But this love is ours. <3

Chapter Two!<3

“Carter, honestly, we’re talking so low they can’t hear us.  And trust me, my ego isn’t too big.”  Again, I realize he may not be wrong.  I just always assume his ego is big because everyone loves him.  I sigh.  Ash knows how curious I am, and he knows I’ll pursue the issue to hear his story, even if it means losing some pride.  “I hate it when you’re right Ash.  Ok, don’t make fun of me.  I was thinking of the good things about you.”  He looked skeptical.  “Like what?”  “Please Ash.  You can’t act like you aren’t on the highest honor roll.  You have some of the best grades in the school.  You’re the quarterback, and according to Alex and them, the best one this school has seen.  And every girl and some of the guys in this entire city know you’re the best looking guy.”  He looked disbelieving but shocked.  I turned redder than ever.  “I—uh—didn’t mean to say that last one.  I was just—uh—adding on what other people think of you.”  His signature smirk returned.  “Every girl?”  I knew that the stress on the word every was meant to ask if that included me.  As if I couldn’t make it any more obvious.  “Ash, just tell me your story now.”  He made the motion little kids make with their hands, as if zipping up his lips and then throwing the key away.  “Ok, fine, yes, every girl.  Are you happy?  Did that boost your ego enough, Hitch—” My angry response was stopped the second his lips hit mine. 

There were thousands, no millions, of thoughts clouding my head, but none of them were coherent.  Dozens of emotions encircled me, and I wasn’t quite sure which one to feel.  This is Ash Hitchell.  I won’t be the one to stop the kiss:  he has me against a wall, and his lips are being forceful but gentle.  He’s making it clear that he’s in charge of it, and for once, I don’t mind.  He seems to know what he’s doing, at least well enough to be good at it.  Even if I could object, would I?  Push him away, and scream and yell?  No, I realize.  Though I know our relationship will be the same as always after this, I know that I don’t want this to stop right now.  So when I begin to respond, I can feel Ash’s surprise.  He quickly deepens it, but just as his tongue is licking my lips, the door bursts open.  Alex comes in before we could pull away from each other. 

“Well, the others will love this.”  Alex shows us a picture he took of us kissing.  “Delete that Alex.”  Ash and I say at the same time.  “Whatever happened this period, it seemed to have made you two like a couple...”  “We are not like a couple.”  We say, again in unison.  We both sigh in defeat, seeing that there’s no point in objecting.  It’s Ash who speaks first.  “Look, Alex, it was a mistake on my part.  Something temporarily overcame me.  Whatever the reason, just delete that so the others don’t see, please.”  “No can do Ash!  This is going straight in our photo album or pictures compiled of all the times we’ve left you two alone.  Don’t worry, it adds for an interesting twist.  All the others are arguments and fights.  Relax, it’s no big deal.”  We, again, sigh in defeat, knowing that essentially, Alex is right.  Maybe we’ll be the joke of the table at lunch, and there will be hoots and hollers and immature jokes, but they’ll see that we still are far from a couple.  For the first time in maybe all of history, I want to talk to Ash.  To find out what that was all about, to hear the Barbie story.  What the kiss really a mistake for him? 

The bell rang before I could think further.  Not in the mood to deal with school, I sneak off to the parking lot.  I can’t leave, because the school would see and hear a car leaving.  But out here I can easily hide, and that’s what I do.  I sit under the tree I’ve used for years to hide.  I’m lying underneath it, thinking about nothing and thinking about everything, and I’m nearly asleep.  Just before I’m unconscious, though, I feel the faintest touch; outline the details of my face, from my eyes, mouth, and nose, to my dimples and freckles.  I jolt awake with a start, and am surprised to see Ash there lying next to me. 

“Ash, you could have said you were here!  You scared me.  Were you here long?”  “I’ve been lying next to you a while, yes.  I didn’t want to interrupt you, you seemed peaceful.”  I find that I’m at a loss for words.  “Uh, thanks.  I’m up now though.  And don’t think that little act will make up for your story!”  He smirks at me.  “It worked for a few minutes, I think.”  I, of course, redden, which makes him happy since that was his goal.  “Shut up!  That was totally uncalled for, by the way.  Anyway, just go on.”  “I know it was; I’m sorry.”  “It’s okay.  We’ve been apologizing too much today.  Just go!”  “Alright, fine.  I took the doll because…I knew how much you liked it.”  I’m about to get mad and yell, but he continues.  “I just.  I honestly don’t know.  I was stupid.  I thought we might be friends or something if I gave it back.  I don’t know.  I was little.”  “Us...friends?  Ash, if you had wanted to be friends, all you had to do was be nice.  Why’d you apologize?”  “I realized I was wrong.  Sarah, I am a human being with feelings and morals and ethical standards and all that.  I will admit when I’m wrong and fess up for my mistake.”  I don’t respond, but a response isn’t necessary.  We just lay in silence for a while, but it’s comfortable.  Then he gets up and jingles his keys.  “Want to go home?”  “Do you know how much more dramatic that would make the whole picture and all that, if we both just took the rest of the day off?”  “Yes.  I just never really thought you cared about what other people think.  See you later.”  He got up and began walking toward his car.

In a split second decision, I run after him.  “Wait, Ash!  I don’t care; I’ll come.”  He smiles, but doesn’t stop or slow down.  It doesn’t matter, I’ve already caught up.  He starts the car, and I panic.  “Wait!  Won’t the school see us leaving?”  “I got an early release form, because I didn’t feel well.”  “Oh.  Are you okay?”  “Mhm.”  We’re driving now.  I want to ask what our destination is, but this silence is so comfortable, I don’t want to break it.  Finally, when it’s evident that neither of our houses or any of the places we usually go is in his mind, I ask.  “Ash, where are we going?”  He doesn’t even seem to notice or hear me.  It’s clear his mind is somewhere else.  “ASH!”  He breaks out of his trance.  “What the...oh shit.”  He mutters to himself.  “Ash what’s the matter?  Where are we going?”  “Uh, we’re going to McDonald’s.”  He forces a smile and says obviously the first thing he sees. 

“Ash, honestly, we passed two other McDonalds.  And your smile is completely fake.”  Nevertheless, he pulls into the parking lot and parks.  Instead of making an attempt to get out, he just puts his head in his hands, obviously stressed out. 

“Listen, Ash…I know we have our differences.  We fight a lot, argue, and yeah, all of that does make up most of our time together.  But we’ve known each other since forever, and as much as we hate to admit it, we’re friends and we can trust each other.  You can trust me.  I trust you.  If something’s bothering you, you can talk about it.”  As I end my long speech, I look away embarrassed.  When nothing happens for a few minutes, though, my curiosity is getting the best of me and I glance at Ash.  He’s staring intently at me, as if trying to make up his mind.  Finally he pulls away and mutters to himself that he still has to go.  To me he says, “I trust you Sarah.  It’s just…I don’t like being vulnerable or hurt.” 

~A.N.~

Hey guys!  I'm aware that my chapters are short.  However, as I've said, this is my first story.  So I haven't yet found a good amount of pages on Microsoft Word to make a chapter on here of a respectable length.  So I apologize if my chapters are a bit short at first...I'm still getting the hang of this thing. :)