HSMTMTS One Shots

Duke (EJ, Ashlyn, & Big Red)

"Ash?" EJ pulled into Ashlyn's previously empty driveway and looked at her. "Can I tell you something?"

"Yeah?" She responded curiously, taking out the earbuds she had in while listening to a playlist of her favorite songs from musicals.

"I didn't get into Duke." He admitted, visibly disappointed.

"Oh... I'm sorry..."

"Yeah..."

"Who knows?" She wondered.

"I blurted it out to Nini when she was leaving and Mr. Mazzara knows." He told her.

"So your parents don't know?" She asked with a pitying look.

"No, but I'm sure they're curious. I've gotta tell them soon, ya know?"

"Yeah. It'll be fine. I know we're definitely a Duke family—"

"Don't remind me." He shook his head.

"Sorry. I know we are, but... well, someone's bound to not go to Duke wether they want to or not." She said. "I mean, I have no idea how I'm supposed to tell my dad I'm not gonna go to Duke, and that's in years."

"It's different when you can't achieve it. You let everyone down, including yourself."

"I'm really sorry. Get into any other good schools?"

"I got into one state school as of now." He sighed.

"You'll get more applications back, I'm sure." She said, trying her hardest to be supportive. "And either way, whatever school you go to will be glad to have you."

"I'm supposed to go to Duke. I want to go to Duke."

"Well... I'm sorry, I don't know what to say. Honestly, unless you wanted to take a year off school or something like that, I don't see an option where you'd get in now."

"Would it be insane to take a gap year?" He asked, his head swarmed with thoughts.

"As long as you really think long and hard about if it's the right thing to do..." Ashlyn squinted, trying to think of every possible outcome. "I mean, not really. Plenty of people do it, so if you aren't sure where you are right now, I'd definitely consider it."

"Thank you, Ash." He hugged her.

"Of course." She hugged him back. "Big Red's picking me up in a little bit, I should get ready."

"Have fun!" He exclaimed as she made her way up the driveway and to her house.

"Good luck!" She called back, smiling while she closed the door behind her.

A part of her hoped EJ wouldn't leave yet. If he needed and wanted to, that would be fine, but she wasn't ready to part ways with her cousin yet. He was more like a sibling or a friend that she didn't want to lose yet.

"Coming!" She said, running downstairs to get the door as she pulled on her jacket. She opened it. "Hey."

"Hey." Big Red pulled her into a hug. "How are you?"

"I'm pretty good, a little busy. How about you?" She asked, heading to his car.

"I'm good too. Whatcha been up to?"

"Talking to EJ about college stuff and getting ready. Not much, but you know how sometimes a little bit feels like more than it is."

"Yeah." He started driving, before a realization popped into his head almost a minute later. "Oh, is anything bothering you?"

"Not really. Just thinking about EJ going off to college is kind of... emotional."

"Oh." He reached over and held her hand.

"It's not much. You know, it's a normal moving away thing."

"Yeah." He nodded, though he was suddenly much stiffer.

"Something wrong for you?" She tilted her head.

"It's weird."

"What is?"

"Next year's my senior year." He said, both of their faces falling into a frown.

"Oh, it is." She said, letting go of his hand to put both her hands in her pockets. "And my junior year."

"That's... I mean, that's fine. Right? Long distance can't be that hard. I haven't even picked a college, maybe it's close. Heck, who knows if we'll still be together." He rambled nervously.

"I don't want that."

"No one really wants long distance."

"No, Biggie, the whole... breaking up thing. That shouldn't happen. I mean, we like each other. Last week we admitted we love each other, we can't just break up." She responded.

"I don't want to either."

"Then what do we do?"

"I don't know, but we stay together until something happens that causes us not to. And if that never comes, oops, we're soulmates." He leaned over and quickly kissed her before turning his attention back to the road.

"I love you." She smiled.

"I love you too Ash."