I'll Take Care Of You

Chapter 11

The week passed by quickly; it was Saturday morning. Ash was released from the hospital two days after the accident. I'm glad he was able to leave. School was boring and lonely without him. To me, two days seemed more like an eternity. Plus, I was getting depressed when I would visit him in the hospital. They are not fun places to be, and they smelled weird.

Cat still has not talked to me since that one night. I did not even try to make time with her. If she was going to act that way, then why would I want to be around her? It was just not right! Your best friend is supposed to accept your boyfriend...right? If she was going to be acting all jealous and not even give me a chance to be with her, then I was better off without her.

Thinking of her brought me back to thinking of Monday. I laid in bed, and I was trying so hard to get that day out of my mind, but it wouldn't leave. It was as though it was super glued into my brain; into my memories, forever. Who was that guy? Or was it even a guy? The gunman was shorter than a guy, but guys can be short too. Thinking of this made me think of how Catherine acted when she was on the phone with me while I was at the hospital that day. She seemed disappointed about something, but what?

I jolted upright. NO! It couldn't be! She would never do that to me! My mind replayed our conversation and how she got so defensive outside my house. I started shaking my head, trying to get the thoughts out of my mind.

Why would Cat do that to Ashton, to me?! She wouldn't try to get rid of him to get her friend back. Would she?

I quickly got dressed. I needed to talk to Ash, and make sure he was okay. I hoped my thoughts about Cat weren't true, but if they were I had to protect Ashton. That meant I had to tell him what was going on.

I rang the doorbell hurriedly. "Come on someone, answer!" I said to myself. Sky was the one to open the door.

"Jen? What are you doing here?" She asked with a quizzical expression on her face.

"Where's Ashton?" I asked her. I then saw Ash step out from behind the corner of the kitchen, eating a sandwich. Of course he was eating. He's always hungry.

"Come on in." He said after he was done swallowing. Sky closed the door behind me and the three of us just stood there in awkward silence.

"Well...I'm just going to leave you two alone." She said, heading to her room. Ash stared at me confused.

"You okay?" He asked, walking closer to me. I nodded then went to the couch to sit down. He followed with the last bit of sandwich still in his hand. He finished it and then sat down in the recliner across from me. We sat in silence for a few minutes. Him staring at me, wondering what was wrong, me staring back, trying to gather my thoughts of how I was going to tell him about Cat.

I looked down at my hands, and the next thing I knew, I felt warm arms wrapped around me. As if they were comforting me. Ash turned my face towards him and wiped away a tear that escaped. I didn't even know I was crying.

"JenJen, what's wrong?" My heart fluttered when he used my nickname. I threw my arms around his neck and pressed myself against his chest. He patted my back and then pushed me away a little so he could get a better look at me.

"Babe, what's wrong? Please tell me. You're worrying me here." I sighed and unhooked my arms from around his neck and looked down. I had to tell him. I looked back up at him, my heart pounding.

"I think I know who the gunman was." I told him. I knew it had to be her. All the clues pointed to her. I just didn't want it to be true.