Change

Time skip of six years....
Ash's P.O.V.

"Hey, Ash, are ya listening?!" I snap my head up to look at someone who I am not too fond of.

"No."

"What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing in particular." The blood. The flames. The pain and hurt that are resurfacing. Nothing Andrew knows about.

"Okay, then don't tell me." I have no desire to anyway. "So... do you know when Katie is coming back?"

"She said she would only be a few hours," I mumble and tuck my head back behind my arm wrapped atop my knees.

"And you aren't worried?"

"Andrew, it has been two hours. Stop worrying so much. It's annoying."

"I'm sorry for being concerned about my friend," Andrew snaps and I smirk.

"Angry now, are we? There is no need to worry. She can kick your ass anytime she wishes and be a good match against me, too."

"Tsk."

"Just shut your trap and use your brain for once. Thinking might do you some good."

"At least I don't mope around everywhere." I perk my head up, ears up and forward: alert.

"And since when do I mope? Not speaking much and not smiling doesn't mean I'm moping."

"It kinda does."

"Do I seem sad to you?"

"Well... you seem... off. The whole time I have known you, you have always acted strange."

"Well, I act how I normally do. Get use to it."

"I can't believe that you and Katie somehow became friends..." Andrew says bitterly, which shocks me. Is he showing his true colors now? I have known him for only a couple months, as Katie and have just returned to this region and pocked him up off of the streets: we never travel too far, though.

"Chance. It was just, chance. She reminds me of someone I knew a long time ago and right when we were at each other's throats, we just kinda both backed down."

"I still don't see why she didn't take you out, though."

"Great question. Maybe it would have been better...."

"And your back to being your depressing self. I'm going to the surface to wait for Katie." I do not reply to Andrew as he walks up the stairs after grabbing hold of a small knife and placing it in his pocket. I honestly don't think he needs that when he can claw people in half with his lion claws, a fairly rare form of splits.

I sit alone in the dark room beneath the surface and stare at my hands.  Brooke, Maria, Nash... I miss them all....  "Hey, Ash.  Get your ass up here!"  I groan, wondering why I have to bother, and head up the stairs with my hands tucked in my jean pockets, fiddling with one, small knife in my right one.  "Ash!"

"I'm fucking coming, you retard," I snap and get to the top of the stairs and kick the door open angrily.  I find Andrew facing five unfamiliar people holding guns aimed at him.  "What the hell did you do now?" I say calmly.

"Are you blind!?  They want our place."

"What makes them think they will get it?" I ask, my face still stoic.

"Two against five," one of the bigger men says.  Personally, he is repulsive.

"And?  You're point?" I say with a shrug.