Under the Stars with You (JJ Maybank)

Prologue (Flash Forward)

Ashley was walking around her house, not too sure what she wanted to do. Her phone rang and she answered, not caring to look at the caller's ID.

"Hello?" She asked into the phone wondering who would be calling her this late into the evening. The line was silent for quite a while, she was about to hang up when...

"Ash! Please do not hang up...I know you were thinking about it." A voice replied. Ashley almost dropped her phone at the sound of the voice she heard. Ashley took a deep breath before responding.

"Why are you calling me...? I already told you that I never wanted to hear from you again after what you did." Ashley spoke in a hostile tone. The person on the line noticed the tone in her voice and flinched.

"Look, I understand why you do not want to talk to me. You have every right to just hang up the phone, but please just hear me out, and then I will leave you alone. I swear!" The voice spoke with a pleading tone, just wanting to tell her everything and nothing at all. Ashley rolled her eyes but sighed in relief for finally hearing his voice after so long.

"You have ten minutes JJ make them count," Ashley said trying to sound like she just wants the found call to end, but she does not. JJ smiled on the other end of the phone, glad that she is even giving him the time of day.

"Okay, look I know that what I did was wrong, and no matter how many times I say sorry it will not do much. I just want you to know that it meant nothing..." JJ told her in a shaky tone, not prepared for what her response would be. Ashley almost let out a fake laugh. She took a seat on her couch with her head in one of her hands and the phone in the other.

"Why!? Why bring that up now!?" Ashley shouted into the phone with pain in her voice. Tears welled up in her eyes and she took in a shaky breath.

"Just...continue," Ashley spoke as she recollected herself. JJ sighed knowing that he was the reason she yelled.

"Because the only reason I cheated was that I was drunk and high. Although I say that. It does not make up for my actions. We got into an argument, and I acted without thinking. Not that makes what I did any less harmful to you." JJ spoke with a calm tone.

"NO! JJ, that is not an excuse for you to CHEAT!! You should have been able to walk off your temper, but NO! You just had to go drink and get high with no care in the world...Well, I do not care that it has not been ten minutes. Your time is up." Ashley spoke with a broken sob as she hung up and threw her phone across the living room. Sobs racked through her body as she hugged her couch pillow tightly.

JJ's let out a breath he did not know he was holding and set his phone down. He ran his fingers through his hair as he was trying to figure out a way to make things right. JJ's let out a breath he did not know he was holding and set his phone down. He ran his fingers through his hair as he was trying to figure out a way to make things right. Meanwhile, Ashley got up from the couch to grab her phone that she threw across the room.

"Why can't he just leave me alone," Ashley asked herself not expecting a response from anywhere. That was until she heard a knock on her front door. She grabbed her phone and went to the door with a sigh.

"People leave me alone," Ashley mumbled to herself. She opened the door not expecting a certain blond-headed boy she used to call hers at her doorstep. JJ looked down at her with a look of exhaustion since he ran from his place to hers. Ashley looked up at him with shock.

"Why are you here? I told you I did not want to see you ever again." Ashley spoke in a shaky tone, still not believing that he was in front of her after she hung up not that long ago.

"Look, I know you do not want to see me, but I just had to see you. It physically hurt not seeing you. "JJ responded with a slight pant since he ran. JJ looked at Ashley with his blue eyes hoping that she might let him in and not push him away. Ashley glared up at him and pushed him away slightly. JJ looked at her hurt but also understood. Ashley walked out the front door and stood in front of JJ.

"JJ...What do you want from me? You are the one who hurt me in more ways than words can express." Ashley said with a choked sob and tears going down her cheeks. JJ hugged her tightly and pet her hair.

"I know that I hurt, but could I take your mind off it by watching the stars one last time..." JJ suggested. Ashley pulled away from him and sighed.

"Fine...One last time..." Ashley replied to his idea. He smiled, took her hand and walked to the yard.