I'll protect them

Chapter 1: Friends...?

Ashlyn's POV:

*middle school 6th grade*

Ashlyn sighs as she sits in her seat, her head in the palm of her hand listening to all the other kids in class talk about how their classmate's parents died in a car accident just last week

She's irritated that they seem to care more about gossiping than the fact that the poor girl is sitting right in front of her. She doesn't know why it bothers her so much, maybe she just feels bad for the girl.

Ashlyn hates social interaction; she doesn't feel the need to have friends; she prefers to be alone but she feels bad for (y/n) because she didn't choose to be alone; it was forced upon her.

Ashlyn stares at the (H/c) in front of her. She's sitting in her assigned seat with her arms folded and her head on the desk silently listening to what their other classmates are saying about her.

"Can you believe that (y/n)s parents are dead, she's probably gonna go into foster care now and I've heard that the system is all sorts of messed up!"

"Look at her she looks so depressed man that's gotta suck"

Ashlyn clenches her fists in her lap listening to the other kids in class talk. 'I wanna help but.... I'm not sure how' Ashlyn thinks to herself before taking a deep breath and standing up walking up to (y/n).

"Hey.." Ashlyn says, tapping the girl's arm to get her attention.

You look up at her with red rimmed tired eyes. It's obvious to anyone who sees your face that you've been crying a lot and probably haven't been sleeping for more than a few hours at a time.

"hey..." you say back your voice is hoarse so you clear your throat trying again this time coming out more clear.

'Man why did I have to do this? I should've just minded my own business.... But she looks so...drained" Ashlyn thought before clearing her throat. " uh.. sorry I know you're pretty down right now but uh do you wanna take a walk with me? Ya'know to get away from all this" Ashlyn gestures to all the students that have been whispering about you.

You stare at her before looking around the room to the kids who've stopped talking and are now looking at the two of you, you look back at Ashlyn you know who she is you've been going to school with her for as long as you can remember you've never talked to each other and you know she doesn't have any friends she never has, but it's been the same for you.

"Yeah... that'd be nice.." you replied quietly, your voice cracking from overuse. (Probably from all the screaming you've been doing since the car crash ).

The two of you leave the classroom and walk down the hallway before sitting on the stairs by the bathroom. It's silent for a while, neither of you talking until you decide to break the silence.

"Thanks.. for getting me out of there." You say to her looking down at your hands that rest in your lap.

"Hm?" Ashlyn looks at you for a second before looking away. " it's no problem they're all jerks anyway you shouldn't have to listen to that."

You sigh in exhaustion, you didn't sleep last night. Ever since your parents' wreck you've been staying at an orphanage and sharing a room with a bunch of other girls. It's not surprising you can't sleep when you're in an unfamiliar place.

"Hey.." you start quietly working up the courage to keep talking. Ashlyn looks over to you waiting for you to say something she knows you're not in the best mental state so she waits until you get yourself together.

"Will you be my friend, I don't want to be alone.. you're the only one who isn't talking about me like I'm just entertainment." Ashlyn's eyes widened as she stared at you but she can tell that you're just seeking someone who you can lean on, someone that will...be your friend her eyes softened as she opens her mouth to respond.

"Yeah...that's fine...I'm not good at this friendship stuff but I'll try to make an effort this one time if you're fine with me then we can be friends." She looks at you a little awkwardly before smiling a little.

'What have I gotten myself into? I didn't think she would want to be friends. I just wanted to get her away from all those kids...' Ashlyn stares at the white tile floor
thinking to herself. " I guess I can make an exception just this once.. she shouldn't have to deal with it alone, nobody should.."

Eventually the two of you returned to class, Ashlyn allowed you to follow her around you didn't talk much so she didn't mind.

*1 month later*

Your POV:

You had gone to school today like any other day since the accident, you'd get ready to walk to the bus station and ride the bus to school and when you got to the school you'd go straight to class and keep to yourself until Ashlyn arrived. However, today a girl in your class walked up to you.

"Hey!" Alice calls, you look up at her confused because none of your other classmates besides Ashlyn have talked to you.

"Yeah?.." you said quietly and a little confused as to why she's talking to you.

"Sorry if this is rude but were you with your parents? Like when the accident happened everyone has been wondering about that."she asked, she wasn't being very quiet causing the other students to stop talking to hear your answer.

Your eyes widened at the question. You had no idea how she thought it was okay to ask that. Yes You were in the car when the collision happened. You saw the fatal injuries that your parents had. They knew they wouldn't make it so they told you how much they loved you while they still could but there's no way you're gonna tell them that.

"Um-" before you could even say anything Ashlyn was next to Alice stubbly pushing her away from you.

"You didn't have a right to ask her that you and the rest of the kids in here need to stop treating the deaths of (y/n)s parents as something to gossip about that's wrong and disrespectful." You were surprised that Ashlyn would call them out for you. You never expected her to do something like that for you but you're grateful that she did.