Being Ashlyn

Chapter 47

       Ashlyn started making her way back to the bumper car line, pulling out her cell phone only to see that Becky had left her three messages. She was about to open the first message, when the mention of her name caught her attention.

"Why are you alone, Ashlyn?" Miranda mocked. She was standing beside Levi, with her arms wrapped around him. A few of the water polo guys and some of the cheerleaders were there too, watching the drama that was bound to unfold. "Don't you have a boyfriend?" She added, leaning her head on Levi's shoulder. Beside her, Levi visibly tensed.

Ashlyn took a slow calming breath. It seemed like she was frequently doing it these days. "I'm not in a rush to find one." She said through gritted teeth.

Miranda did a fake gasp, widening her eyes and placing her hand on her opened mouth. "Really?" She blinked repeated. "But I thought Max is your boyfriend."

"Max is not—"

"I'm not what?" The man himself showed up, taking the spot next to Ashlyn with a wary look on his face, oblivious to what just happened. "What were you guys taking about?" He asked Ashlyn, concern laced his voice.

She knew why he felt that way. Max must have been shocked to see her talking with Miranda. Even worse when Levi was present as well. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that whatever they were talking about wasn't good.

Miranda lifted her head from Levi's shoulder. "Oh! We were just—"

"Where've you been, dude?" Levi spoke up, not looking at the pout Miranda was giving him.

Max turned his attention to him. "I met up with my cousin."

Levi's eyebrows raised. "Ryan is here?"

"Yeah." Max said, looking over his shoulder to scan the crowd. "I told him I'll be here. He should be here soon I guess. He said he had something to take care of first."

Levi snorted. "Must be taking care of girls."

"Typical Ryan" Max sighed, still searching around. "You know how he is."

A beep from Ashlyn's cell phone startled her. She clicked on her latest message from Becky.

Where r u?!
We r at the bumper
car line.

-Becky
8.42 p.m

Putting back her phone into her jeans, Ashlyn met Max's gaze. "I should probably go." She said. She doesn't even know why she was still standing there in the first place.

"No, wait!" Max stopped her. "Can you wait a while? I have something I want to ask you."

"Can't you just ask me now?"

"I can't" His eyes darted to their school mates for a quick second. "Not here."

"Then let's get away from here." Yes, that's all she wanted right now but Max just wouldn't let her!

"We just have to wait for Ryan. I want you to meet him." Max insisted, stretching his neck, still trying to locate his cousin. "You two have a lot in common. He's in the track and field team in his school."

"Maybe I could meet him some other time." Ashlyn tried. She really wasn't in the mood for bonding and talking about track and field stuff with random strangers.

"No, no, wait." Max held up his hands. "There he is!"

"About time." She muttered. "Let's get this over with then."