Family Troubles || Redlyn

Worry

Big Red's POV

Once Ashlyn left, I walked to Madeline's room. "Do you not have an ounce of sympathy?" I asked her. "Ashlyn's an angel."

"Whatever."

"She's hurting, so just... please don't talk to her. Okay?" I was extremely angry at her. She made a shrug, but she also nodded, so I left.

Ashlyn called me an hour later, while I was scrolling through my phone on my bed. I picked up as soon as I could, plugging my phone in as I realized it was on 4%

"Hey Biggie." Ashlyn wiped a tear of her face, trying to hide it by using her shirt instead of hand. "How are you?"

"How are you?" I asked her.

"I'm... just as confused as ever."

"Why?"

"My dad is planning on moving. I just don't know what I have to do yet." She stared somewhere offscreen. I don't think she was actually looking at anything.

"Everything will be fine. You know that."

"I don't want to move away from you. Or anyone." She moved her head to look at me again. Another tear rolled down her face. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Ashlyn."

"U- Um... what if we change?" Ashlyn asked. I made a confused look on my face, and she continued. "What if we drift apart? If you find someone else?"

"We won't. Listen to me: I'm not any less dedicated to this relationship than you are. If anything, I'm more. I love you." I paused. "You might not have to move. Let's not dwell on it." I suggested.

"Yeah." Ashlyn nodded, smiling slightly. "I guarantee you you aren't more dedicated."

"How do you know?" I asked her, smiling.

"Just isn't possible."

"I don't think so. Call it even?"

"Hmph... fine." Ashlyn faked a pout, making her break out into laughter after. I joined in, laughing. Her laugh's so beautiful. "Thanks. You can always cheer me up."

"Don't mention it. You'd do the same." I beamed at her. There was a pause, some noice coming from Ashlyn's side of the phone.

"Oops, I gotta go. Dinner." She waved. "Talk to you later." She hung up.

I laid back against my pillow as I sighed. I didn't know what I was doing. I may have said something helpful to Ashlyn from time to time, but I had no idea how to keep acting like a rock from her. She was going through so much, and I didn't understand any of it. My parents were happily married (thank God) and I'd never had to move. I was really worried about how Ashlyn would progress in the time to come. I knew that if she had to move, she would be fine, but her mental health seemed... unstable, right now.

I kept telling her not to worry, and she shouldn't, but I was worrying too.