After Andy (#6 in the 'Outcast' Series)

Chapter 27

Chapter 27:

-6 Years Later- Present -

Ashley's Point of View:

"Ashley!" I heard Juliet call as I sat there and stared at my laptop screen, the video having ended. "Food's ready!"

I didn't respond, just sitting there and staring at the screen, unable to make myself say anything after seeing what I'd just seen. Why had Matt sent that to me? From what Andy had said in that video, he'd wanted Matt to get rid of it; he clearly hadn't though, as I now had a copy of it and the only other copy would be on Andy's computer.

Juliet appeared in the doorway, stopping as she saw the look on my face.

"Ashley?" she said with a frown. "Everything ok?"

"I need to call Matt," was all I said, taking my headphones off and shutting the lid of my laptop, knowing that it would need the password to unlock it; I didn't want Juliet seeing what I'd just watched.

It would destroy her.

"Ashley, what's going on?" she asked as I got up, grabbing my phone from the bedside table. "Ashley?"

"I've gotta call Matt; I'm sorry," I said, dialling Matt's number and leaving the room, going out past Juliet. The phone kept ringing, going to voicemail, so I left a message. "Matt, I need to talk to you; call me back as soon as you can. I got your e-mail; call me."

I left the message and put my phone in my pocket as Juliet stopped in front of me, seeing the look on my face; she was worried. I could hear Corey and Stef talking in the kitchen; looked like Juliet had managed to get them to have something to eat.

"Ashley, talk to me," she said as I ran my hand through my hair. She put her hands on either side of my face. "Talk to me; what's happened?"

"I need to find Andy's notebook," I said. "I can't explain right now; I need to talk to Matt and I need the notebook."

Juliet looked at me sadly as I checked my phone, wanting Matt to get back to me but seeing no message or anything. I moved past Juliet who stayed where she was; I went into the kitchen, Corey and Stef both looking over as I came to a halt.

"Corey, I need you to give me the notebook back," I said, a frown appearing on his face as Juliet joined us in the kitchen, sitting down next to Stef but not saying a word.

"I don't have it," Corey mumbled, looking back down to what he was eating, mindlessly pushing the food around on his plate. "Dunno whatcha talking about."

I sighed. "I know you took it; please Corey, I need you to give it back."

"I didn't take it," Corey insisted.

"Then where is it?" I asked seriously, not in the mood for this right now. "It didn't just get up and walk away; it's not in my office and it's not in my house. Where is it?"

"Why would I know?"

I looked at him sadly, Corey avoiding my gaze.

"Corey I seriously need it back," I said, neither Juliet nor Stef saying anything. "Please; where is it?"

Corey stayed quiet, making me a bit irritated.

"Whatever," I said. "Y'know it's not like it matters anyway; not like I kept it for any Goddamn reason, right?"

Juliet looked at me sadly as I went back up to the bedroom, shutting the door and sitting down on the edge of the bed, putting my head in my hands.

***

Corey's Point of View:

"Corey, you need to give him the book," Stef said, her voice down as we sat at the table, Juliet still in the kitchen and cleaning up everything.

I shook my head, Stef shaking her head at me and not saying anything more. I wanted to give it back but I couldn't bring myself to now that I knew that Ashley was sure I had it; he probably knew I'd had it right from the start.

I'd made sure I'd grabbed the book so I had it with my stuff in the spare room; I just didn't know how to go about giving it back to Ashley, especially now that he was mad at me because he knew I had it.

Juliet came over, taking the plates from in front of both me and Stef.

"Thank you," Stef said gratefully as Juliet went over to the sink to wash them. "We both really appreciate it Juliet; thank you."

"Any time," Juliet said in response as she cleaned up.

Stef looked at me before turning in her chair to look at Juliet who currently had her back to us.

"Is Ashley ok?" she asked, Juliet glancing over her shoulder at her.

"I don't know," Juliet said, finishing up and drying her hands off. "He's just under a lot of stress at the moment; Andy's notebook going missing doesn't seem to have helped."

I kept my gaze down as Stef glanced at me before looking back to Juliet as one of the cats wandered in.

"Corey has it," Stef spoke up, making me look to her as Juliet picked up the cat that had wandered in; I didn't know its name. "It's in his bag in the spare room."

Juliet looked to me, making me look away awkwardly.

"Corey you need to give it back to him," she said, keeping a hold of the cat who didn't seem overly pleased with it. "Andy was his best friend and he's been really off since that notebook went missing; it's not yours and Ashley needs it back."

I gave a shameful nod, Juliet coming over and sitting down on the chair next to Stef; she placed the cat in her lap, the cat seeming to approve of this.

"I'm sorry," I said, Juliet and Stef both looking to me. "Did you know Andy?"

Juliet nodded, her expression saddening as she looked down at the cat who was watching me carefully.

"Wish I'd known him longer," she said, the honesty coming through. "Didn't know him long enough."

"How'd you know him?" Stef asked, Juliet looking to her now.

"We dated for a bit," Juliet said quietly. She looked down again. "Wish he was still around; he was the best thing that ever happened to me."

Stef and I both looked at her sadly before Stef returned her gaze to me.

"Corey you need to give the notebook back," she said, making me nod.

I pushed my chair back, getting up and going down to the spare room where my things were; where I'd slept last night. As I walked down the hallway, I stopped, seeing the pictures on the wall; it made me sad in a way. There was one of Ashley with Andy, one of Juliet and Andy next to it. The third one on the wall was of Ashley and Juliet; it looked a few years old.

I continued on my way, going into the spare room and opening my bag, going through it and trying to find the notebook. I found it, taking it out of the bag and looking at it sadly.

I should've given it back sooner, as it clearly had Ashley more upset than I'd realised.

I didn't know why I'd kept it for so long, even though in reality it had only been about two weeks. It wasn't right but it had me interested still. But keeping it with me was wrong; something could happen and that wasn't fair on Ashley, as he probably didn't have a lot to remember Andy and this was one thing he actually had.

Stef appeared in the doorway, crossing her arms as I kept my gaze on the notebook.

"You want me to give that to him or are you gonna do it?" she asked, coming in and sitting down on the edge of the bed with me.

"I'll do it; was stupid for me to even take it in the first place," I said, the shame in my tone. "Dunno why I took it to begin with; it's not mine and it's not my business. Ashley's probably really mad at me now..."

Stef sighed.

"Corey, I'm sure he's not mad," she tried, making me shrug. "Just own up to your mistake and hand it back to him. Do the right thing."