The week passes quickly, and Ash is sitting beside the pool as the last rays of sun go down in North Carolina. She turns to look at her friend, both of them wearing bathing suits as the pool is inside and can be as warm as they want it. "Honestly, so many rumors are going around about you leaving that it's embarrassing," Nicky says as she rolls over to look at Ash, just hanging around in her somewhat skimpy bikini.
Ash sighs. "Am I supposed to be surprised? Nicky, you're the only person in North Carolina I actually like who isn't family. Let's admit it, at that school, no body likes each other truly. You're the least fake one there." They'd been having small talk, mostly about the rumors of Ash being pregnant or a psycho witch, but she knows it's coming. When Nicky asks about how it is in LA.
"So, any cute guys over there?" Nicky asks. "I know how much you like taking pictures with your friends. Take 'em out, girl." Ash laughs. Only Nicky knows how much she enjoys taking pictures in general, but her friends are a bit of an exception. Ash doesn't want to be a photographer though. It just isn't really her style and it might take away the magic of the pictures in her mind.
"Okay, so this is Sean Boswell," Ash says, grabbing her phone and pulling the picture on the screen. "He's really sweet when he wants to be, but he can be a bit of a jerk too if required. I think he falls as a... four or five."
"Are you kidding? Six, for sure." Ash rolls her eyes. "We should so call him. My brother is still going at his hacking."
"Sure, he can be a prank call. Put him at the top of the list." Nicky takes a paper next to them and scrawls Sean's name. "Okay, then this is Neela and Gisele. Neela is with this jerk, DK is his nickname and Takashi is the real name, and she is so nice. She showed me around the first day. Then Gisele is just freaking amazing. She isn't afraid to throw down and she isn't half as revealing as the other girls at school. Neela isn't too bad about it either."
"Is Gisele dating anyone?"
"Yeah, hang on." Ash pulls out a picture of Gisele and Han together. "Han. He is... annoying. The first time we met, I met DK too. Racing scene is serious down there, man. Like, gag me with a biscuit serious." Back in third grade, Nicky and Ash always made a joke about gagging and one day, Brock was making gagging noises like he always did when they joked about it, and it turned out he was really gagging. So it stopped being so funny. "Anyway, they're like a little gang or team or whatever it is over there."
"Oh, tell me more," Nicky says. She has a thing for speed.
"It's a ton of explaining, and I'd do better with Neela and Gisele nearby. Okay, remember the blonde I said was really cute?" I pull up a picture of Jesse. "This is Jesse." Nicky's brows raise. "I told you so. He's a racer though, so mom wouldn't approve."
"Does your mom know any of these people?" Nicky asks.
"Nope," Ash says, popping the 'p' loudly. "Never will. All of my friends like cars. Liking cars is darn near a death sentence in my family." Ash sighs, resting her head on her hands. "I mean, I'm one of the only people there without a car. Anyone else who rides the bus is because they want to ride it, not because they have to. I'm the only there more than two days in a row, and not because my car is in the shop.'
Nicky whistles. "Wow. I never thought... So why don't you go get one?"
"Nicky, you know what happened with my dad," Ash replies. "I don't want to make mom go through that all over again with a kid." It's true, but Ash really wants to fit in. She's always wanted to fit in, but truth be told, she's afraid of cars now. After the accident, cars just aren't the same as before. Nicky can see it too.
"You should. I mean, your mom begged you to get one when you got your license at sixteen, Ash." Nicky takes a breath. "I think you're the one not ready to get a car. You're not your dad, Ash, and you won't ever be him. If you want a car, get a car. If you don't want to go fast, then don't go fast." Nicky drags her up and they go to her room.
Nicky suggested going to the bowling alley, and Ash suggested a movie. So they decide Saturday night is better for the movies, and they go to watch any random movie. "You know, I think I should go to LA for Christmas," Nicky says, gauging her friend's reaction. Ash smiles. "So you think it's a good idea?"
"Definitely," Ash answers, and the movie starts. Ash notices someone sits beside her, and an arm wraps over her shoulders. "I didn't know you'd be here." Her voice is low so she doesn't disturb anyone as she turns to meet a kiss. Morgan smiles into it, and Ash giggles just a little bit. "I told you I'd come back."
"I never said I didn't believe you, Sempers." Morgan replies, drawing back. He intertwines their hands and they just watch the movie with a bit of commentary like they usually do until Ash's phone rings. She's surprised to hear the tone, but gets up, Morgan following her, and goes outside the theater to answer it.
"Hey," she answers.
"Ashlynn, it's Gisele," the speaker says. "Where are you? I thought you'd be at the races."
"Oh, I'm, uhm... On a date with my boyfriend from North Carolina."
A pause. "Are you in North Carolina?"
"Yeeesss."
"So you went to North Carolina, even skipping school, for a date?"
"Of course not! I came down to visit family. I get homesick real easy, so I'm going to be going back and forth to North Carolina and LA for the next few months until I'm completely settled down." It is a bit of a lie, but it isn't too bad, all things considered. "I'll be back in school on Monday, Gigi."
"You better. I expect you to be at the races as soon as you aren't going back and forth, got it?" There's some background noise. "Han says he won't talk to you until you tell him your full name." More noise. "Twinkie says he won't talk to you until you take him up on the offer for a car, though I imagine that's a lie. You missed Sean losing against DK, and then Neela got DK all riled up by kissing Sean on the cheek."
"That girl," Ash says, shaking her head with a smile. "Why is she with DK when she should so be with Sean?"
"I don't know. I guess she has her reasons, especially with the whole family situation and their arranged marriage."
"I didn't know about that!"
"Oh, well now you do. Have fun on your date, Ashlynn."
"I will, Gigi." Ash hangs up with Gisele to have Morgan on her in seconds. Needless to say they spent just a few minutes outside than necessary.