Hello dudes. Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I've been so swamped with school work this month that I've hardly been getting any sleep. So, I have this story finished, done, in my notebook, so I can tell you that there are 5 chapters left, but I'm still on the fence with the ending, so I'll probably re-write it. So here is chapter 19!

Stolen Hearts

[Ashley's P.O.V]

"Really now?...No Mom, I understand, I just… It's not even like that… I'm not the one who left, I tried okay, don't try and play the innocent Mom card… I'm hanging up."

So it's been a week since Kyla and I have moved to Ohio, and to say the least it's been pretty boring. Spencer has school, and Kyla does Yoga all day. Not to mention the fact that there is little to nothing to do here anyway.

But today, I was graced with this wonderful phone call from my Mom. Apparently, she is deeply saddened at the fact of the move. Which makes no sense, all she's ever done is wanted me to leave. She must be reading those parenting magazines again.

"ASHLEYYY"

Can't she walk down the stairs like a normal person to talk to me? I walk up to her room to see her in a very awkward position she calls the 'Sitting Goose.'

"What…?"|

"You won't believe who just called me." She exclaims.

"Let me guess, my Mom?"

She stands up and stretches into some new weird position with one leg behind her head.

"OH MY GOSH, how did you know? "

"She called me first."

Now she takes her leg down, and puts the other leg behind her head.

"Well, she's coming here. Tomorrow."

What? No she isn't, she didn't tell ME that.

"No, no she really isn't. She's not allowed."

Kyla puts her leg down again and walks over and sits on the edge of her bed.

"Well, I guess she's just trying to be a good Mom Ashley. I mean, I know you guys have a suckish relationship, but you have to give her credit for trying."

No, she, didn't. Kyla has NO idea, she has NO right to say that.

"If you have forgotten you haven't always been my sister. You haven't always been around, you have no idea how things between her and I have been. You have no right to sit here and tell me I need to give her credit."

Kyla looks at me shocked, she goes to say something, but I just keep talking.

"On my thirteenth birthday, she was in Mexico. I didn't get a call, no card, I got nothing. On my sixteenth birthday she left me a voicemail asking to go grocery shopping. When I had my first crush on a boy, she wasn't there. When I came out to her, she pushed me away, and when I tried to get closer to her, she told me she didn't love me anymore."

Kyla looks at me like a lost little puppy.

"Look, Ash, I didn't know about all of that okay? I'm sorry."

I just roll my eyes and walk away. I can't deal with her right now. I can't talk to Spencer right now; all I want to do is go sit at the beach. But oh wait, there are no beaches.

[No P.O.V]

"Kyla, what happened, I can't find Ashley anywhere. And when I called her, it just went to voicemail." Spencer asks while walking into Kyla's room.

She finds Kyla at her computer typing away.

"She freaked out at me and left. Her Mom called, and I assumed things, and she blew up over it. You know how she is."

Kyla turns around in her chair to face Spencer.

"Yeah, I know how she can be. Why did her Mom call anyway?"

Kyla takes a deep breath before answering.

"Well, she's flying here, tomorrow."

Spencer's face drops; she grabs her purse, and heads for the door.

[Ashley's P.O.V]

Okay, so there are officially no beaches anywhere, but I did find a lake not too far from Spencer's house. I'm just sitting here, thinking about everything. About how I'll react when my Mom shows up, about what she might say to Spencer, oh my gosh, what will she say to Spencer?

I look out across the lake, and just try to think of what to do.

It's probably bad that I just left anyway, Spencer is probably freaking out by now.

Ugh, and Kyla. Sometimes I just don't understand her. She had a Mom all her life, I didn't. We both didn't have a Dad in our life, but at least she had her Mom. Hell, her Mom still calls her every week. She still invites her home. She makes her dinner, and tells her she loves her.

I don't even know how that would ever be. If my Mom ever told me she loved me, it would probably be a lie. If she ever tried to cook me dinner, it would explode.

While I'm sitting here thinking I don't notice Spencer come and sit next to me until she talks.

"I used to come here all the time when I was little."

I jump a little at her voice because it startles me out of my thoughts. I don't say anything and let her keep talking.

"It was always the only place Glen or my parents couldn't bother me. Sometimes my Dad would just come out here and sit with me. We never talked to each other, we just sat. It's really pretty when it snows too. We used to go ice skating on it when it freezes over. Maybe we can do that when it gets cold?"

I couldn't tell if it was a question or a suggestion. But I decide to answer anyway.

"As long as you promise not to let me fall, I'll go ice skating with you."

She laughs a little bit before speaking.

"It's a deal… So, want to tell me what happened? Well, of course you don't, but you're going to anyway."

I look at her and roll my eyes. I seem to be doing that a lot today.

"She always does this to me. When I'm happy, finally happy, she does something to ruin it. I mean, I don't get how she can think its okay to just fly here. I'm not sure what she's expecting to happen, but whatever it is, is just a waste of her time. I've tried. You know that."

She sighs, looks out over the lake, and grabs my hand.

"I know you have Ash, and I've seen how much it hurts you. I know you don't want to believe it, but maybe she's finally catching on. Maybe after watching you move across the country, away from her, put something into perspective. I'm not saying that it's exactly what she had in mind, for all we know she IS just coming here to piss you off, but you have to hear her out."

I know she's right, but it still doesn't change how I feel about the whole thing. It doesn't help ease my mind, or make me any less mad with my Mom.

"I hated my Mom so much when she kicked you out Ash. I thought I would never be able to forgive her for hating who I was. I didn't think I could be okay with the fact that she thought everything I was, and the person I loved, was wrong. But she finally started trying. It was slow, REALLY slow, but she's come such a long way, maybe, this is just your Mom's first step."

She was right, everything with Paula was horrible for a long time, but now we're friends. We have civil conversations, and don't even have to force smiles at each other. But how can I just let go a lifetime of disappointment?

"Assuming that's why she's coming, I'll try. But I can't make any promises that I won't just send her away."

She looks at me and nods before putting her head on my shoulder, and squeezing my hand.

"I guess we'll find out tomorrow morning huh Ash?"

Yeah, tomorrow, as in less than 15 hours from now, 15 hours before I have to face the one obstacle in my life that has always been the most emotionally draining. But I'm not alone anymore. I have Spencer, and I have Kyla. Plus, I'm sure I could talk Mr. C into throwing a few punches if needed… Not really, but I know him and Paula have my back too.

I can't hope but pray that Spencer is right. That maybe my Mom actually wants to try to be a part of my life, and isn't just coming her to ruin it.

We won't be able to buy back all the lost time when she was away, but maybe we could start over. Make new memories, and put the bad ones aside. Forgive, but never forget. Because forgetting would loosen the bond we could potentially build. If we remember, and see how far we've came, we'll be proud.

And maybe she'll make me dinner, and call me and tell me she loves me.

Or maybe she just wants something, like my money, not my love or company. A tiger never changes its stripes right? People can't really change, can they?