The Boy Next Door

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Alex," I whispered, but she didn't budge. "Alex," I tried again, poking her.

She moved a little and murmured, "Ashley, what's the matter?"

I handed her my phone and said, "I don't know, look at this."

Alex flicked on her torch, sat up and wiped her eyes before taking my phone. She mouthed the words as she read them and looked at me, confused, dizzy, and half asleep.

"Huh?"

"I know, right? Something is up?" I asked, hoping it was me being paranoid.

"I don't know. What's Olly got to be sorry for?" Alex said, pulling her long blonde hair over one shoulder and twirling it. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but what has he got against Kyle? Does Olly even know him?"

"That's what worries me. I don't know, but something must have happened between them."

I took my phone back, rereading the messages.

R u having a gd time?

U nva told me u knew Kyle.

Ashley, txt me bk!

Dn't listen 2 anything he says.

Ashley!

I'm sorry

What could Kyle possibly say to me that had Olly so worked up? I had never witnessed him so fretful, and it put me on edge. There was no way I was going to be able to sleep now.

"Have you texted him back?" Alex said, lying back in her sleeping bag, and I considered doing the same.

I shook off my arms, tried to relax my shoulders, took a deep breath and laid down, resting my head on my palm on my pillow, with my other holding my phone as I stared at the screen.

"I don't know what to say. Should I?" I whispered as one of the girls turned over, muttering something in her sleep.

"You said he was at a party; maybe he is drunk?"

"No," I hesitantly replied, shaking my head. "No, Olly said he doesn't drink or do parties. He said he was going to Lewis's house. I don't think it was a party." I then panicked, rubbed my hands over my face and cringed. "Oh god, it was a party? Wasn't it?"

"Ashley, stop worrying. I'm sure it's a misunderstanding; get some sleep," she said, closing her eyes.

I moved onto my back, put my phone beside me and pulled my sleeping bag up as far as it went. "Okay, okay, forget about it. Go to sleep, Ashley, go to sleep," I said to myself, closing my eyes tightly, and before I knew it, the taunting thoughts in my mind went blank.

*

"Rise and shine," A deep voice echoed through the tent's thin walls, waking me with a startle.

"Urgh," I grunted, folding my pillow over my head as it pounded. "Who the hell is that?"

"A fucking moran, that's who," Alex mumbled, throwing her pillow to the zipper as it opened. "Get lost, Kyle."

Kyle opened the zip, poked his head in, and woke the others with his rustling and joyful morning mood. "Now, now, Alexandra, it's too early to start name-calling."

I sat up, wiping the sleep from my eyes and stretched out my aching muscles.

"Wow, Ashley, look at the tits on you," he smirked. What the, I thought, then looked down. My eyes widened, and I pulled up my sleeping bag, covering my body. Shit. I had forgotten I went to bed in only my bra and pants.