Bryan kissed me and things changed. I wouldn't have used or led him on. I wouldn't have done any of those hurtful, horrible things that I did to him." Unknown to her, Hunter was there and out of her sight line. "I'd take everything back and do it different if I could…But I can't, so I have to live with it and the consequences of losing him as a friend for the rest of my life…"

"And I'm glad you know what you did was wrong, and would change it if you could…But you still haven't answered my question. Why did you say what you did about relationships based on a conversation about mine and Hunter's?" Nicole repeated.

"I was just telling the others that what we think of things doesn't matter because we're not part of your relationship with Hunter. Or his with you." Ashley informed softly.

"Don't stop now, you've gained my attention…" Nicole invited.

"What you said to me last week, about Hunter admitting to loving you more than he loved me, is what brought on my response to their question tonight. Being asked what I thought about you two in in a relationship, all I could think about was that what we thought didn't matter. And it doesn't matter what anyone thinks about anyone else's relationship other than the two it involves." Ashley said.

"I didn't really think it was possible for you to impress me after everything…" Nicole paused. "But you did, and you've earned some of my respect back." She added calmly. "That doesn't mean I'm forgiving you; it just means I have some respect for the fact you understand what you did was wrong, and you understand what it means to butt out of things that don't concern you."

"I know I hurt Hunter, Nicole…I do. As I said; I'd change it if I could. I made bad choices because I got scared about what to do when I realized I didn't love him." Ashley explained.

"You knew what you were doing was wrong after the kiss, why didn't you just stop it?" Nicole asked.

"I don't know. To this day, I don't know. After the kiss with Bryan, my feelings changed and everything just happened so fast; I just reacted badly, also made awful choices…" Ashley replied. "I didn't know what to do. I was confused and scared…"

"You could have come and talked to me," Hunter cut in now as Ashley looked at him quickly. "The multiple times that I tried to ask you what was wrong. You could have done anything other than what you did and things would have been different."

"I didn't want to hurt you, Hunter…" Ashley glanced down. "And I know that's not an excuse because what I did was a conscious choice out of fear."

"I would have rather been hurt by the truth than how things came out almost two years later when I'd already given up finding out and moved on." Hunter informed. "What you don't get is that it hurts either way. Yes, the truth would have hurt to hear that you got kissed by Bryan and that your feelings for me changed. It would have hurt me, but I would have accepted things as they were and left it be because I'd have cared enough about you to let you go, so you could be happy. And then after some time had passed; I'd be fine and over it, likely us back to being friends. All it would have taken was honesty."

Ashley looked down softly, then back to him. "I'm sorry. I know it probably doesn't mean anything now, and I would change it if I could. You put so much time and effort into things when we were together, especially towards the end when we started fighting more. I was scared you'd react badly, and I didn't want to hurt you with the truth that Bryan kissed me and I just fell for him; that it was a completely different feeling than I got with you…Stronger, made more sense to me." Ashley said calmly. "I don't know how to explain it and I'm sure you probably really don't want to hear it. But I'm sorry for everything, Hunter. I know where we stand, and I won't dare ask your forgiveness. I just want you to know that I'm sorry."

Hunter stared at her for a moment; he knew this wasn't the night for this. It was senior prom and going on about ex-relationships was not how he wanted things to go. However, something she said got his attention that he wanted clarified. The music had shifted back on to faster songs, people were getting louder and back on the dance floor now. "Come with me for a second." Hunter told her as her eyes widened a moment. She didn't understand, but she didn't want to upset him more so she got up from her seat to follow him. "Be right back, babe." Hunter kissed Nicole gently before having Ashley follow him out the closest side door. When they got out there, and had moved around a corner out of sight; he faced her. "I know I said what's done is done, but you said something very specific to me just now and I want it clarified…"

"Okay…" Ashley replied, still nervous.

"You said Bryan kissed you and your feelings just changed?" Hunter asked.

