The Switch

Chapter 13

I don'tknow why I told her to take another night in my body. I kindof wanted it back now. I had no idea what I was going to do withanother night like this. I went back into my room and found somethingthat resembled lounging clothes. I came downstairs and had found amovie on TV. I was just about to go into the kitchen to see what kindof snacks this girl had when there was a hard, loud knock on thedoor. If I were still in my own body, I may believe that the policewere here. But I hadn't done anything and I don't think the realAshley had either. 

I heardthe knock again. "Coming!" I yelled. I put down the bag of chipsI had been munching on and wiped my hands on a towel. I opened thedoor and was surprised to see the man from earlier today on my stoop."Hey, Ash." he said. He gave me a crooked smile that was cute ina quirky kind of way. "Hey. What's up?" I asked him. "Nothing.I thought I would, umm, you know, come check on your car. Its doingokay?" I gave him a look that said I didn't believe anything he wassaying. "You mean since a few hours ago? Yeah. Its fine I guess. Doyou need to check it?" He shook his head. "No. I trust yourjudgment. Are you busy? Do you mind if I come in?" I thought for asecond. Ashley pretty much has decided she wants Marshall. I don'tthink she wants this guy in her life at all. "You can for a fewminutes." I stepped to the side and let him come in. I obviouslywasn't going back into the kitchen for my snack, so I sat down backin my spot on the couch and he sat next to me. 

It beganwith small talk. About what I was watching, the weather, he eventried to talk eminem to me. After about an hour of this and mebeginning to think letting him inside was pointless, he cut to thechase. "Ashley," he started, "I'm sorry for everything thathappened a couple months ago. You know I wasn't trying to hurt you."I had been looking at the floor, but I looked up when he said this. Idid know a little bit about this now, so I was gonna handle this thebest I could for her. "Really?" I asked him, my voice full ofskepticism, "then what exactly were you doing?" He looked away ashe searched for an answer. "I--" "Yeah, exactly. No offense, Imean, I forgive you. But I'm not interested in you like that anymore.There's no trust between us anymore. A relationship is impossible.Besides, I'm into someone else."

Heturned to look at me. I couldn't tell if the look on his face was oneof shock or pain. I wasn't trying to hurt the man, but its about timeAshley explicitly stated how she felt and stuck to it. No giving infor a pretty face or because she felt bad. I had a feeling she didthat a lot. "So who is it?" he asked. "Who's who?" I waskind of of lost in my own thoughts I temporarily forgot what we weretalking about. "The person you're interested in. Who is it?" Ipanicked. I couldn't tell him it was Marshall. He wouldn't take meseriously. "It doesn't matter who it is." I said. I didn't meanto come off so snobby, but I guess it did kind of come across thatway. 

He stoodup over me. It was the first time I had really paid attention to howmuch taller he was than me. "I said, who is it?" he asked meagain. This time, a little more forcefully. "I said it doesn'tmatter." Now I'm standing up too. "I think its time for you togo." As I attempted to walk around him to get to the front door heshoved me back onto the couch. "I'm not going anywhere until youtell me what I want to know!" As he lunged toward me, to do what, Istill don't know, I swung at him. Landing a punch across his lefteye. He yelled out in pain, grabbing his face. And I took fulladvantage of the opportunity to run. I went up into the bathroomupstairs and locked the door. Just as I went to call Ashley I lookeddown and she was facetimting me. I had tears in my eyes, so I had towipe them away. I answered the call and as I did a double take I sawMark, Marshall, and Ashley all in the same room. This room appearedto be Marshall's living room. "Ashley," she said, "I need toswitch back, NOW!