i look up and see Kamri sitting directly across from us with my ex. yes, the ex that almost got me fucking killed. he messed my whole life up in unexplainable ways. he pressured me into doing shit i would've never thought of doing. all the guys know about his games and the shit he did to me, so that is why they are clearly as shocked as me. i watch as Kamri and Bryan (my ex) share a kiss.
"fuck." i whisper under my breath causing everyone to snap back into reality and look at me. Zach grabs my hand and gives it a light squeeze.
"just ignore it, and finish you food babe."
"you're right. screw them, i just want to have fun with you guys." i force a smile and turn back to my pancakes. a few minutes of awkward silence later Kamri looks up and we made eye contact. her eyes go wide. how tf did she not notice me before. ugh whatever. i squeeze Zach's hand a little causing him to look over at me. he followed my gaze towards Kamri.
"ashley, hi! i didn't see you here." kamri gives a little smile.
"oh yea, hey." i don't break eye contact with her. "so you and Bryan?" she glances back toward bryan and then to me.
"oh, we were just um talking."
"mhmm." i roll my eyes.
"ashley, don't go jumping to conclusions."
"i'm pretty sure it's not jumping to conclusions when i just watched you guys kiss." her face turns a shade of red.
"listen, that was nothing he just wanted to catch up a bit because we having seen each other since the... incident and you know we used to be so close..."
"save it Kamri, you know how much he hurt me but you still decide to 'hang with him' whatever. it hurts me the most because i thought you were one of my bestfriend."
"i am one of your best friends!" i stand up and grab my purse and phone, i slap a 5 dollar bill on the table and turn towards the door. as i was walking out she grabs my arm and i turn back towards her.
"if you were really one of my bestfriends you would never have does this to me. especially since you know about everything that i have to deal with my family at the moment, and how much that already has me fucked up."
"no, ashley wait..."
"save it Kamri." i walk out and sit in the van while i wait for the other guys to come out. i was on my phone scrolling through instagram when i hear a knock on the window of the van. i look up to see Bryan.
oh fuck...
i try to ignore it and lock the doors but he keeps fucking knocking. i roll the window down just so there is a slight opening.
"what the fuck do you want?" he smirks and crossed his arms.
"oh come on ash, don't act like you hate me." i roll my eyes.
"don't ever call me ash, ever. and i do hate you, you were a dumbass and tried to manipulate me way too many times."
"i just want to know how you're doing! i just want to catch up, come on babe."
"i'm not your babe, and i'm doing fan-fucking-tastic without you."
"you are nothing without me!" i laugh.
"k. bye!" i give him a little wave and roll the window up again. he continues to bang on the damn window for what feels like forever until the boys come out.
thank god.
once he sees the guys he walks off and into the car beside us with Kamri waiting in the passenger seat. Zach sits beside me and grabs my hand gently in his. there are 3 rows in the van, 2 front seats, 3 middle seats and 3 back seats. jonah was driving with Daniel in the passenger seat. Then Corbyn and Jack were sitting in the middle row leaving Zach and i in the back alone.
"so, that was... a lot." he strokes his thumb on the back of my hand sending chills down my spine.
"yea, no kidding. i cant believe she would do that to me. she knows everything that he's done to hurt me. hell, she was there with me as i was going through it! i just, don't know what to do. we've been friends since 3rd grade. it's always been Breckin, Kamri, and me. we were always together, always a package and now i have no fucking idea what to do."
"oh ashley, it's okay. you still have all of us, and Breckin, and your siblings." he pulls me close to his chest. i let out a long sigh.
"yeah, we'll Molly hates me right now. so that's one last person." tears begin to fill my eyes, as i just began to realize how truly fucked up everything is becoming again. i just started becoming genuinely happy for the first time in a while and of course life decides it's going to mess with me again. i can't fall back into this hole of constant sadness. i can't. Zach lifts my chin up towards him and wipes my tears with his thumb. he closes the space between our lips slowly. i feel lighter and instantly a bit happier when i'm close to him. this boy is my happiness. with everything that's going on with my parents, molly, and kamri he somehow knows the way to make me feel a little less shitty.
"hey, i love you so much and i promise you'll get through this. i'll be right there with you the entire time." i lay my head on his shoulders.
"i love you too." i close my eyes and drift off to sleep feeling safe in his arms and slowly the sadness begins to drift off and i fall into sleep.
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will kamri and ashley ever get over this?
will bryan make another return?
when does ashley finally go back home?
what does Breckin think about all this?
find out in the next chapter!