So.. What Now?
The next morning, Ash woke up with a dull ache throbbing in his stomach and a storm of emotions swirling in his chest. The bruise from the fight wasn't just on his body, it was imprinted on his mind also, seared by Drew's venomous words. Every syllable replayed in his head like a broken record: "You're a loser who's way out of her league."
Ash sat up in bed, his jaw tightening as he ran a hand through his messy hair. He knew the logical thing would be to stay out of May's business, but logic had no place in the storm Drew had unleashed. "I can't let him control her life, or mine.. that's exactly what he wants." he thought.
Later that day, the band gathered in Brock's living room, the tension was right in front of them and revenge was on everyone's minds. No one had fully shaken off the anger and humiliation from the ambush.
Brock was the first to break the silence. "Look I'm just going to come out and say it, we can't let this slide. Drew crossed a line, and if we don't do something, he'll just keep pushing us around."
Gary's expression was dark as he leaned forward, his arms crossed. "Drew's been a jerk for as long as I can remember, but this? This was personal. He's obsessed with May, and it's dangerous. He's not going to stop unless we make him."
Paul's calm voice cut through the room. "We can't just rush in. Drew's got numbers, and he's probably expecting us to retaliate. If we're not smart, we'll play right into his hands."
Ash sat back, absorbing their words. He hated how powerless he felt. "I don't want to fight him," he said finally, his voice steady despite the anger boiling inside. "But I'm not letting him threaten me or control May. We'll stop him together but we need to be smart about it."
Brock nodded slowly. "Then we need to involve May. If she knows what's going on, she can make it clear to Drew that she's not his."
Ash's stomach twisted at the thought of dragging May into this mess. She deserved peace, not the chaos Drew was stirring up. But Brock was right. If Drew was willing to ambush them before their concert, who knew what he'd do next?
"I'll talk to her," Ash said quietly.
Gary's gaze hardened. "And if Drew tries anything again, we'll make him regret it."
With Drew
Drew paced back and forth in his room, his green hair usually nicely combed in a side part was a complete mess and his eyes dark with frustration.
Solidad stood near his window, her arms crossed as she watched him silently. She was shocked that Drew had even called and asked for her to come over considering the circumstances at the moment, but something about his behavior at that moment had started to gnaw at her.
"I've had it with Ash," Drew spat, his voice cold and venomous. "He thinks he can just swoop in and take May from me? I'm going to show him what happens when he crosses the line."
Solidad frowned, a flicker of unease crossing her face. "Drew, you already ambushed him last night. Isn't that enough? What are you even planning to do?"
Drew stopped pacing and fixed her with an icy glare. "It's not enough until he knows his place. I'll make it so he's too scared to even look at her again." His fists clenched tightly, and his voice dropped to a menacing whisper. "I'll beat him so bad he won't ever be able to sing another note! "
Solidad's stomach twisted at the intensity in Drew's tone. She had always known he was possessive, but this… this was something else entirely. His anger was unrelenting, consuming him in a way that made her skin crawl.
"Drew," she said cautiously, her voice steady despite the nerves bubbling inside her. "This is going too far. May doesn't belong to you. She's her own person."
He laughed bitterly, the sound sharp and hollow. "Don't act like you're all innocent Solidad. You should have known this entire time that I was never going to leave her for a side piece like you ."
Her chest tightened at his words, the truth of them hitting her like a slap. For months, she had gone to fool around with Drew, sneaking behind May's back. But now, seeing the rage boiling beneath his surface, she couldn't ignore the guilt pressing down on her.
"This isn't right," she said softly, almost to herself. "May doesn't deserve this. None of them do."
Drew turned to her, his eyes narrowing. "Don't start getting sentimental on me now. Him and his stupid little band are all gonna get what's coming to them."
"No, Drew it doesn't have to be this way." Solidad said, her voice growing firmer. "Look at yourself, Drew. You're obsessed. You're hurting people, and for what? Because May was just hanging around with her friend? Relationships are supposed to be about trust! That's not love, Drew, it's control."
