The Loneliest Girl in the Universe

Chapter 8

"Hello?" Lexi answered the phone.

Ash didn't mean to be a creep, but he couldn't just leave knowing his best friend was living out of her car for god knows how long.

He stayed parked where he was, debating whether to discover her and confront her or leave and talk to her about it the next day. He was so angry at her because she knows he could help her. He's offered his place so many times. He just wanted to take care of her.

He needed some guidance, deciding to call Lexi.

"Lex, I need help." Ash croaked. He heard Lexi gasp and begin to grow anxious.

"I'm—I'm like fine. But I just don't know what to do..." he began.

"I just found out Pen is living in her car and I don't know what to do about it." He said honestly. Lexi sighed on the other side of the call, most likely rubbing her temples with her fingertips.

"Did she tell you she was living in her car?" She asked.

"Nah...I dropped her off and then I realized she left her book and when I was coming back, I saw her leave the building and fucking lay down in the backseat. And I just like...FUCK. What am I supposed to do to help if she doesn't tell me." He breathed heavily.

"Okay, Ash, Ash...listen to me: there has to be a reason why she didn't tell you, don't you think? I mean If I was going through that, I would feel so embarrassed about it. I wouldn't want to tell the guy I liked about it." She explained.

Ash grunted, "but I've told her so many times that she can stay at the house! What she got to be so embarrassed about? I've never made her feel judged or less than."

"You don't have to make her feel all of that, sweetheart. If there's one thing that I love about Pen is that she's very self sufficient. No matter how shy and introverted she is, she will always make a way to survive on her own. She's always had to. Why would she change that now?" Lexi reasoned.

Ash rested his head on the steering wheel, sighing.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I—I just wanna take care of her." Ash murmured.

"I wish she would let me." He grunted.

Lexi felt herself smile through the phone, proud of the young man Ash has become.

"I know you do. You O'Neill boys are built to protect and care. But you have to understand that Penelope is her own person. She has to be the one to accept your help. You can't force her to it." Lexi said.

"You changed my last name to Howard, actually. Don't you remember?" He deflected. Lexi chuckled.

"You're stubborn like a Howard, I'll tell you that much." Lexi teased.

"Just talk to her, tell her what you know. Be honest, and direct, and if she doesn't want your help with this, there's nothing you can do about it." Lexi recommended.

"Yeah. I'll do that. Thanks, Lex." He hung up the phone, watching her car in the lot. He sighed, turning the car around and leaving. He needed to clear his mind and think about what he was going to say before he blew up on her and scared her away. He knows he's made of rage and anger. He didn't want to do that to her.

The next day, he worked at the bar, waiting for her to come in and have that hard conversation he didn't want to have.

Ash had just finished a drink, before serving it when Penelope entered, looking gorgeous and healthier since he's been taking her to have dinner at his house.

Penelope smiled at him, watching his smile not reach his eyes. She knew immediately something was wrong.

"Hey," she had her bag on her shoulders, getting ready to do some homework while she waited for Ash to go on his break.