Um yeah, long time no update - my bad, but thanks for all the feedback for the previous part.

Just so the few people still reading this know, I've changed the subject that Spencer is tutoring Ashley in from history to maths. And for the purpose of this fic both of Ashley's parents are like Papa Carlin

This is just an itty bitty part to show that this fic is still on my mind.

The lyrics at the beginning are from the Smokey Robinson song "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (think of The Beatles cover)

Chapter 3

I don't like you
But I love you
Seems that I'm always
Thinking of you
Oh, oh, oh
You treat me badly
I love you madly

"Um, hi." My voice sounds weak and I want to hit myself.

Ashley lowers her head so that her eyes peep out over her sunglasses, she raises an eyebrow signalling me to speak.

"Um, well I was um, wondering, about the tutoring," I paused to let my eyes fidget, "the maths tutoring, I was thinking that we should start," Ashley's left eyebrow lifted a little higher, "Start soon, you'know because we have a test coming up and…yeah."

In my peripheral vision I could see Madison shooting Ashley a confused look.

"Sure," Ashley shrugged as she spoke, "whatever."

"So… when… tonight?" my hands rung themselves in front of my waist as I spoke, my nerves apparent.

She sounded bored, "Fine."

"And where, I mean, your house or…"

"Yours!" Madison cut in, leaving both Ashley and myself to mirror the same confused expression, the Latina pulled her friends' head closer to her mouth and whispered quickly in her ear, and I was left feeling even more uncomfortable than before. The two friends nodded at each other before Ashley turned back to me and continued with her monosyllabic responses, "Yours."

I spoke with my eyes glued to my shuffling feet, "Oh okay, um, I'll meet you by reception at four?"

"Whatever." Her reply is short as she starts to push her sunglasses back up to the bridge of her nose with her index finger.

I'm about to turn and leave before Madison turns to look at me with ennui in her eyes, "You can go now."

I nod quickly and awkwardly as I turn away from the pair and head off in the opposite direction, unsure of my current destination, but eagerly anticipating four pm.

I found myself in my empty form room, half heartedly doing my homework thinking about the events of the previous afternoon - Mrs Ryan telling me to stay after class and being assigned to Ashley as her tutor. It felt almost surreal. I mean, being thrown together with Ashley after years of her being blissfully unaware of my existence, it seemed almost too good to be true. Maybe it was, maybe it is true; Ashley obviously doesn't want me as her tutor,

The way she acted earlier, it's like she doesn't even remember who I am, or how close we used to be.

I wonder if she remembers the time she had Chicken Pox and her mother quarantined her? I wonder if she remembers me sneaking into her room and giving her a bowl of soup, I wonder if she can remember grabbing for my arm and urging me to snuggle up to her under the covers? Maybe she remembers that and maybe she can remember her mother walking into her room to check on her and finding Ashley wrapped around me, with my small arms tightly wrapped around her equally small body, my exposed arms and face covered with the same red spots as the ones that her daughter wore?

Maybe her memory isn't as good as mine.

I can still feel her nose rubbing against my neck and her hands rubbing over my back in her sleep, the look of shock on Mrs. Davies face and the look of amusement on Mr. Davies face, I can still hear him making a joke about not being able to separate Ashley and myself; Ashley and Spencer – always joined at the hip, no matter what.

The bell signalling the end of the lunch break goes off, snapping me out of my thoughts and I wait for the rest of my tutor group to pour through the open door. Two more hours until four o'clock.