All That Matters

Chapter 7

Fiction: All That Matters Ch 7, Romance |

Even as your body betrays you, your mind denies it.
- Sara Grurn, Water for Elephants

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I had the opportunity to call Valerie the next day and we gave each other the 411, although I didn't mention the get together across the street. I let her do most of the talking which she was fine with. She had just recently broken up with her ex from her school and was glad to be single again and hang out more with her cheer team. I updated her on my situation with Mrs. Richter and the job hunt. No interviews yet but I was still hopeful.

After talking with Valerie, I finally started on my homework to get them over and done with. I ended up giving up on  the English assignment since I've officially stopped listening to anything Mrs. Richter had to say, but mostly because a sudden feeling of...nostalgia came over me. I had no idea where it came from but there was something nagging in the back of my head. Something really bothered but I didn't know what.

Or maybe I did but I just didn't want to think about that. My subconscious had other plans though.

"Ashley?"

I snapped out of it, looking at door to find Wayne standing there. I hadn't heard him knock, if he even had. "Don't you know how to knock?" I asked him feeling slightly irritated at the interruption into the depth of my mind.

"I did." He gave me a pointed look. "Derek's looking for you."

"What?"

Of course I heard him. I was just a bit surprised at the announcement. Why he would be looking for me?

"Just get downstairs now." Wayne left without another word.

I stared at my blue inked pen for a few seconds, thinking about the last conversation we had at his house. I was positive there was something he wasn't telling me. What was it that he said?

"If you'd stop hating me so much then maybe you'll realize...,"

Realize?

Letting out a sigh, I dropped the pen on top of my English book when it occurred to me that I wouldn't figure it out by sitting there. It finally kicked into me that Derek Johnson really was waiting to talk to me downstairs. Maybe he would tell me what exactly he meant.

"Ashley!"

"I'm coming!" I yelled back to Wayne.

I slowly made my way down the stairs, frowning as I bypassed Wayne who was watching TV and met Derek in the doorway by the front door.

He looked...off.

Usually Derek made himself comfortable when he set foot inside our house. He'd drop down on the couch and help himself to whatever snacks we had lying around without prompt. It wasn't the case this time. He was just standing there with his hands deep in his pockets and an apprehensive look on his face. It wasn't like him.

I just stared at him, trying not to frown. "Hey,"

It seemed he had spaced out again but finally looked at me with his piercing brown eyes when he heard my voice.

"Hey." He said back, shifting his feet.

There was a silent moment as I waited for him to speak his mind. He really looked uncomfortable.

That made two of us. I awkwardly crossed my arms, wondering what the hell this was about. "So what's up?" I asked him.

"I, um, just wanted to apologize about what happened last night. I-,"

My eyebrows automatically went up. "I wasn't aware that I needed an apology."

He scratched the back of his neck almost in a nervous manner?

Derek Johnson nervous?

Nah, I probably read him wrong.

He had fleas. That made more sense.

"It's just that...I know that last night wasn't a scene that you're used to and um, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

My frown deepened, wondering where this was coming from. "You didn't" I responded.

If anyone made me feel uncomfortable the night before, it was me. I hadn't stopped thinking about what he said. I was uncomfortable because I didn't want to unwind. I alienated myself from everyone and kept to myself. I didn't want to let anyone in because as Derek had put it, I was busy keeping to myself and had turned into a bitch.

But why would he even care if I was comfortable or not? I was just his best friend's sister after all. If anything, I was just an inconvenience to him and his guests who were trying to have a good time. So why did he come all the way over to apologize to me? If anything, shouldn't I be the one making the apology? I did leave and took Mallory away too when it was obvious she wanted to stay. Wasn't I the one in the wrong?

"Ash, I know you don't like me much and I'm fine with that but if I didn't want you in my house last night, I would have told you." He suddenly said.

I wasn't sure what that meant, but my mind chose to interpret it anyway. "I get it, I was only invited because of Mallory, right?" I asked.

Derek suddenly looked frustrated. He slightly shook his head muttering something under his breath. I thought I heard the word dense and clueless but it was all jumbled.

"What?" I said.

"Nothing." He quickly answered but I could tell he was still frustrated. Was it because of me? Well, probably. So wait, did I miss something else?

"Can I ask you something?" He interrupted my thoughts.

I merely shrugged, even more confused than before.

He hesitated for a second, almost as if debating with himself about what he wanted to ask.

I patiently waited, for some insane reason. Maybe I was hoping he would just come out and explain all his cryptic words. What we he hiding?

"What did Marco say to you?" He asked after a few seconds.

I raised my eyebrow again. So he hadn't heard what Marco and I were saying last night. He didn't know that I knew that he talked about me to his friends.

I just wasn't sure what exactly he could say to his friends about me. Knowing him, probably nothing good. Could that be why they always left me alone and only exchanged small greetings? It was always "Hey, Ashley," in the hallways but nothing more than that. They mostly kept away from me. Sometimes I would catch them staring at me but then they would quickly look away once I caught them. I just figured they didn't like me much. I thought about confronting Derek about it but decided not to. I didn't want him to get the impression that I cared about what he and his friends thought of me.

"Nothing. He was just saying hi." I answered his question.

"Right." He obviously didn't buy it but I really didn't care. I was done trying up figure out what was going on with him.

"Well if that was all then excuse me, I have to get back to my homework." I said to him.

He gave an amused smile. "Sure you do."

"Yeah, well. Bye." I turned around and started making my way back upstairs. Halfway up, curiosity hit me and I looked back and watched as he opened the door and quietly left, his shoulders slightly slumped.

I made the rest of the way up to my room and wondered the same thing for the hundredth time that weekend. What in the world was going on with Derek Johnson?