Life's A Pain

Chapter 12

Kaitlyn woke up and immediately felt conflicted. She was excited to see Ashton, Crystal, and everyone else who was going to be at Michael's house. On the other hand, she was scared of how her friends were going to act today.

'That isn't right, I shouldn't feel dread every time I have to see my friends. I should feel joy and excitement. If I wouldn't be alone, I don't know what I would do. Maybe I would stop being their friend? But on the other hand, we have been friends for years, should I really throw that all down the drain?'

But wait, maybe she wasn't as alone as she thought.

Ashton and her texted a lot yesterday, but that was different, wasn't it?

He was a grade above and was extremely popular. 'He probably wouldn't even be texting me or interacting with me if it wasn't for Lacey dating Brandon. Maybe that was another reason to stay friends with Lacey and Blaire.'

She didn't want to lose her budding friendship with Ashton. If she stopped being friends with Lacey, then she would most likely lose Ashton, as he was friends with her boyfriend.

Kaitlyn did not know how wrong those thoughts were.

Ashton woke up before his alarm surprisingly. It was probably because he was nervous because of today. He hoped that he would be able to deflect any rude comments and Kaitlyn, and possibly even get to know her better.

He hated having to pretend to like Lacey, Blaire, and Ellie, but he would put up with them, if that meant that he could protect Kaitlyn from them. He honestly didn't know what Brandon saw in Lacey. Sure she may be pretty, but her personality just made her ugly.

Brandon was his own person, and he could make his own decisions, and all Ashton can do is be there for him when things start to get messy. He tried to discourage Brandon from asking Lacey to homecoming, but his friend had his eyes set on her and didn't listen to his advice. .

Ashton was also excited to meet with everyone in the support group. His friends were all extremely caring and there for him, but those people got him in a way that the others never truly could. Yes they try, but if you aren't in constant pain, it is hard to understand someone who is.

Luckily, his friends were nothing like Kaitlyn's and supported him and his decisions. The team was like his family.

When he saw the time, Ashton groaned and forced himself to get out of bed.

'It should be illegal for school to start before the sun rises,' he complained to himself. He quickly got ready and drove himself to school.

Ashton thanked his lucky stars every day that he got his CRPS in his left foot as opposed to his right. That meant that he was able to drive.

He pulled into the parking lot and saw Kaitlyn get out of her mother's car and decided to walk up to her.

Kaitlyn was startled when she felt a presence right beside her as she walked towards the front doors of her school.

She tensed slightly and turned to see who it was.

Kaitlyn was pleasantly surprised to see that it was Ashton. She decided to greet him.

"Goodmorning Ashton!"

"Is it really a good morning if we really have to be at this hellhole before the sun is even up?" Ashton asked as he sipped on his coffee like it was his lifeline.

'He is cute when he is tired,' Kaitlyn thought and giggled out loud.

"You got a point there. Would morning have been a better greeting?" Kaitlyn said back slightly sarcastically.