His face twisted with fury, and before she could react, he grabbed her arm roughly. "You think you're better than me now, huh?" he hissed, his grip tightening. "Don't forget who's been there for you, Solidad. Don't you dare turn your back on me."
Solidad winced at the pressure on her arm but refused to back down. "You're not the Drew I used to know," she said, her voice shaking. "The Drew I knew was arrogant, sure, but he wasn't cruel. This… this is something else."
"Shut up!" Drew snapped, shoving her back. She stumbled but caught herself, her heart pounding. "You don't know anything. None of you do. May belongs with me, and if I have to get rid of Ash to make that happen, than so be it."
Solidad's eyes filled with tears, but she held them back, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. For the first time, she truly saw him for what he had become, angry, bitter, and willing to destroy anyone who stood in his way.
As Drew turned away from her, muttering under his breath about his next plan, Solidad's mind raced. She had made mistakes, big ones. But she couldn't let Drew go through with this. May deserved the truth, and Ash deserved to know what was coming to him.
She took a shaky breath and slipped out of the house while Drew was distracted, her heart pounding. She didn't know how she would fix things, but she knew one thing for certain, she couldn't keep enabling Drew. It was time to make things right.
That afternoon, Ash found himself standing outside May's house, his fist hovering over the door. His heart pounded against his ribs. This wasn't just about telling her what Drew had done, it was about protecting her, about someone finally talking some sense into her that Drew wasn't the right one for her.
When May opened the door, her warm smile was like a ray of sunlight cutting through the storm in Ash's mind. "Hey, Ash! What's up? I didn't expect to see you today."
"Hey, May," Ash said, his voice hesitant. "Can we talk? It's… important."
Her smile faltered, concern filling her eyes. "Of course. Come in."
They sat on the couch, the cozy living room suddenly feeling too small for the weight of the conversation.
Ash took a deep breath, his hands clenched into fists on his lap. "It's about Drew."
May's brows knit together. "What about him? Did something happen?"
Ash hesitated. The words felt heavy, but he forced them out. "Before the concert last night, Drew and his friends ambushed me and the guys. He… made it clear he wants me to stay away from you."
May's eyes widened in shock. "What? Are you serious?" She asked now undestanding why Ash called him out. "Why would he do that?"
"Because he thinks he owns you," Ash said bitterly. "He told me to stay away from you and that I should know my place. He threatened me, May."
For a moment, May sat frozen, her face a mixture of disbelief and fury. Then she spoke, her voice low but trembling with anger. "Ash, I'm so sorry. I didn't know he'd do something like that. He's always been… possessive, but I never thought…" She trailed off, her hands gripping the edge of the couch.
"It's not your fault," Ash said firmly. "But you need to know what he's capable of. If we don't stand up to him, he's going to keep hurting people. Maybe even you."
May's expression darkened. "Ash, you don't understand. Drew's been… changing for months. He used to be so sweet, but lately…" Her voice broke, and she looked away.
"What is it, May?" Ash asked gently.
She hesitated, then pulled up her sleeve, revealing a deep, dark bruise on her arm. "He's been abusive."
The words hit Ash like a thunderbolt. He shot to his feet, his voice sharp with alarm. "Abusive?! May, we have to stop him! You shouldn't have to go through this!"
Tears welled up in May's eyes, spilling down her cheeks as she nodded. "I was scared, Ash. I didn't know how to make it stop. I thought… maybe it was my fault."
"It's not your fault," Ash said fiercely, sinking to his knees in front of her. He reached out, brushing his fingers gently over the bruise. "You deserve so much better than this."
The air between them was heavy.
"I can't believe Drew would go this far," May said, her voice she sat beside Ash. "It's like he's a completely different person than the guy I used to know."
Ash frowned, leaning forward to clasp his hands together. "I don't want you to blame yourself for what he's done, May. This isn't your fault."
May sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I know it's not my fault, but… part of me feels responsible. I ignored the red flags, Ash. I thought Drew was just being protective, but now I see it for what it was.. control. And I let it happen for so long."
