He smiled at me and opened his arms. I jumped in his arms with no hesitation
"Hey, Ashton, how have ya been?" He asks hugging me.
"I've been good," I giggle. "How long are you going to be here?"
"Well, when they call me in," he said.
Connor is Ace and I's older brother. He's in the airforce, so we don't get to see him a lot. I love when he's around and Ace does, too. Ace can't act like such an ass around me. Well,Connor won't let him.
I let go of him and looked up at him.
"Lets go to Blue Point Diner," Connor smiled.
"Yeah!" I cheer.
I run in zigzags across the yard. I heard Connor laugh. I never realized how much of a happy child I am.
All three of us walked into town. Though, it did take longer than neccesary. A lot of people stopped to talk to Connor. Even Mr. LaChance talked to him. I guess since Dennis and him played on the football team.
We finally reached the diner and got a table. Connor sat on one side of the booth and I sat in the other.
"Move over, Squirt," Ace slaps my arm and pushes me.
I scoot over and Ace sits in the same booth as me. Connor smiles at us before clapping his hands together.
"So? How have you two been?" He asks. "Ashton, have you made any friends since I left?"
"Well, for starters, Ace joi—," I couldn't finish. Ace punched me in the thigh and I felt a charliehorse coming on.
"Ah," I winced.
"Ashton, what's wrong?" Connor asked worried.
"Uh, I accidentally hit my knee against the wall," I lied.
Ace smirked and I rolled my eyes.
"But yeah, I have made some new friends," I smile.
"Oh, what are they like?" Connor folded his arms on the table.
"Yeah, Ash," Ace dangerously leans into me.
"Uh, well they're really cool. We like the same things," I say not going into detail.
"Are you still friends with Alice?" Connor asked.
"Yeah huh," I nod.
The waitress comes and takes our order.
"How was your mission, Connor?" Ace asks him.
"Good. Snuck up on the bastards and took 'em out," Connor answered.
"Then what took so long?" I frowned.
"I had to stay there just in case they needed me," Connor smiled a sad smile.
"Mm," I look down.
The bell on the door was hit letting people know someone was entering. I looked up and scowled at the person. The person smirked at me before looking at the back of Connor's head. The person walked over to our table.
"Eyeball?" Ace looked at him.
Ace glared at Chris causing Chris to avert his eyes to Connor.
"Hey, Richard," Connor greets Eyeball.
Oh shit, they know each other!
"Long time no see, Connor," Eyeball smiled.
"Who's this?" Connor nodded his head at Chris.
"My little bro, Chris," Eyeball answered.
"Nice to meet you, Sir," Chris whispered.
"The fuck do you want, Eyeball?" Ace asked.
"Billy, Charlie, Vince, Fuzzy and I are going to play Mailbox Baseball. You comin?"
"Yeah, later. I'm gonna hang out with Connor," Ace responded.
Eyeball nodded and walked away with Chris.
"Richard has gotten older," Connor smiled and turned to look at me. "Ashton, what do you think about playing for the little league?"
"Uh...I don't know, Connor. My arm...," I trailed off and scratched the back of my neck.
"Your arm?" Connor repeated.
"Yeah, remember..."
One time, Connor brought his military friends home. I snuck out of the house that night. When I came back, I jumped through my window. One of Connor's friends just by happens to be up there and thought I was a robber. I don't know how, just because I had on black I guess. Plus, I think Connor failed to mention that he had younger siblings. Anyway, the person attacked me. They bent my left arm the wrong way, and the effect was that I can't raise it or bend it to a certain extent.
"Oh," he nodded.
"Why not, Ash?" Ace slapped me on the back.
"I just said why," I sigh.
"Are you sure?," he pushes."I think Chris is the little league coach."
"Positive," I roll my eyes. "Wait what?"
"Well, maybe you can try with your right," Connor took a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to me.
The waitress came back with my milkshake and Connor's burger and fries. I put my straw in my milkshake and was about to take a sip, but Ace beat me to the punch. He took a long drag from it. I frown at him and he only smirks. He slides it back and I instantly wipe the straw with my napkin.
After dinner, we head home, but Connor parts from us.
"I'm going to Mr. LaChance's house," he told us.
"Okay," I nodded.
I parted from Ace and headed to the tree house. I did the secret knock and they let me in. I instantly complained how hot it was.
"Gawd, why the hell is it so hot?" I whined.
