Moving on...

Ashley's POV

"Ash that's great! Your an amazing photographer! I'm sure you'll be great."

"I'm just a little nervous okay....I've never done something like this before", I reply struggling  to fit the key into the lock."Mom I'm home!"

"Ya, I'm a little busy right now! You and Meera could take some of the cookies I baked upstairs. And do try to do a little actual studying if possible!"

I was used to this, my mom being busy most of the time. She was hardly ever at home and if she was, she'd be in her study going through her notes .Its not that she neglected me,she has always been there for me when I need her, it's just that being a single mother is difficult and she had to work hard to pay the bills.

"So you didn't tell me about your detention with Caleb", she inquired in an unnecessarily seductive tone and wiggled her eyebrows in a creepy manner.
SMACK! Before she knew what happened a pillow hit her square in the face.
"I swear I don't even know how I came across a creep like you!"
"But you love me", she replied with a pouty face and green round puppy eyes, "Don't deny it!" Both of us broke into a fit of laughter, tickling each other and chucking pillows at each other, only to be interrupted by a knock.

"Ash darling, Caleb is here to meet you."

"Who?" A surge of uneasiness crept through me, my heart was racing. Wait, why was it racing? Why was Cocky Caleb here? We have lived next to each other for ten years now and he chooses to visit me today?

"The D'Laurentis boy next door, Caleb", she replies uncertainly.
"Oh! I'll be right there."

I turn to find myself being stared upon inquisitively by Meera with her piercing green eyes. I gave her one of my blank looks which she immediately understood as I have no clue of the shit that is going on. I walked down to find that narcissistic self obsessed pig sit on my sofa grinning at, me devilishly as if Satan had sent him himself to make my life a living hell."What!",I demanded in an arrogant tone, "are you doing in my house ?"

"Why be so mean princess? It's not as if I through paint on your face!"

"Not paint! Flour! You were supposed to be my Prince Charming when I played Cinderella in the kindergarten play but you decided to shove flour down my throat instead of giving me my glass slipper!"

"You're still stuck up 'bout that princess ", he replies with a light laugh.

"Do not call me princess", I growled, "Get out of  my house we before I chuck my shoes at you!"
"Princess", he stated with an extra dose of emphasis, " you gotta get used to me now that we will be working on the school newspaper articles together."
"Wait, what!?" I stared at him with shock."I have to work with YOU as in Caleb?!", I spat out his name out with disgust.
"You hurt my feelings princess!", he said with mock hurt on his face," but you have to wait after school in the newsroom for me tomorrow and then we'll go for the article interviews, princess. Don't forget to bring your camera along princess!"

I let out a groan as he slammed the door laughing. "So working with Cocky Caleb, huh?", the annoying red head inquired with a devilish grin. This girl was up to something, she was giving me her cheeky grin. "Tell me what's going through that devilish brain of yours Mira, now!"
Her expression softened and her piercing eyes now had a deep emotion, "Ashley I know you can't trust people and it's totally  justified  by your experiences but you have to come over it someday, you can't just avoid guys throughout your life . I know you're nervous but Caleb is the only boy apart from my brother who you've actually spoken to. I know you'll be fine."
"Talk? More like bite his head off! How can someone stand him?"
"See you argue with him and have an opinion about him, you don't run away from him. I'm not telling you to date him, just work with him and maybe you'll come over this fear of yours."
I flung my hands around her and hugged her tight. I have  known Meera since we were ten and no one understands me better than her. But there were somethings that even she couldn't help, like my insecurity. She had encouraged me to come over my fears but she cannot control the emotions I'm going through right now.

As Meera left, I walked up to my room and cuddled myself in my blankets on the bed. I knew I'd be okay with Caleb but this confidence was soon engulfed by my fears and flashbacks. I wasn't crying, no, but there was something which was bothering me and I couldn't get it out of my head.
I was interrupted by a soft knock. "Ash honey can I come in ? "
I straightened my face and unlocked the door for my mom.

"Honey are you okay about this project with Caleb? You seem tensed and nervous about it", she asked tucking a strand of my black hair behind my ear as she took a seat beside me in the bed.
"Mom I can't, I'm just so scared. What if he...", I suck in air to relax myself, "What if he..."
"Ash you're a strong girl and I know it's difficult for us to trust guys and be comfortable around them that easily, but trust me when I say not all guys are the same. It just so happened that we came across the wrong guys, it was our destiny."

"Mom, do you still believe in love after all that happened ?"

She smiled at me warmly," Yes honey, I do. I may have made the wrong choices but I do believe there is someone who is perfect for me and I am yet to find him. Ash, you are still young and believe me when I say that there is one guy in the world who cares for you so much that he can give up the world for you and you'll mean everything to him."
She got up, tucking me in my blanket.
"Thanks, Mom. Love you."
"I love you too and that's the least I can do honey."She turned around, her eyes filled with sadness and dissappointment, "I wish I could have given you what you deserve and been there for you honey. I'm sorry."
"Mom you're the best mother I could have ever had. Despite being pregnant at nineteen and being abandoned by your boyfriend or my father,"  bitterness left my mouth when that word rolled of my tongue," you stayed strong. You're the reason that I'm here and I love you. And don't ever say you're never there for me. You've always been there for me Mom and all the times you're not at home, I know you're working hard to get provide me with the lifestyle you think I deserve. I'm proud of you mom ."
Tears rolled down her cheek and she whispered a'I love you' as she left the room in silence.
My mom was right, maybe this was a start. I drifted into sleep with my mind clouded with thoughts. I was going to overcome my past, I couldn't let them control my life .