Ash reached out hesitantly, resting a hand on hers. "You didn't let anything happen. Drew's the one who crossed the line, not you. And now that we know what he's capable of, we can handle it together. He doesn't get to dictate your life anymore."
May looked up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You really mean that?"
"Of course I do," Ash said firmly. "You're stronger than you think, May. You don't have to face this alone."
For a moment, May didn't respond. She simply stared at Ash, her heart pounding in her chest. It had been so long since anyone had looked at her the way Ash did, with genuine care and respect. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, there was a loud, frantic knock at the door.
May and Ash exchanged a startled glance. "Who could that be?" May asked, standing up.
"I don't know, but it sounds urgent," Ash said, rising to his feet.
May walked to the door and opened it cautiously, her expression shifting to surprise as she saw who was standing there. "Solidad?"
Solidad stood on the porch, out of breath and visibly shaken. Her normally composed demeanor was gone, replaced by a frantic energy that immediately put both Ash and May on edge.
"May, I need to talk to you. Both of you," Solidad said, her voice trembling. "It's about Drew."
May's face hardened, and she crossed her arms. "Why would you want to talk about Drew? And why are you even here?"
"Please, just let me explain," Solidad pleaded. " It concerns you Ash. It's important."
Ash stepped forward, his protective instincts kicking in. "What's going on, Solidad? If this is some kind of trick—"
"It's not a trick!" Solidad interrupted, her voice breaking. "Please, just let me in. I'll tell you everything, but we don't have much time."
May hesitated, her anger battling with her curiosity. Finally, she stepped aside, allowing Solidad to enter. "Fine. Come in please."
The three of them sat in the living room, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Solidad fidgeted with her hands, her gaze darting between Ash and May as she tried to find the right words.
"I need to start by saying I'm sorry," Solidad began, her voice shaky. "To both of you. May, especially to you. I've been… I've been going behind your back for months, hooking up with Drew."
May's eyes widened in shock, her hands clenching into fists. "What? Are you serious right now—"
"I know," Solidad said quickly, tears welling in her eyes. "I know how bad it sounds. And you're right to be angry with me. But I didn't realize how far Drew had fallen until recently. At first, I thought it was just quick hookups, but… he's changed, May. He's not the person I thought he was."
Ash crossed his arms, his jaw tightening. "So you're telling us this now because… what? You feel guilty?"
"Yes," Solidad admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But it's more than that. I'm telling you because Drew is planning something, something dangerous. He's out of control, Ash. He's been ranting about how he's going to hurt you.. really bad.' He said he's going to make sure you never go near May ever again."
Ash's eyes darkened, and he stood abruptly, his fists clenching at his sides. "Let him try. I'm not afraid of Drew."
"You should be," Solidad said, her voice rising in desperation. "You didn't see him how I did. He's not just angry, he's obsessed. He's spiraling, and I don't know what he's capable of anymore."
May shook her head, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and disbelief. "Why are you only telling us this now, Solidad? You were clearly having the time of your life then, why didn't you say something sooner?"
"I was scared," Solidad admitted, tears streaming down her face. "I didn't want to believe it. He would always tell me that he was planning on leaving you so that we can be together but I was the idiot who believed him.. He's snapped May. And now he's targeting Ash and his band."
May's hands trembled as she processed Solidad's words. Her voice was barely above a whisper when she spoke. "He doesn't own me. No one does."
Ash placed a comforting hand on May's shoulder, his expression softening. "We'll handle this, May. Together. Drew doesn't get to dictate your life, and he definitely doesn't get to threaten me."
Solidad looked at them both, her heart heavy with regret. "I know I've done terrible things, but please… let me help. I want to make things right."
May stared at her for a long moment before finally nodding. "You can help by telling us everything you know about Drew's plans. We need to be prepared for whatever he's going to throw at us."
Solidad nodded, her resolve hardening. "I'll tell you everything. I won't let him hurt you, May. Or Ash."
The three of them sat together, devising a plan to confront Drew and put an end to his manipulations once and for all. But as the sun began to set outside, a sense of unease lingered in the air. They all knew the fight was far from over.