Manipulated Vunerability ~ HSMTMTS AU

Chapter 4

Ashlyn took her boyfriend's hand. They were at a restaurant, on a date. She looked in his eyes. "Biggie?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you." She smiled, leaning over to kiss him.

"I love you too." Big Red smiled.

"That being said—"

"What?" He asked immediately. "What's wrong?"

"Ricky and his girlfriend-" Ashlyn said with disdain in her voice. "-are here too."

"Oh." He frowned.

"We'll just ignore them, I just figured I should tell you. Since they're behind you and you can't really see."

"Thanks..."

"I'm sorry. It's— yeah, it's gotta hurt." She made a sad smile.

"Let's just... go over there. Shouldn't we at least try to get along? They've been together almost 2 weeks—"

"But we don't have to, he'll come around, and— well... I don't want you upset..." she squeezed his hand.

"Come on, we could... try to join them. Like a bit of a double date, something like that." He suggested.

"Okay. If you want to."

"I do. I'm sick of fighting with my best friend. Maybe she did change." He stood. She stood too, both walking over to the table Ricky and Lily were sitting at. "Hey guys. Um, can we join you?"

"Oh... sure..." Lily said, nearly looking disgusted but covering it with a fake smile. They both sat down, the boys next to each other as well as the girls.

"How are you?" Ashlyn asked everyone.

"Good." Ricky said.

"Pretty good." Lily replied. There was a short, awkward silence. "So, uh... East High's Beauty and the Beast was... not bad."

"Thanks?" Big Red asked.

"That's a compliment from her." Ricky inputted with a smile. Big Red furrowed his eyebrows at his best friend, before shaking his head.

"Being Belle's a big job." Lily said to Ashlyn.

"Yeah, it was a lot." She nodded.

"Yeah, Ricky said you really struggled."

"What?" Ashlyn's face fell.

"Ricky!" Big Red nudged Ricky. "Why—"

"I didn't mean that as a bad thing! I struggled too, I figured Lily had, you both did so good in the end—"

"You didn't have to tell Lily that." Big Red muttered.

"She's my girlfriend!"

"I don't get it."

"That's a bit harsh." Lily said. "We're dating, I'm his girlfriend, that's basically all there is to it."

"I don't get why you have to insult my girlfriend."

"I didn't insult her. I just said she struggled, I could have said something about how I did a better job, or your production was boring, or she doesn't look like Belle—"

"Shut up." Big Red muttered. He looked at Ashlyn, who was mostly just staring at the table. "I was trying to make amends. But shut up." He stood up, grabbing Ashlyn's hand. They walked back to their table, this time sitting next to each other instead of across. She leaned onto his shoulder. "Don't listen to her..."

"But she was better, Biggie, and that's fine..."

"But the other thing..." he trailed off, holding her head closer to him. He kissed the top of her head a few times.

"I mean... it's true, that's just... not necessarily a bad thing..." she hugged him tightly.

"Do you wanna head home?"

"Who's place?" She asked.

"Um, does yours work? There's people at my place."

"Sure." She nodded.

"I love you Ashlyn. You're perfect." He assured her.

"I love you too." She squeezed his hand.

"And you were better than her babe."

"It's not an even comparison, we're different people." She shrugged.

"But... you still were..."

"You're biased." She joked, kissing him. "Let's go." They stood up and walked outside, both getting in his car. He started to drive. Ashlyn stared out the window. He didn't think much of it, but there was no talking for about 5 minutes,

"Cupcake?" He looked over at her.

"Yeah?" She looked back.

"Please don't believe her." He said, sounding upset. "You did so good, and— well, it doesn't matter anyways, because you're much better personality wise."

"That's what annoys me... I'm proud of who I am, and I just— I can't get over my... physical insecurities, but I keep trying to. I mean, everything you say has definitely been really helpful." She replied with a sigh.

"I... I know they'll probably be there, like, always... but I just want you to always know that they are true..." he offered her his hand. She took it.

"Thanks." She nodded.

"And you were literally the best Belle... ever."

"Thanks." She chuckled lightly.

"What?"

"That's a bit of an exaggeration."

"Okay, maybe this time I have a tiny bias." He smiled at her.

"You're cute."

"You are too." He said, pulling into her driveway. They didn't talk much until they got inside and settled on her bed. They laid on the blankets, it was too hot to be beneath them. Ashlyn's head hit the pillow, groaning.

"Stupid Lily."

"She's gotta be messing with him, Ricky's not himself." He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

"I know, but what are we supposed to do?" She sighed, grabbing hold of his hands. "We can't butt in, he clearly won't listen, she... she's good at making people feel how she wants them too..." a few tears rolled down her face. He lightly kissed her neck.

"Through lies." He reminded her. "She's a jerk. I'm not even that mad at him, he's in such a bad place and she's just... messing with him. I just don't get why."

"Yeah, he... I can't really blame him, I guess."

"That doesn't mean you can't be upset with him." He whispered.

"I know, but... I don't wanna hold a big grudge against him. He's still a friend... or I want him to be... I don't know at this point."

"Yeah, me neither." The two of them shifted, Ashlyn putting her head on his chest. He put his arm around her, cradling her head and lightly messing with her hair. "Exhausted?"

"Yeah."

"Night Ash." He smiled slightly.

"I didn't say—"

"You don't get enough sleep. Besides, I like being in your presence. We don't have to be talking. And I'm tired too. I know you need sleep."

"I love you." She mumbled into him.

"I love you more." That was the last thing either of them said before they drifted off to sleep.