-Ashley's POV-
I went M.I.A to everyone on set days after that wedding scene walkout. When I came back everyone welcomed me warmly and I had to be my bubbly self in front of them. A part of me was really happy to be back but another part of me was still in pain. It's not easy to move on you know?! I didn't care to deny the issues about me and Ryan. I didn't wonder why people had starting talking about us though; he was practically the first person I talked to about what happened.
"I'm happy you showed up Ry" He was slouching on the bench when I arrived. I needed someone to listen to all my rants and he was the first person that came through my mind.
"Just because we broke up months ago that doesn't mean we stop being friends Ash" I sat beside him "So do you get to tell me or do I have to guess it?" I just smirked at him.
"I think you already know about it" I breathe heavily before talking again "I screwed up and now she won't talk to me. It's been a while since we talked and I miss her" Tears seem to find home on my cheeks lately
"Try talking to her again. You're not the crying type Ash" he nudged me managing to get a giggle from me
"So she could reject me again? I don't know if that's a good idea." I shook my head
"Don't give up on her benz at least not without a fight. Don't let your buttah melt away from you. Why don't you try a different approach" I'm glad I made the right choice of calling Ryan
"Fuck this feelings you know that? I lost my best friend" He used his index finger to lift my chin
"Listen to me and listen closely. She's not gone she just drifted away and if you don't do anything you might just lose her for good" I looked at him in the eye. Oh why does this man sound so logical now? "I know you love her but if she can't reciprocate your love you know I'm always here" I playfully smacked his head.
"Shut it up Mr. Good but thank you for being such a good friend"
I noticed since I came back Shay and Sasha's new found closeness. For a fact I saw them tickling each other on my first day back. It's not like they're not close before I mean all of us girls are like attached to the hips but I don't know I might just be…jealous? What the hell Ashley? Jealous of Sasha? She's the little girl of the family.
"Skittles?" Speaking of the devil and she offers you skittles. Sasha hands me a pack of original flavor skittles.
"Thanks squasha!" I smiled genuinely and accepted it. "I love these candies"
"She loves you more than skittles and you love her more than gobstoppers" I rolled my eyes at her tease
"Oh shut it you. So are these Shay's?" I popped another candy to my mouth
"Uh huh! She's been having so many freebies lately. I'm so jealous! Flowers the other day, pizza yesterday and now her favorite candy, maybe tomorrow she'll get free tickets to a vacation getaway of her choice." Sasha said dreamingly. "I wish I had an admirer like hers. It's kind of creepy though, B? What are we, like in Rosewood?" She laughed at it and I laughed along. Different approach.
-Shay's POV-
I was annoyed at myself for forgetting to grab a coffee on the way to the set. Everyone on PLL was fueled by caffeine and it just so happens I forgot to get mine. I went inside my dressing room to change in Emily's clothes and almost immediately I saw on my table a cup of coffee that awaits me. I picked up my coffee and read the note written on it. Another gift from some mysterious 'B'.
"Good morning beautiful. Start your day with a smile Shay, someone else's day starts with it. -B"
Playing the role of a girl who's bullied by the first letter of the alphabet gives me the creeps but who am I to turn down all the good stuffs. It's not like there's poison on it. I thought as I took a sip. Fat free French vanilla latte and B knows my usual drink. I already had my suspicions that this person was just part of the cast or crew but now it narrows on the people I'm really close with on set.
It was like that every morning. When I get in my dressing room a cup of coffee was waiting for me and sometimes it comes with cookies or brownies or muffins. I felt like I was being spoiled by someone and I am deeply grateful. Without warning someone barged to my door and I almost jumped from where I was seating.
"So what do you have now?" Troian said with Lucy and Sasha behind her
"You guys are just like the liars, ever heard of knocking?" I giggled and offered them the chocolate chip cookies. "I'm missing the two other girls where are they?"
"The two of them or just one?" Lucy asked with a teasing smirk
"Emotionally missing someone" Sasha said in her Alison DiLaurentis tone
I pulled away the box of cookies on their hands making their jaws drop
"Hey not fair! I didn't say anything" Troian said trying to reach out for a cookie
"But you laughed along. Okay seriously where are they?" I giggled and placed the cookie box on the table.
