An Old Friend

Chapter 4

Ash's POV

Now I feel bad. I know I should've answered Hayden last night, but I was asleep until six and I had to practice for basketball. By the time I realized how bad I fucked up it was already lunchtime. I quickly send her a text before heading to bed. It's only nine at night but I have to be up by six until the season ends.

In the morning I eat a quick breakfast and start walking towards the school for practice. I'm gonna have to do something big for Hayden if I want her to forgive me for the other night. I got it! I stop by the store and pick up a few things before practice. Once it's over and I'm clean I put on some jeans and a graphic tee before going to find Hayden. She's at her locker when I see her, reading the note I left with a six-pack of Coke.

"Hey," she jumps slightly as I come over to her.

"You think Coke and a note's gonna fix this?" She rolls her eyes.

"No, that's just a peace offering," I shrug, the smirk falling from my lips. "I want to apologize. I shouldn't have ignored you the other night and I'm sorry. I know I fucked up. I take full responsibility. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Maybe," she closes her locker. "But not yet. You're on thin ice. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," I quickly nod. "Wanna walk to class together?"

"Fine," she puts her bag across her body and I let myself celebrate a little as we start walking.

"So, what'd you do yesterday?" Why was she hanging out with that Morgan girl?

"Nothing much," she shrugs. "Why?"

"Just curious," we go into class and sit in the back. "I thought you and Morgan weren't friends anymore."

"Well, things change. Plus, Josh was her friend. We were both worried about each other."

"Makes sense," I nod and we talk until class starts and while we do our assignment.

The next few hours go by painfully slowly. When lunch comes around I find Hayden in the cafeteria with Morgan, Taylor, and some guy with shaggy blond hair and blue eyes. They look like they're in a serious discussion "Can I sit here?" I point to the seat next to Hayden, Morgan sits on her other side with Taylor and the other guy across from them.

"Sure," they all hesitate.

"Do you guys think this is too much?" Morgan slides her computer so we can all see it as I sit down. She presses play on whatever she's working on and a slideshow plays. The pictures are all of a brown-eyed boy with brown hair smiling like he's having the best time of his life. Not even one is him frowning or not smiling. After the pictures go by, clips play of him and Morgan laughing at different things and just having a good time. I think that's Josh. I've only seen him in the halls a few times.

After four or five short clips play a pastel pink screen appears with text on it.

Rest In Peace, Josh Jones

We'll miss you

"Why pink?" I ask out of pure curiosity.

"It was his favorite color," the blond boy answers as Morgan wipes her face.

"Yeah, almost everything in his room's pink," she chuckles sadly and Hayden puts a gentle hand on her back.

"It's a great video, M," Taylor smiles kindly.

"Thanks, I'm gonna pick a few songs from his playlist for the background music."

"Sounds nice," the boy speaks again. What is his name? I know I've heard it before.

"Thanks, Ethan," Ethan! That's his name!

The rest of lunch goes by with awkward conversation until the bell rings and we start standing up and getting our bags. Hayden puts her denim jacket back on over her t-shirt as Morgan puts her bag back over her shoulder. She's in a black and blue, short sleeve baseball tee while Ethan is in a pastel purple hoodie and Taylor is in a dark blue t-shirt.

The moment I get my bag over my shoulder my phone starts ringing. It's an unknown number so I ignore it but they call back immediately so I answer it. "Hello?"

"Tell my dear old friend, Taylor, to check their phone if you please."

"Uh, who is this?" Suddenly every one of Hayden and her friends is staring at me with concern.

"Just an old friend of your new friends." With that, the line goes dead.

"Who was it?" Hayden asks as soon as I get my phone in my pocket.

"Some creepy dude. Said they were 'an old friend of my new friends' and told me to tell Taylor to check their phone," I shrug as Taylor scrambles to get their phone from their bag. This is weird.

Once they get the phone the other three quickly gather around to look at it. "What?"

"Oh my god," Taylor puts their hand over their mouth.

"I could've lived without seeing that again," Hayden uses one hand to cover her eyes.

"What is it?"

"I- it's Josh," Morgan barely whispers.

"Who would send you that?" Ethan looks disgusted as much as they all look horrified.

"I don't know but it's totally fucked." I can't tell if Morgan's pissed, scared, or sad.

"What do we do now?" Hayden moves her hair back before pulling most of it to one side as Taylor taps their phone a few times and puts it away.

"My house after school again. We have to figure out who this creep is." Morgan's jaw clenches.

"What about me?"

"You're coming with us. You're in it now too."