Family Troubles || Redlyn

Fight

Big Red's POV

Ashlyn wasn't at school the next day, making me worry about her. Everyone else just assumed she was sick. It was possible, but after the night before I was worried. I didn't think Ashlyn would skip because she was upset, but I was still unsure. Even if she was sick, she could still be upset.

"Wanna hang out tonight?" Ricky asked me at lunch.

I dropped my fork, Ricky's question shacking me out of my thoughts. "I'm busy."

"You told me you weren't this morning."

"Well, I, uh, have plans now." I told him. I really wanted to check on Ashlyn.

"You good dude? You can just say no if you don't want to."

"Ash." I stated simply, before continuing. "I'm just worried about her."

"She probably has a little fever or something." He told me.

"It's just her family—" I cut myself off. I hadn't said much, and everyone knew her parents were divorced, but I didn't want to overshare. "I just hope she's feeling alright, mentally too. I'm checking on her when school gets out. Maybe we can hang tomorrow."

"Putting your girlfriend in front of me?"

I replied with a mumble before I realized it was a joke. "You're one to talk."

"What?"

"Nothing. Nothing." I shook my head.

"I did hear it."

"Fine. I helped you get Nini back for the whole semester, often missing out on our time. And while you were dating, it wasn't much better. I wasn't a third wheel to annoy you, I hadn't gotten any time with my friend."

"You were just jealous. Now you do the same thing with Ashlyn, you spend all your time with her."

"Yeah, but if you told me you missed me I'd spend time with you!" I didn't notice the rest of the table looking at us.

"I didn't miss you!"

"Because I spent enough time with you, or because you don't even care?" I shouted. I didn't realize how much all of this was bothering me until now. "It's not like you thought about me whenever your mind was stuck on Nini." When he didn't reply, I shook my head, then went to throw my trash away. I headed to class early.

I knocked on Ashlyn's door. After waiting a few minutes, she answered. "Oh, uh, what's up?" She asked, closing the door behind herself and walking outside.

"Feeling alright?"

"I'm a little down, and I've got a fever." She sighed. "But I'm okay."

"That's good." I went in for a hug, but she moved out of the way.

"Don't wanna get you sick."

"You've stayed with me when I've been sick before." I pointed out. "Besides, I don't care. Fevers aren't that bad, most of the time."

"I'll be able to hug you soon, okay?"

"Please?" I faked a pout, but I really wanted a hug after my fight with Ricky. It had been a few hours, but we hadn't talked since.

"I mean, I guess so." She shrugged.

"Yes!" I hugged her. She hugged me back, and when my head hit her shoulder I quietly started crying.

"Are you crying?" Ashlyn softly asked. I nodded. "Come on in honey." She said, opening the door. We walked in and upstairs to her room, silent. "What happened?" She pulled me back into the hug.

"Ricky and I got in a fight." I whispered, tears rolling down my face faster.

"About what?" She rubbed my back.

"Um... he made a joke about me hanging out with you instead of him. I didn't really get the joke, so I said he was constantly with Nini, and never really thinking about me, and it just— yeah."

"Oh, but... does it feel like that?" She asked. "Like he doesn't care?"

"I mean... sometimes." I admitted.

"That... sucks." She sighed. "I know what you mean."

"How?"

"Hey, someone was too dumb to stay in that love triangle for that long without me. Plus, I'm just his little cousin to plenty of people."

"EJ." I nodded. "Sorry."

"It's fine. He's family, it's not that bad. Besides, that was awhile ago to me." She stopped rubbing my back and made eye contact with me. "This is about you though. Do you need to talk anymore?"

"I think I'm alright for now, but I do want to stay here, and I might cry a little more." I said, mildly embarrassed. "Thank you."

She rolled her eyes. "With all the help you've given me? Least I could do." She kissed my cheek, then kept hugging me in silence.