"Yes…It was about a week after our first time. Our families were at the same restaurant one night, that's how we met formally outside of school…Night or two later, he asked if I wanted to come hang because he was bored and only at the park. I went, we talked a bit, and then he just kissed me out of nowhere. I pushed him off, reminded him I was taken…But then when I got home that night; I couldn't stop thinking about it. The feeling it gave me, Hunter…I didn't understand why it was so strong, and the more I tried to resist considering that maybe I had a crush on him or something; the more it drew me to hang out with him and before I knew it, he was taking me to parties and hangouts with his friends, introducing me as his girlfriend. I knew it was wrong, but it…" Ashley stopped.

"But what? Tell me, Ashley…" Hunter pushed, but not in a harsh tone.

Ashley sighed. "It felt right." Hunter's eyes widened a little. "I knew it was wrong to be seeing him behind your back because I did love you…Just…Nothing made sense to me after that first kiss, Hunter. The reason I was with both of you, I guess, is because I was trying to understand what was going on with my feelings. I was so torn. I didn't want to leave you if the thing with Bryan had just been…General shock that a senior was into me." She admitted.

"So you were dating both us to try and figure out if it was real?" Hunter inquired now.

"My feelings for you, and him, were real, Hunter. I swear that on my life; I did absolutely love you. But after that kiss…And taking some time figure things out…I realized that I loved, rather still love, him more. It's stronger, things made sense, everything felt…Right and amazing. Not…Like how I felt with you. But I didn't want to hurt you by telling you I fell in love with someone else, that I spent all the time after our first time trying to make sense of it all." Ashley confessed.

"Tell me something…On the subject of you using me for sex…" Hunter paused a moment as she looked at him. "Was it really just to practice with me to get better…Or were you trying to differentiate your feelings for me and him? Meaning…Is what made you realize that you love him more than you loved me the fact that everything with Bryan was better, in the sense that it was stronger than all aspects of our relationship?"

"Why…Do you want to know?" Ashley said.

"Just answer the question…" Hunter sighed.

Looking Hunter dead in the eyes, Ashley took a breath. "It was because I wanted to understand the difference. Why it was so…Basic with you, but…Mind-blowing with Bryan." She replied.

"Was I honestly bad at sex?" Hunter asked.

"It felt that way to me, on a comparison to how it was with Bryan. But…" Ashley stopped a moment. "I think it's because we weren't right for one another, Hunter. It wasn't incredible or good for me because you and I weren't in love. Yes, we loved one another, but it wasn't being in love. There's no way to deny the physical feelings we got from sex…"

"But it's completely different when you do it with the right person…" Hunter stated before she could say anything.

"Yeah…So no, Hunter…I don't think you're actually bad at having sex, it just wasn't good for me with you. And I'm sure your nervousness didn't help much either, but I won't hold it against you. It wasn't my place to say you were bad." Ashley stated lightly. "I never meant to hurt you, Hunter. I know I did, and the truth would have been easier and-,"

"Stop." Hunter put his hand up. "I get it." He added as Ashley stared at him. "Yes, telling me the truth would have been easier…But we can't go back and do things over again. Everything makes sense now…" He said.

"What do you mean?" Ashley tried.

"Come on, let's get back." Hunter replied. Ashley didn't understand, but she walked with him back into the room and returned to the table. Hunter didn't quite face her as it seemed he was deep in thought while the friends wondered just what had been said. Nicole went beside her boyfriend and lightly touched his arm.

"Baby? Are you alright?" Nicole asked, Taking a deep breath, and letting it out; Hunter turned and faced them. More specifically; Ashley.

"Ashley…" Hunter said as she gathered whatever courage she had to face him and whatever he had to say.

"Go on…I can take whatever it is. I know I fucked up, and hurt you, and-," Ashley started.

"And I forgive you." Hunter cut her off. Ashley's eyes widened, so did the other's at the table and Nicole standing beside him.

"Wh-What?" Ashley stammered.

"I forgive you for what you did." Hunter repeated for her.

"But I…Don't understand. You said last week…" Ashley began.

