Gone

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

​After first period everything seemed to be a blur of buzzing, excited background noises and robotic movements as I waited for the end of the day to come around. Since it was a Friday everyone was excited to start the weekend and since it was an extra long weekend for whatever reason I didn't care about there was double the energy during lunch.

​ Emma and I walked to lunch together per usual because we had the same fifth period.

As we were getting our food someone bumped into me from the left, "Hey, I asked my mom if it was cool for us to work on that project."

Ash popped out of nowhere and Emma jumped almost three feet in the air from the shock of it. "What?"

​"None of your business," Ash snapped, using her normal rude, cocky persona.

​Emma rolled her eyes and clenched her jaw as Ash walked in step with us. I noticed people casting us weird looks as we passed and so did Emma it seemed because she quickly fell out of step with the two of us and started walking with another friend of her's.

​"Anyway, I asked my mom if we could work on that project." Her voice was way friendlier when she spoke with me, for her at least, it was still cautious.

​Ash seemed oddly excited with a small smile on her face and a slight skip to her step. I didn't know what her excitement was for but it brought a smile to my face, "And...?" I asked when she didn't elaborate.

​"Oh yeah, sorry, she said yes!" She crossed her arms over her chest as she noticed a boy giving her a weird look and then glared at him. "Do you know why people are staring at me? Am I doing something wrong?" she sounded slightly confused and unsure of her-self as we finally got to the food area and grabbed what we wanted. 

​The conversation ended for a few minutes as we grabbed different foods and then came back together at check-out.

​"I don't know, maybe it's just because you're new or because you're super pretty," I shrugged, it was true, Ash was really pretty, even if she didn't quite know it. 

​Ash scoffed, "I'm not pretty, Holly. Maybe it's because the loner is walking with the most popular girl in school," she scanned her ID as I waited nearby. "Want to sit at my table?"

​I shrugged, it didn't matter to me. The din of the girls I always sat with gave me a headache and sitting in a quiet area would help me out.

​We made our way over to an empty table and Ash threw her things on the seat next to her as I moved to sit across from her.

​"Anyway, so I think Youth Group will only be until six today and then we can head over to your place. What time should I leave?" I asked as I opened my salad and started putting on ranch.

​Ash shrugged as she pulled her fork from the plastic wrapper and cut into chicken pasta she had. "I don't know whatever time you want. We can do research tonight. Ha, maybe we should even do our other homework because I know I have a lot."

​Ash and I didn't really talk the rest of lunch and I was curious at what she was thinking about because she kept staring off into space and frowning like she was deep in thought. I didn't ask because I wasn't sure she wanted me in her personal business, I knew I didn't want her to get all defensive and push me away like at Youth Group that one time.

​I liked hanging out with Ash at lunch; she wasn't at all like she had been on the first day. She laughed at lame jokes I made and we messed with each other when we did talk. Keep on a lighter subject and she'll be normal, I noted. I learned that she was a very broady type of girl and liked to keep to herself from the way she was always thinking and frowning.