Retreat (A.I.)

39. Videos and Forts

---Ashton---

"ASHTON! MICHAEL! GET IN HERE RIGHT MOTHERFUCKIN NOW!" Pissed off Calum is one I listen to, and so does Mikey.

"Somebody had better explain to me why my sister is calling me at 2:00 in the fucking morning because the two of you are leaving Kelly terrorized and scared shitless" he says to us both.

"What?"

"Yeah, you heard me right! Kelly is scared to death right now, you two won't answer her and you have made it so Luke and I can't even talk to her! Fix this. Now!" He storms back to bed and Michael and I just look at each other.

"Fuck! This is all my fault!" Michael admits.

"Damn right it is!" I quickly log onto Skype and connect to her username. When she accepts, I see absolute fear in her eyes.

"Oh my god baby I'm so sorry -"

"Ash please don't, I get it. After today I figured it out. Michael confronted Tracy, you were afraid to stress me out more before the trial so it was easier to not talk to me at all. It would've been helpful to know Ashton. To be prepared. Instead of having rocks with messages thrown in my car window with no warning." She's calm and using Mikey and I's full names. She's really upset. Shit fuck damn.

"She fucking did what? Fucking cu-"

"Do NOT say that word Michael! Even for her!" she stops him. I didn't even know she hates that word. Good to know.

"Baby, please tell me what happened? I am so so sorry."

She takes a deep breath, trying to relax herself. "After our horrible conversation Sunday, you never returned any more calls or texts. I was getting upset, so when Steve, my new coworker, asked me to go out for drinks after work, I agreed. His brother owns a bar down the street from here, so we went there. I had a few drinks while I was venting everything. Mel, Kenny, Tracy, you being gone. I just couldn't take it anymore." Oh god please no. I deserve it for treating her that way, but please no.

"When I got to the part about Kenny and the trial I lost it. I was a crying idiot all over his shoulder. After a few more drinks I was way too drunk to drive so I told him I'd walk home and he insisted on walking me home." Michael and I are both tensing up at this point. At least it's not just me overreacting.

"I tapped him on the cheek, telling him 'suit yourself'" she demonstrated on herself, "then walked home. We said goodbye and I came upstairs to bed." We both relax.

"What does this have to do with Tracy, though," I ask. She cringes slightly before continuing.

"I'm getting to that. That was Monday night, right? It's now Wednesday. So after work tonight, I went to my car to find this." She sends Mikey and I both some pictures on text message. We open them up and I am infuriated. I look closer at the pictures the messages were written on. Now I understand why she explained that night.

"She fucking followed you? Just waiting for the right moment, didn't she?" Mikey's red in the face and he's pissed.

Kelly nods, saying "How did i not see her? I was too drunk, that's why."

Michael stops her before I can. "God damnit Tiger, quit blaming yourself all the time! This is all my fault! We were going to wait to confront her until we got home, but I'm too freaking impatient to wait. I just had to do it this weekend! Ash wanted to tell you, but I didn't let him. I'm so sorry Tiger!" Michael breaks down in tears.

"Mikey," she says, using nicknames again is a good sign, "You really fucked up this time, but, we're human. We all make mistakes. You had good intentions and I can't fault you for that. But we're all in this together, right?" he nods and she finishes, "Then let's start acting like it."