"That was before I learned what I did tonight, and in lieu of the new information…I'm choosing to forgive you." Hunter informed. "I'll explain…" He paused, still looking at her seriously. "I will forever hold it against you for how you went about things because it was still wrong. You still should have talked when I asked you to, and you still should have told me the truth about the matter. And you really need to work on your communication and explanation skills because had I known all this when it first came out at that sleepover, and then more last week…Things would have been different. Again, it was still wrong as fuck…But hearing what I did tonight as I did changes things from last week when I said what I did."

Ashley stood there in shock still. "I-I don't-," She tried.

"The last two times that things about the breakup have come out and my reactions were based on what was said. However, had you explained things on those two instances as you did tonight; I would have forgiven you then. You need to understand how it came out to me in the way that you said things, leaving me to only believe how it was stated. Tonight, you genuinely showed me that you were sorry, and you explained why those things happened in a way that shows me you weren't just being a fake, cold, heartless bitch. And because of those explanations, I see things differently. Don't get it twisted, it was still messed up of you…But now it's been put in a way that I can not only relate, somewhat…But forgive. So as I said, I will forgive you for what happened when we were together." Hunter explained.

"I'm…Gods, I'm more than grateful because I don't deserve it…But Hunter…I don't understand what is different. I still cheated on you, used you…Why would you forgive me?" Ashley inquired.

"Because of something very specific that you said to me," Hunter paused a moment. "That when you're with Bryan, it was completely different than when you were with me. That you loved me, but you love him more." Ashley arched her brow at him. "Ashley…Tonight you explained to me that after Bryan kissed you; your feelings changed suddenly and you didn't understand why. You told me the reason you didn't leave me was because you wanted to make sure that your feelings weren't playing tricks on you about who you loved. That you wanted to make sense of everything, so you didn't go making a choice that you might later regret. Tonight you told me that you loved me, but you are in love with him. That everything with him was better because of that love being stronger. And while I'm still not thrilled how you went about it…I won't knock it and I will forgive it."

"So you forgive me for…Doing what I did to you?..." Ashley asked.

"Look, I'll make this easy. I understand the difference between loving someone and being in love with them. I get how things are different from when you love someone, to being in love with someone. Being or falling in love, Ashley, is not something you control. It just happens. You and I started off at like, worked our way up through that year to saying we loved one another. But when Bryan kissed you; you had no control over what happened. It's no different than when I told Nikki that I did love you, but what I feel for her is so much stronger. Everything with her is different and stronger than when I was with you. So on that reasoning you gave me of how you felt after meeting Bryan, is why I'm choosing to forgive this. Because I get where your head was at during everything, still not the best method; still should have told me the truth…" He took a moment.

"But I get it, and I forgive you. I'm still gonna put it behind me, and I still stand by what's done is done. However, it's in the sense that our past as former lovers is done. Air is cleared, whatever you want to call it. And I can't guarantee that it will be instantaneous…" Hunter saw her eyes widen. "But if you'd like to, perhaps we can work on being friends again."

Ashley still couldn't believe it, but she knew that it definitely happened. "I'd…Like that a lot." Ashley said.

"Great, then we're good here and can kill the seriousness by going back to having fun." Hunter stated with a smile. He offered his hand to Nicole now. "Milady, would you care to join me for a dance?" Nicole, still a bit surprised, just nodded and took his hand. Hunter guided her out to the dance floor, leaving the friends in shock to look at Ashley for some kind of explanation of what happened between them, and pulled Nicole close as the song was slow.

"Okay, so what the hell was all that about?" Nicole wondered.

"I'll tell you tomorrow over breakfast. Right now…I just want to enjoy the rest of this night with you." Hunter replied lightly. Nicole smiled, how could she argue with that? This was a big night for them and it didn't need to have anymore issues like what just happened between Hunter and Ashley.

"Then let's enjoy the night." Nicole said. Hunter leaned in and kissed her deeply as Nicole blushed and returned the action. They broke apart and just continued to dance; prom was over in an hour, so they wanted to make the best of whatever was left of it before they got on to the second part of their night together, which was shaping up to be absolutely incredible.