Family Troubles || Redlyn

Trouble

Ashlyn's POV

Madeline and I had been hanging out for well over a month. I now considered her a pretty close friend. Big Red was hesitant on trusting her, but he did join our conversations now. I was glad.

As I left class with Madeline, we chatted. "Ugh, I hate my next class." She groaned.

"Same."

"We could probably skip, just this once." She suggested.

"Skip? Like, miss a class on purpose?" My eyes widened.

"Well it's boring. And I'm sure your grades are good enough to miss one period."

"I mean, I guess they are." I admitted. "But skipping..."

"Come on, Ashlyn, it'll be fun. We can just go hang out. Everyone skips from time to time. No one cares."

"I just don't really know."

"Live a little. You can't live your whole life a suck up."

"I guess." I nodded. I swallowed. "I guess one class wouldn't be too bad?"

"That's the spirit!" She dragged me away from the halls. Soon enough, before I could change my mind, we were outside under the bleachers.

There were a few others there too. It felt like something that only happened in movies. They were against the wall or bleachers, propping themselves up. Some were vaping, and it quickly made me uncomfortable. But it was too late now. I just had to wait it out.

"So, you, uh... skip often?" I asked Madeline.

"Not in awhile, but generally yeah. School's really just a waste of time."

"You're so smart, though. Why spend your time out here?"

"If I'm already smart, why spend my time in school?" She countered.

"There's still stuff to learn. And we could get in big trouble if we're caught. Oh my God, my mom's gonna kill me." I put my face in my hands.

"She can't control you. Just ignore her."

"She can ground me, Madeline. I don't even know why I did this." I muttered, panic rising within me. My chest became tight.

"Because it's fun, idiot." Somehow, idiot was more of a nickname than a derogatory term when it came to Madeline.

"It's not fun! We're gonna get in big trouble!"

"Yeah, if you shout." She muttered.

"I don't— oh my— this is so stupid." I started crying.

"Oh my God, you're such a baby. We're literally just hanging out."

"Hey Mads." A boy came over and put his arm around Madeline.

"Hey." She kissed his cheek.

"Since when do you have a boyfriend?" I asked. I thought we had been sharing things with each other, but apparently not.

"He's not my boyfriend, we're just living in the moment."

"Yeah. Why're you crying?" He asked. "Who is this, anyways?" He asked her.

"Ashlyn. She's my cousin's girlfriend. Apparently, she's an idiot and a baby."

"I'm sorry, since when is regretting skipping a class a thing an idiot does?" I muttered.

"Skipping is fun, Ashy." He teased.

"Ew, that's disgusting." I glared.

"Ashlyn, it's too late to go to class. Just wait it out. Then if you wanna keep being a coward, you don't have to skip again." Madeline explained.

"I'm not skipping again."

"Then I'll see you around. I really tried to give you a chance, but you're just so, so boring."

"Alright, Big Red was right about you." I mumbled to myself.

I should've known we'd get caught.