Forbidden

Chapter 19

Ashley's POV

As soon as those words leave my mouth I regret it. How can I even think of it and say it out loud in front of Hudson? He's staring at me with wide eyes. He's probably shocked about my thoughts but I can't take it back now.

"Oh..." He says. Is he serious right now? He looks confused and I guess he is. But what kind of an answer is that? Actually, I can't blame him. He'd better not say anything wrong or I'm going to develop feelings for him or maybe get hurt. Either way, what's worse?

We don't say anything and just continue with the washing up. I leave right after I finish. As I quickly walk upstairs someone catches my wrist and stops me. I turn to face him and it's obviously Hudson.

"Are you angry at me?" He asks. Yes and no. I don't really know if I should be angry at him. Actually, I don't have a reason to be. But even if I had a reason I couldn't be mad at those ocean eyes.

"No." I snap. He lets go of my wrist and wants to smile.

"Still friends then?" He asks shyly smiling.

"Friends." I nod and smile back. Why not be friends with him? There is nothing to worry about. He's still the brother of my best friend.

His smile brightens and he walks past me up the stairs and directly into his room. I just stare until he closes his door and realize I was smiling. I ignore it and walk into Meredith's room. She is getting ready and I ask where she is going.

"I have to introduce you to some friends." She says and that is a code word also for me to get ready. I don't like to meet new people but maybe they're cool. I mean if Meredith hangs out with them then they have to be cool. Because she's a special person and if someone is not in her league, she doesn't call this person a friend.

I remember the first time we met in middle school. We were in the same class and I was upset because Kerem wasn't in my class. Meredith recognized me and Kerem and she thought he was my brother because we look a lot like siblings. Actually, everybody thinks that. People often thought we were twins. And she sat right next to me on the first day off school and asked me what my name is. That's how we were introduced to each other and then she asked me if Kerem was my brother. I told her he's my friend and in the break, I introduced them but she didn't really want to get to know him. When we got to know each other better weeks later we realized how many things we have in common. One day she just chose to be best friends with me and that has lasted years now. We've had our fights and problems but we never had them longer than one day because someone always had to tell the other person something insane – we both needed each other to confide in and that always won out in the long run.

When we finally get ready we want to leave but Meredith has to ask Hudson for his car, because her parents went out and used her car because her parents don't have good music in theirs. I know it's very dumb of her, but that's Meredith. Hudson gives her the keys and we drive out.

We arrive at a park I don't know and there is a handsome guy with curly brown hair and a short pretty girl with a cute dress and short brown hair. I don't know how to say hi while Meredith hugs them so I just thought I wave at the guy and hug the girl.

"Hi, I'm Damon." He waves back and I think he's waiting for me to introduce myself but I'm hugging the girl first.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Ashley." I say looking at both.

"Nice to meet you too. I'm Camille." She smiles and I smile back. They're very cute. But actually, I'm not really sure if they're a couple.

"Guys, Ashley is my best friend from Switzerland remember?" Meredith asks. Wait. She talked about me?

"Oh, so you are the Turkish girl who came to learn better English? Then I have to introduce myself again, I'm Meredith's cousin." Camille says and smiles at me. Oh, now I remember Meredith told me a lot about her cousin Camille who's like a sister to her.

"Oh, yeah I know she also told me about you Camille." I say smiling back.

"I hope just good things though." She chuckles and looks at Meredith.

"Of course!" Meredith looks at me and mumbles playfully "not" to mess with her cousin. And all start to laugh when Camille playfully punches at her arm.

"Your English is very good for a Turkish woman." Damon says and smiles. I get a feeling he's trying to flirt with me, but I ignore it.

"Well, thanks, Damon." I say.

"Of course, Dumbass! She learned from the best." Meredith flicks her hair playfully on both sides back and smiles. We all start to laugh very loud.

We hang out in the park with them till it's getting dark as my phone starts to ring and I see an unknown number. I answer it but walk a little away from Meredith and her friends to hear who it is.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Ashley, where are you?" A man's voice says.

"Hudson? How did you get my number?" I ask. Why do I ask this? Of course, he got it from Marie-Anne.

"It doesn't matter from whom I got your number... Where are you guys? You left home at noon!" He almost yells.

"We are outside, in a park. What's your problem?" I say harshly.

"Is that a man's voice in the background?" He frowns at the phone. Oh, maybe he shouldn't know about Damon. Meredith is going to kill me if I tell Hudson something he shouldn't know.

"Ashley, now tell me who's that guy?" He almost yells at me.