Ashes

Chapter 21

Keiko and Tiffany wandered off to their next class while Ashanté finished her lunch.

Oh noooes. I forgot to tell Mom and Dad about all this. Argh.

Maybe it was better to wait. She didn't need the added pressure of her parents asking how she was going to juggle school and career, especially if the career didn't last long.

Yeah, no point telling them I'm a professional singer right before I get fired.

Argh.

Argh, argh, and more argh. How did she get into this mess?

Thank god there were a couple of hours before her next class. She'd return to the dorm, gather her notes and try to focus on one thing at a time.

What if they sue my parents if I fail to have a hit?  God knows I don't have any money.

Tossing her phone in her backpack, she left the student union and headed for the dorms. Some people cackled behind her, and she walked faster.

"Hey, Ashanté! Wait up."

Huh?

She turned to find Scarlett Pratt, the most popular girl in school ─ or at least the most popular freshman ─ following her with a boy on each arm. What were they, football players? They were built like jocks.

Ashanté waited for them to catch up, then wondered why. I hate this fucking bitch. She's a bully, a snob and a cunt. I should've kept walking.

No, the bitch's boyfriends might chase her down to make sure she genuflected to the crazy ho. Ashanté looked around. This stupid campus was wide open, with sidewalks across vast fields and no trees or bushes for long stretches. Where could she hide?

"Hey, I'm over here," the bitch said, snapping her fingers in Ashanté's face. "Heh. That's better. So I heard you were a big hit at the country club the other night."

The jocks burst out laughing.

"I didn't know you were a member." Scarlett sized her up. "You don't exactly look like country club material."

The jocks shook their heads and wiped their eyes, snorting. "No, no. That's country western  club.  A country nightclub. The River View Roadhouse."

"Where they play country music?" Scarlett asked. "But only losers listen to country."

The jocks laughed again and Scarlett turned back to Ashanté. The twat was about to say something even more venomous when a limo pulled up to the curb. The horn played a few bars of Shifting Gears  and Bryce rolled down the window.

"Can I give you a lift, Miss Ashanté?"

Hell, yeah! Move over and let me in, white boy.

She climbed in before the chauffeur got out to open the door. As they drove away, Bryce gazed out the window.

"We should've offered your friends a ride."

"You mean Keiko and Tiff? They're in class."

"No, I meant the hottie with the two jocks. Of course, we could leave the jocks behind."

Ashanté glared at him. "Do you have any idea what just happened?"

"Hmm? No. What?"

Argh.  "Never mind."