"Why don't you take off your shirt?" Teddy suggest.
"I'm a girl, you pervert," I glared at Teddy.
"So? It's not like you have anything to hide. Eeeeee-eeee!" Teddy laughed.
"For one thing, you have on a long sleeve shirt," Chris pointed out.
"Yeah, but it was cold this morning," I said.
"Ash, it was 70 degrees," Gordie said.
I shrugged. "Well, I have to go. I don't want Ace to throw a bitch fit, and tell Connor I'm home late."
"Later," Vern waves.
"See ya, Ash," Gordie pats me on the back.
The rest of the guys wave and I leave the treehouse. I run home and took the trail in the woods like a idiot. That leads right to my backyard and too many things has happened back there.
I reach my backyard and see the whole Cobra gang and...my braless teacher? What the hell?!
"Looks who's back, Boys," Eyeball points me out.
Oh, thanks jackass.
Everybody turned to look at me. My teacher smiles at me.
"Hello, Ashton," she greets. "I told your brother about how much of a bad girl you are in my class."
I raise my eyebrow utterly confused.
"Yeah, you're going to pay for it, Squirt," Ace smiles evilly at me.
I avert my eyes to the ground not wanting to look at my teacher's upper body.
"Uh, Ms. Aaren, aren't you going to lose your teaching liscence? You know, because you're kind of a cougar," I had to be honest. She can't do anything, we're not in school. Hahahahaha!
"Not if you don't tell," I could tell she was smirking.
I opened my mouth and was about to say something smart, but I decided not to. Just excuse yourself, Ash. "Excuse me for a moment." I turned around and started thinking.
'You're walking around shirtless and there's a walker trail that leads right into this acres of grass and you expect no one to see you?! Billy probably snapped a picture and oh boy, he won't keep his mouth shut.'
I turned around, but kept my eyes to the ground. I sighed. I looked up at Ace considering I'm only up to his waist, or smaller. I closed my right eye blocking out the sun and my teacher,and squinched my left.
"Ace, can I have money?" I asked innocently.
"What for, Squirt?" He crossed his arms over his chest.
"There aren't any groceries in the house, and there's nothing to eat," I told him.
"Yeah, Ace, look how scronny she is," Billy picked me up by my waist and turned me upside down.
"Stop, I hate being upside down," I whined.
Billy raised my shirt over my head and tossed it to the side.
"Look how ribby she is," Eyeball pointed me out AGAIN.
My ribs were poking out of my skin. Billy ran his fingers over my ribs, and it felt funny.
I was suddenly dropped and I squealed. Someone caught me by my ankles before I hit the ground. I slightly raise my head and noticed Eyeball was holding me. Billy and Eyeball obviously switched.
"Yeah, and flat chested like a boy. Ace man, maybe you should marry Ms. Aaren, so she can get a bigger chest," Eyeball smiled down at me.
"Genetics, Dumbass," I said. "Remember that."
I reached out for my shirt and grabbed it. I pulled it over my head. I struggled to put it on since I was upside down. Eyeball dropped me and I rolled over onto my stomach.
"We're about to go play Mailbox Baseball. Tell Connor we're at Irby's Billard," Ace told me.
"Connor's 27, not dumb. He'll figure it out. You forgot, that it closes at 9. By the time you get there and he's home, the place will be close. I won't have nothing to tell him, but the truth," I told him.
"No, you're going to get in trouble for lying to him," Ace smirked.
"You will, too! You made me!" I argued back.
"Yeah, but if I get in trouble," he started to laugh. "Remember, Connor isn't going to be here forever. You'll be all mine when he's gone."
I sighed. I got up and headed to the house. I headed up to the bathroom and decided to take a shower. I turned on the shower and stepped in. The feeling of the hot water on my bleach blonde hair and pale skin felt nice. After 30 minutes, I exit the bathroom and head to my room. I change into my baby blue night gown. I get in the bed and fall asleep.
A couple of hours later, I woke up to someone shaking me. I groan and reached my hand behind me to swat at them.
"Ashton, where is John?" Connor asked me.
"Playing Mailbox Baseball," I sleepily said. Oh crap, I didn't mean to say that! I sit up quickly and try to tell Connor that I was joking, but he was gone.
"Oh no, I'm gonna get it now." I get up and grab my jacket. I put it on and zip it up. I run downstairs, run out the house, and headed to the treehouse. When I got there, I was surprised to see someone there.
"Chris?"
