Rainbows after Hurricane

5. |p a s t|

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Song of the chapter/ Everybody lies by Jason Walker

One whole week.

It's been one whole week since Dianna has returned back to her hometown and yet she has not been able to contact Ashley. She went her house but every time , the front door was always locked.

For the first three days, Dianna has been busy with all the guests and relatives that sprung out without invitation the moment her mother, Lilly informed them that she is back.

She was showered with hugs and kisses and praises on how beautifully she has transformed from a girl to a woman. Although, she wanted to tell that, technically, she is still a girl, she held her tongue and smiled sweetly in answer. She was never good with family gatherings because she always felt out of place among them. There were not a single person with whom her thoughts mingle or she felt comfortable enough to freely share her ideas or thoughts on certain topics whether it be sports or some cheesy rom-com.

Except for Ashley; that's why it hurt so much when Ashley didn't show up to meet her even after a whole week—even after she left hundreds of messages and voicemails on her phone.

She asked Zach about Ashley but he always gave her a vague answer and ran out of the house mumbling some lame excuses which didn't help her to solve the puzzle pieces that were starting to scatter more haphazardly with each passing day.

The more time passed, the more the nagging feeling on her stomach became stronger. No matter how confusing the situations were, Dianna was sure of one thing: Ashley can never abandon her or their friendship for that matter like this. And even if she decides to end their friendship, Dianna was sure she will end it after talking it through—face-to-face—not like this—like a coward.

Two days ago when Dianna asked Zach if he broke up with Ashley, Zach lashed out which caught her off-guard because she had never seen him that mad until then.

                  "Why the hell will you say something so stupid like that, Dianna?" Zach had yelled, his voice cold and his eyes red.

                  "Maybe, because whenever I ask you about her, you bolt out and come up with some lame excuse and maybe because she's not been answering my calls and messages for over a year now." Dianna yelled back with much confidence, not ready to back down now.

Lilly—sensing the tension in the air tried to intervene but Dianna shut her up with a single glare.

                  "Don't even tell me that I am wrong, mom because I know I am not. You two are hiding something from me. I can just tell it. Please, tell me what is it?"

                  "Dianna—"

                  "No, I want to know the truth. It's not Ashley to just go MIA on me. Something is wrong with her and you are not telling me....and Asher—even Asher hasn't come since my return. You two were always inseparable and now—I haven't seen him once." Dianna countered back with frustration while she waited for Zach and Lilly to tell her the truth but sadly they didn't.

As soon as Dianna finished her little rant, Zach stood up from where he was sitting and dashed out of the house without even so much of a second glance. She looked back at her mother but found her gone as well leaving her with a hollow in her chest that hurt like somebody just sliced her chest with a sharp knife.