Even Our Angels Looked Surprised

Chapter 3

Ali woke up perplexed. The night's events had already grown fuzzy. Kyle didn't even have to say anything - his raised eyebrows were question enough. Ali poured coffee out of the hotel room's tiny pot while she tried to explain.

"She was really nice. It was kind of weird, I guess. I didn't think I'd be out so long. Sorry."

Kyle zipped up his duffle bag. "Did she ask for your number?" She wasn't looking at him, but Ali could tell that he was laughing at her.

She crinkled her nose at the thought. She had been so sure about it last night, but now she couldn't decide if Ashlyn had really almost kissed her or not. Maybe she had had one too many beers. "No."

Before seven they were driving off in Kyle's car. They silently sipped coffee and munched on granola for the first part of the ride. Finally Ali spoke. "It was a lot of fun. I think we would be friends."

Kyle stayed focused on the road. "Good. That's good." He was still waiting for more.

"Kyle?"

"Yeah?"

"Never leave me alone with a girl who you think is going to hit on me, ok?"

"You just said you had a good time."

"Yeah. I know. And I did. But just... don't. OK?"
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While Ali was befuddled, the details of the night were crystal clear in Ashlyn's mind. She hadn't slept all night, and she would have spent the night tossing and turning if not for Heather's steady breathing beside her. She spent all that time trying to come up with an explanation of why she just walked away, but morning light didn't help her sort it out, so she tried to avoid her teammates' questions as best she could.

She grumbled through Lori's prodding and sent Heather a scathing look when she decided to ask if she had "gotten any." Now Yael was all ears.

She drank twice her usual amount of coffee so she would be able to drive after Yael's shift, but the caffeine just made her feel hyper-aware of the memory that she really almost kissed Ali Krieger.

Finally, when they stopped for Ashlyn to take over driving and Yael shifted over to the passenger seat, the younger girl couldn't keep herself from asking any longer. "So... are you going to tell us what happened or not?"

Lori tried to look aloof, staring out her window, and Heather acted like she was asleep on Lori's shoulder. Ashlyn just rolled her eyes. "HAO, I know you're awake."

Heather just raised her eyebrows in admission but kept her eyes closed. "Nothing happened. We talked for a while, then I walked her to her hotel room, and that was it."

Heather's eyes shot open. "Wait... she was in our hotel?"

"Yeah. With her brother."

"Did you get her number?" Yael wanted to know.

"No. She has a boyfriend. And she's straight."

Yael, the only one who didn't know exactly who they were talking about, looked sorry for her friend. "Oh. Sorry."

Ashlyn just shrugged, and no one said anything until they stopped a few hours later at a gas station. Heather walked up to her in the candy aisle, where she was spending entirely too much time deciding between skittles and starburst. Without turning she spoke softly to her friend. "She was kind of perfect."

Heather snorted. "No one's perfect, Ash. You need to get some sleep."

But Ashlyn only sighed and kept staring at the fruity assortment in front of her. Heather gave a sympathetic smile and grabbed skittles, starburst, and a giant box of nerds. "Come on, I already got you a Gatorade."