"Ashley's shooting a scene with Tyler and Janel's shooting the flashback scenes of Mona" Troian said taking another cookie
"We missed you Shay, you and Ashley. ButtahBenzo's a nut job but we miss it" Sasha said in a sad tone. I choked on the coffee I was sipping. The girls have mastered their transition of happiness to seriousness.
"Yeah. You guys interact but the tension is there. What happened with you two?" Lucy added.
"You've been like that since we came back from our month long break. Everyone notices it, we're concerned." I fell silent with what the three of them said.
"I miss my best friend too" I told them honestly
"Then talk to her Shay. Whatever you guys fought about I'm sure it's nothing you can't fix." If only they know what really happened between me and Ashley.
What could be more awkward than shooting a scene with Ashley alone. Hanna and Emily were in Emily's room talking about how they've grown apart since A got caught. Couldn't this be more ironic?
"What happened to us Hanna? A brought us back together when we thought Ali was dead and now that A's gone we're back on our separate ways" Shay said as her character Emily
"I don't know Em we just grew apart and…" Ashley stopped talking like she forgot her lines. Say it Ash. "I miss my best friend. There's not a day that passes by that I don't think about the fun things we do together or even the sad once we've had. I'd rather do hard with you than easy somewhere else" What is Ashley saying? It's not on the script. "I want to move back to Rosewood and I think you girls should too" there! Now that's from the script. As what I was supposed to do I gave Ashley a tight hug, okay tighter than it should be.
"Cut!" the director says and Ashley and I were still on our position, enjoying the moment.
"You girls could let go of each other now. Nice impromptu Ash. Good job Shay. You can now take your break" the director spoke again and it was only this time that we pulled away from each other. I looked at Ashley one more time and left. She looked sad as I was.
I spent some time alone on my room after leaving the last scene. I battled with inner thoughts whether or not to talk to Ashley. After all it was I who told her to stay away from me. Do what you're supposed to do Shay. I stood up and stormed away to Ashley's dressing room. I even forgot to knock first.
"What the—Shay?" Ashley said surprised by my sudden appearance
"We need to talk" I said with command
"Oh you want to talk now? I thought you wanted me to stay away?" She says in her trembling voice. Obviously she was partly angry and sad.
"And you did but I don't want you to anymore" her face looked more angry and she walked closely to me
"Easy for you to say Shannon because you don't know what it felt like to be rejected, to be left crying on a parking lot. I wanted to explain but you didn't let me. So now I have some kind of switch you turn off when you don't want me around and turn it on again when you want me back?" her voiced raised and both of us were in tears
"It's not like that Ashley. You think it was easy for me? I was hurting, you broke me Ashley. Do you think it's easy to act like everything's okay with you in front of the camera? Taking pictures with you on my back, smiling and pretending like nothing's wrong for the sake of the fans? Or do you think it was easy to hear Hanna's words to Emily about their friendship that's falling apart?" As much as I tried not to raise my voice I couldn't help it.
"I meant every word of it Shay. I wasn't acting. I said it exactly for you." She said in a lighter tone now
"I know. I know you're faking that jolly aura of yours. I could see it in your eyes." I wiped away her tears with my thumb
"It might have been too late for me to confess what I felt but all I want now is my best friend back" she said and for the second time our arms are wrapped around each other.
-Ashley's POV-
After the dramatic talks Shay and I continued talking about us without the tears until we had to go shoot on different scenes. I finished my scenes first and I sat down with the other girls on the lounge. Few minutes later Shay arrived bringing a box of chocolate.
"Are those from B?" Janel asked as she got some from the box and passed some to me. Shay nodded to her.
"I kissed a girl and I liked it, taste of her cherry chapstick…" a familiar song started playing which brought back a memory I tried to bury.
"Who's playing that? Shut it off!" I said grumpily
"Woah! Chill out Ash here I'm turning it off" Lucy said turning the music off. I saw Shay suppressing her laughter.
"What are you laughing at Mitchell?" I raised my brow at her
"Obviously you Benson." I know for sure she remembers something too from the song. I just shook my head laughing.
"I think I need more of those to keep calm" I opened my moth waiting for her to feed me and not to my dismay she did.
"Awwww. See? You two are the cutest best friends ever" Sasha complimented and everyone gathered around for a group hug. Phase 1, win her back, completed, time for phase two.