Hello! I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've been so busy studying for midterms. I'm skipping the actual plane ride because it would be boring for you to read, and boring for me to write. Anyway here it is chapter 13!

Stolen Hearts

[Ashley's P.O.V.]

So Spencer and I have been sitting in LAX for like two hours. Why you may ask, because Aiden is an ass and apparently doesn't have the time to come pick us up. Typical, I should have listened to Spencer and just never called him.

Speaking of Spencer, she's been so weird lately. Not like a bad weird, just distant and distracted weird. Like take last night for example, she went off about the shooting and Glen. She mentioned Aiden too. Part of me knows he's gone, but dead? There is no way. Just because someone is lost doesn't mean they have to be dead, right?

"Ash, should I call Kyla or…?"

"No it's fine, I will. This is so typical anyway; I should have known this would happen."

Ugh, welcome home right?

"Kyla, can you come pick us up? Jockstrap must have ignored all my messages and decided not to show."

Yeah, that's what happened. He either didn't get my messages, or he ignored them. No big deal.

"Yeah, I'm on my way. You okay Ash?"

"Do I have a reason not to be?"

Sisters, they worry way too much.

"No, never mind, I'll be there in 10."

She just hung up, doesn't anyone say goodbye anymore? Spencer has barely said 5 words to me ever since we got off the plane. She keeps spacing out, like completely. I could probably start jumping up and down like a monkey, and she wouldn't even notice.

"Spence...Spencer, earth to Spencer, its Ashley."

There has got to be something wrong. I'll have to talk to her when we get back, I have a feeling right now is a bad time.

"Sorry, just tired. I'm so not used to the time change."

Finally Kyla gets here, too her long enough. She helps us put our bags in the trunk and we get in her car. I sit shotgun and Spencer takes the back. I was going to climb back there with her, but something told me that wasn't a great idea.

"So, how was the flight?"

Remind me to tell Kyla how much I love her for breaking that awkward silence. The tension is so thick; I could have cut it with a knife.

"Fine, I slept the whole time; Ash was listening to her iPod. It wasn't anything special."

Yeah she slept while the little brat behind me kicked my seat for God only knows how long. I swear if Spencer hadn't been lying on my shoulder, and the kid didn't have a creepy Dad, I would have beaten his ass.

The rest of the ride home was silent. Kyla seems just as spacey as Spencer. There is defiantly something up. We get to the loft and I drag Spencer to my room. We need to talk, I can't take this anymore.

"Okay Spencer, what's up spill it. I know there's something wrong so don't play innocent with me."

Yep, no more good cop, it's time to get right to the point.

"Look, you wouldn't believe me if I even tried to explain it. You'd probably just get pissed off."

Okay, so now does she expect me to drop it? Because if she does, she's wrong, I just want to know whatever it is even more now.

"If you told me aliens took over my brain and they were making me their leader, I'd probably believe you. So just tell me, please?"

Okay, forget trying to beat it out of her, I've now resorted to begging. How pathetic am I? Next I'll be on my knees begging like a freaking dog.

"Just promise you won't get mad, and promise not to say anything until I finish. This is going to be the hardest thing to say and I don't want to have to say it twice."

Oh my God, she's breaking up with me? This can't be happening again. Not now, not after everything I've done to make this all right.

"I promise."

I see a tear run down her cheek, and I want to just kiss it away, but I can't. I know that I have a matching tear running down my cheek as well.

"Remember prom, and how I screamed for you to decide? Then it was mass chaos and gunshots and screaming everywhere?"

I just nod.

"And then we saw Glen go down, and I just stood there shocked. Then you and Aiden tried to make me run or something, you remember all that?"

God how could I forget? She looked so lost, like she had been the one shot. I've never been sorrier for anyone in my life.

"I couldn't forget."

"Do you remember what happened to us next Ash?"

This isn't fair. None of this is fair. I feel more and more tears run down my cheek. I feel the muffle in my throat as I try to talk.

"The driver with the gun drove closer to the sidewalk. He was just shooting everywhere. It was going to hit you, that bullet was going to hit you."

I can't hold it in anymore and I'm sobbing. Sitting on my bed, with Spencer, just crying my eyes out. She grabs my hand and keeps talking.

"And then Aiden jumped in front of us. He took the bullet. He died, not you, not me, Aiden."

He didn't.

"You're lying"

"Ashley open your eyes, please! It's okay that you are still upset about this; it's not something people can just move on from. You know what I see every time I close my eyes? I see Glen falling, looking completely helpless on the ground. I see his eyes roll into the back of his head as his head hits the ground. I hear the crack of more gunfire. And I see my brother, my best friend, take his last breath. It's not going to go away, but I'm dealing. One second at a time."

"It's not fair Spence. They were good people, good fucking people. Sure Glen was an ass, and Aiden had the worst time ever, but they were good. He shouldn't be gone, neither of them should. It's not right, none of this is right."

She just pulls me into a hug. It's not just a hug; she's pulling me into her soul. We just sit there, holding each other, and cry. We cry for Glen, we cry for Aiden, but most importantly, we cry for ourselves.

"Tomorrow, we'll figure everything out tomorrow."

It was barley a whisper, but I heard her. After saying tomorrow, I heard the three words that I need to keep me going.

"I love you Ash, we'll get through this. Together."