DESPERATE

Chapter 30

A black BMW pulled up in front of the school gate. Valerie, Ashley, Ava and Owen entered.

"I'm so happy you're coming home with us Ashley." Ava said enthusiastically. She in between beside Ashley and Owen at the back. Valerie sat in the passenger's seat.

"Oh brother." Valerie muttered leaning back.

"I'm only coming for my project Ava." Ashley said with a low chuckle.

"Does it mean you won't come to my place again after today." Ava asked with a pout.

"I don't know. Probably so." Ashley replied with a shrug.

"But..."

"She said probably. So just drop it." Valerie said.

Ava leaned back in her seat arms folded with a pout. Ashley spared her a glance.

"You know Ava, you look cut with that pout." Ashley teased.

Ava didn't say anything. Ashley nudged Ava further.

"C'mon Ava." Ava didn't say anything and Owen laughed at her reaction. Valerie looked at Ava from the mirror with a small smile.

"Ok." Ashley said. "I won't talk to you anymore. We aren't friends anymore." She turned leaning on the car door and looked out the window.

Ava reacted. "I'm sorry Ashley."

Ashley pretended as if she didn't hear anything. She fought hard to fight the smile which wanted to form on her lips.

"Ashley." Ava groaned.

Ashley finally looked at her. "It's ok."

Satisfied, Ava sank back in her seat.

Soon, they arrived at their house. Once the car was parked in the garage, Ava and Owen jumped out immediately.

Valerie stepped out and so did Ashley.

"Let's go in." Valerie said as a maid walked up to them. Valerie handed her school bag over to her with a simple 'thank you'. The maid moved over to Ashley.

"Oh no. Thanks." Ashley said politely declining the offer.

"No no. Let me do my job."

"Seriously. It's ok."

Ashley sighed the maid wasn't ready to take no for an answer. Ashley sighed and reluctantly handed her the bag.

She followed the maid inside the house and suddenly felt the urge to pee. Gosh.

"Please is there a restroom anywhere here?" She asked the maid.

The woman pointed to a corridor at the far end of the living room.

"Down there, the last door there is the guest bathroom. That's the downstairs guest room." She said.

"Ashley muttered a 'thanks' and headed towards that place. After doing her business, she was walking down the hallway when she heard a voice in one of the rooms.

'Weird. No one was here when I passed.' Ashley thought.

She moved closer to the door and heard the voice. It was a woman's voice. It was Leah's voice.

Why would she be there answering a phone call.

"I know. Things would have been better if Anna was here." Leah said. She sounded sad. It was like she was talking over the phone to someone.

"I can't even bear to see him like that. I wish I could do more for him." Leah added after some time still sounding sad.

Who was she talking about? Who's him? Ashley's head spun. Who was Anna?

Leah spoke again. "It' been 15 years. He still hasn't gotten over it. He hates his parents now. I think."

"It's ok. I gotta go. The kids must be home from school now." Leah spoke up again. Ashley took that as her cue to scram. She quickly left the door and walked out of the hallway quickly, taking the stairs to Val's room. Her mind still spun from what she heard.

"Where were you?" She was asked as soon as she entered.

"I had to pee." She replied finally deciding to forget about the matter and focus on what she had come for. She wasn't family so why bother herself with it.

"Fine. Let's get started then." Valerie said walking over to her table and bringing out a cardboard box containing the planets.

"Did you get the paints?"

"Of course. Suzie went to the store to get them."

As if on cue, the door opened and Suzie walked in with another cardboard box. She placed it on the floor and left.

"Let's get to work then." Ashley said with a sigh.

By 4:30pm, they had finished all the work left. The planets were painted and on their respective positions on the solar system.

"Finally." Valerie said heaving a sigh of relief.

"We make a pretty good pair." Ashley said nudging Valerie on the elbow. Valerie chuckled a little and smiled.

"I guess." Valerie chuckled a little and smiled.

"Let's test it out. Get the dome and plug it into a socket and I'll switch off the lights." Ashley suggested.

"Ok." Valerie said going back to the table while Ashley went to the switch. Valerie then brought out the dome and placed it over the planets to cover it, then locked it. She then pushed the table with their project on top of it towards the wall. Then she plugged it in.

"Are you ready?" Valerie asked.

"Ready when you are." Ashley replied. Then she switched off the light and Valerie turned on the socket.

The room was illuminated with solar lights, stars, little white planets and best of all, thee planets stood out bold on the wall revolving around the sun.

"Waaoow." A voice said that was neither Ashley's nor Valerie's voice beat them in saying it.

Ash and Val surprised, looked in the direction of the voice. Ava and Owen were standing by the doorway.

"Gosh." Valerie said under her breath then turned off the switch. Ashley immediately turned on the lights.

"What are you guys doing here?" Valerie groaned. "Ashley, why didn't you close the door?"

"What's wrong with them seeing our project?"

"That was..... AMAZING!" Ava shrieked.

"It's awesome." Owen said.

"I'm telling mummy." Ava said and ran out. Owen followed.

Ashley looked at the retreating children and then at Valerie. "Girl your siblings are a piece of work."

"Tell me about it." Valerie replied sitting at the edge of her bed.

"But why don't you want your mom to see it?"

"No it's not that. I wanted us to check it out first, you know clear out any hitches before showing her."

"But it's perfect."

"We just found that out."

"It's ok." Ashley said. "We might as well pack all this downstairs and show her."

"I guess so."

As if on cue, Suzie appeared standing in front of the already open door.

"Excuse me." Suzie said.

"Yes."

"Your mom said she's ready when you are. She's on the first floor in the art room."

"Ok. Thank you." Valerie said and Suzie left.

"Can we get going now?" Ashley asked Valerie.

"Let's go."

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