im really glad that my family really likes Zach now. everything is finally starting to fall back into place.
"okay, babe where do you want to eat?"
"chipotle!"
"sounds good to me" zach pulls into the chipotle parking lot and parks the car. as we were walking he grabs my hand and smiles at me. i smile back and reach up to give him a quick kiss. after we order our food and sit down to eat two familiar looking adults walk through the door. my heart instantly stops when i recognize who they are. my parents. i drop my fork in total shock. Zach noticed my actions and followed my gaze towards them.
"Ash, are you okay? who are those people?"
"those are m-my parents." his jaw drops.
"i thought they were in prison."
"yeah, me too." i start to gather up my things. my parents left my siblings and me in the dust with nothing just so they could get drunk every week and sell drugs. they have caused so much pain in our lives, i can't stand to look at them any longer. "let's get out of here." i grab my purse and as i began to walk towards the door Zach grabs my arm.
"are you sure you don't want to talk to them?" anger instantly fills my body.
"yes Zach, i am. they ruined not only my life but Drew and Molly's as well." my parents must have heard us and they recognized me.
"oh, Ashley, honey. it's been so long!" my mom runs over towards me and goes to gather me into a hug but i back away fiercely
"don't even act like you love me all of a sudden!" i run out the door and i feel someone grab my arm again. it was my dad.
"Ashley, please, just give us a chance! we came all the way here just so we can see you and your siblings after all of these years."
"psh, what caused you to suddenly give a shit about us?" at this point i was so mad tears begin to flood my eyes.
"come on sweetie..."
"don't even start with that bullshit! you left us with nothing! absolutely nothing! you don't understand how long it took all of us to move on from that! everything in my life was finally starting to fall back into place. i met someone who cares about me so much and i don't need you in my life anymore! all you ever did was fuck us over!" Zach pulls me into a tight hug and kisses the top of my head. my parents stand there looking stunned.
"Ashley, we made a terrible mistake back then and we've done our time, we just want to be apart of your life."
"that's what you always told us when we were younger too, t-then you would disappear for days..." i trail off and bury my head into Zach's sweatshirt.
"i'm Zach, Ashley's boyfriend and i um really care about her and what you did to her, Drew, and Molly was really fucked up. she needs some time to process all of this.."
"let's go Zach." i grab his hand and we walk back to his car in silence.
i can't believe that just happened...
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how does ashley hold up after all of this?
how does Drew, Holly, and the rest of the family react?
does this sudden drama create problems in Zach and Ashley's new relationship?
will ashley ever forgive her parents?
find out in the next chapter!
