Spring

Chapter 28

Ash was wearing a hoodie, it was probably Nick's since she stole it from Charlie. Along with leggings and converses. She was stood staring in the mirror.
" The longer you stare the later you'll be." Ben told her, having been sat on her bed eating crisps.
" I know I just...does it look ok?"
" Ash, you look fine. You are going for a coffee, you'll be fine."
" Thank you for taking me."
" It's no problem but we do actually have to go."
" Yeah yeah."
" Come on then." He told her standing up. The pair went downstairs and said bye.
" Back before 5 please Ash."
" Yes mum."
" Good bye Mrs Spring."
" Bye Ben." Jane smiled at him, the pair exited and Ben drove Ash to the cafe where the girl was stood outside the front on her phone.
" What's her name again?"
" Georgia. She is year 12 at the Academy."
" Nice, well enjoy, call me when you want picking up."
" Will do Ben, thank you!"
" Anything for you."
Ash hugged him and got out of the car, she walked up to Georgia.
" Hi," Ash smiled.
" Hey, shall we go inside?"
" Lets."
The pair headed in and ordered their drinks, they sat down and talked.
" How have your exams been?"
" Good, I'm happy about them actually. I like doing exams, I know it is weird but I just find them easy."
" That's great. I struggle really bad with exams."
" You can't have done that bad."
" I only just got into sixth form. I failed maths and English, I have to resit."
" Life doesn't revolve around maths and English, I'm sure you are good at something else."
" I guess History? I love it to pieces, I got an A in it, everything else was a C."
" Everyone has talents in different subjects."
" True."
The pair sat and talked about school and life. Georgia herself had three younger siblings, triplets. Two girls and one boy, " They are a handful, I don't know how my dad does it."
" Is it just your dad?"
" Yeah, my mum left when the triplets were born, apparently she died two years later, car accident."
" I'm sorry to hear that."
" It's nothing, she never really raised us. Anyway, my dad has been a lot happier recently after he met his boyfriend."
" Oh that's amazing!"
" Yeah...so do you want to go for a walk?"
" Sure I have an hour until Ben picks me up."
" Cool, let's go then."
They both left and started walking hand in hand before finding a spot in the middle of the park where they sat down.
" So you lot are close?"
" Yeah, Tori basically looked after us as kids and then we looked after Olly."
" And your friends?"
" They are chaos, don't get me wrong, I love them to pieces but sometimes they make me want to pull my hair out."
" Hah, all good friends do don't they?"
" Course."
" So how many is there?"
" Well you have me and Charlie, his boyfriend Nick, Harry, Ben, Ben's boyfriend Josh-"
" Oh I know Josh."
" Yeah, then we have Daniel, Aled, Tao, Elle, Tara, Darcy and Sahar. Oh and Eli, he is in year 7 but we became friends after he was sat next to me in our form."
" You have mixed forms?"
" Yeah, every year group."
" Jeez, I could never be able to sit next to a year 7."
" Eh, they can be annoying but honestly he is super sweet."
" I can't wait to meet them."
" Yeah?"
" Yeah. They seem like a fun bunch."
" Well we do a meet-up and activity every Saturday, you should join us next week!"
" You sure?"
" Yeah, I'll message you the details when we decide."
" Sure!"
Ash's phone pinged and she looked at the message.
" That would be my ride messaging me."
" Let me walk you there."
" Ok!"
They walked to the parking lot where Ben was now with Josh and Harry.
" Ashley! Hurry up! Mother Spring wants you home and apparently there is a letter for you and Charlie called a council of the Springs meeting." Harry yelled.
Ash looked to Georgia, " I am so sorry, please ignore him."
" It's ok. You enjoy the rest of your day, I'll message you later."
" Yeah, course. I loved this by the way."
" My pleasure. Bye Ashley."
" Bye Georgia!" They hugged before Ash went and got in the back with Harry.
" You three are embarrassing."
" It was pretty funny." Ben commented.
" Don't encourage him! Josh back me up!"
" Mmmmm. No."
" Joshhhh!"
" I want a bed to sleep in tonight!"
" Wimp!"
" Fine fine."

As they were driving back they asked her how it went.
" I invited her to the next Saturday Activity."
" So it was good?"
" Mhm!"
" I'm glad you are happy Ash."
" Thanks Ben."
" No problem."
Harry hadn't talked, he was looking out the window when they pulled up to the Spring's residence, walking through the door she was tackled by Olly.
" Ashley!"
" Hey buddy. What's up?"
" After your done with Eli can I play with him? Please please PLEASE?!"
" You'll have to ask him but I'm sure it will be okay."
" Yay!"
Ben, Harry and Josh went upstairs to join the others. Ash went to the kitchen, said hi to her mother and baby brothers.
" Letter is on the side." Jane told her.
" Thanks."
She took the letter and headed up the stairs to her room.
" If I didn't know better I would assume you were watching a movie." Ash told them, their give away was the pop corn bowl on the floor.
" Olly was watching Cars."
" Ben didn't join him?"
" Um of course I bloody well did."
" Anyway, letter?" Tao questioned.
" Right." Ash said as she sat on the floor lent against her closet door, she opened the envelope and took the paper out. They all knew what it was for. The way her face fell reading the letter didn't give a good impression.
" Ben, talk, conversation, now?"
" Sure." Ben said as they left the room.

The rest of them looked at each other with concern, this couldn't be good. Ash came back in with Ben a few minutes later and sat on her bed next to Charlie.
" What's the matter?" Nick asked.
" There's two days the sessions run. Saturday and Wednesday."
" And?" Darcy questioned.
" Rugby is Wednesday." Ben informed her.
" And Saturday is the one day a week we do something together!"
" What are the times?"
" 3:30 to 4:30 pm on a Wednesday. 10 to 11 am on a Saturday."
" Wednesday is off the table then, so take the Saturday one." Tao commented.
" But that's the day we do stuff together! You guys already change your schedules around for any minor inconveniences that I have, now this? It isn't fair. Plus it means we can't do any fun day trips!"
" Ash, we rather you do this and are ok than go on a day trip! There are still plenty of fun things we can do with out going too far." Elle was right. Like always. Was Ash just making excuses, did she even want to go? She let her head flop to her pillow as she cuddled up to the teddy she had since she was a baby, Charlie had the same one in a different colour.
" I hate making decisions..."
" We know." All of them chorused with out realising till they all burst out laughing.
" People would think we rehearsed that," Darcy continued to laugh.
" If only." Tara added to her girlfriend.
" Look, Ash. You take the Saturday one. We will figure everything else out. This is to benefit you." Ben said to her, having replaced himself on Josh's lap. Everyone agreed and Charlie hugged her.
" It'll be okay."
" I know that."
The group stayed until it's was really late, finally leaving. After dinner, Ash told her mother the decision and she made the call. A group session, on a Saturday instead of spending time with friends. What could be worse?