"do you want me to take you home?"
"um actually can we go to your house. all the girls and drew are there too." he smiles.
"of course." as soon as we get home everyone floods me with questions.
"woah guys slow down."
"we just want to know what happened." jack moans.
"okay, okay, i understand but let me breathe a bit i've had a long night."
"it's okay ash, take your time." jonah smiles.
"thank you jo." i plop down on the couch and take a deep breath and then explain everything that had happened minutes before.
"wow this dylan guy is a big douche." daniel says.
"yea, no fucking kidding dani." i yell. "i'm sorry, i didn't mean to yell. it's just... it's been a lot and since he's been messing with me again i keep replaying that night h-he almost killed me." Zach wraps his arm around me and rubs my shoulder gently.
"it's going to be okay, i promise. i will never let him hurt you again." he kissed my forehead. i smile slightly and lay my head on his shoulder.
"yea, we are all here for you ash. we love you!" corbyn chimes in and everyone nods and reply's with a yes or a yea of course.
"thanks guys it really means a lot." we all sit around talking and watching tv for almost 2 hours. it was fun just being with all my bestfriends. "hey i think i'm going to go outside to get some fresh air , i'll be right back." i stood up and walked outside. luckily their house was really close to the beach. so i walked down to the beach and sat in the warm sand as i watched the sunset over the beautiful ocean. i looked around me and noticed there was so much trash on the shore. so i began to pick up some of it. as i was throwing some of the nearby trash away i got a tap on the shoulder. i turned around and saw a young man probably around my age with curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes. he was pretty cute but not as cute as Zach of course. "hi?"
"hi! my name is Ian." he smiles.
"nice to meet you, i'm Ashley." we shake hands.
"i just wanted to talk to you for a minute because i noticed you were helping to clean up the beach?" i look down at the trash in my hand and smile.
"yea i usually try to make time every couple of days to clean it up a little bit."
"that's amazing, i work for a company called 4ocean and we sell amazing products to help fund the removal of trash from our oceans and coastlines."
"i've heard of them!! i actually have several 4ocean brackets."
"that is so great, so i guess the reason i approached you in the first place was because i wanted to ask if you would be interested in working with us ? we are always looking for new people to help spread our word and there are many great benefits to working for 4ocean."
"that actually sounds perfect !! i've always wanted to become involved in a group like this but i've always been busy and this sounds like the perfect opportunity to get my mind off of things while making a positive impact on our world."
"great, if you wouldn't mind giving me your email & phone number so we can contact you with updates and possibly to set up a meeting if you would be interested in traveling to different countries & beaches to help clean up."
"of course!" i give him my number & email then say goodbye. i head back up to the house, i was cheesing so hard. i cant believe i really have the opportunity to work with such an amazing company. this is honestly a dream come true for me. everyone is looking at me as i walk back into the living room where everyone is gathered.
"why you so happy?" jack asks.
" becauseeee." i smile super big.
"because why?" asks Breckin.
"because i just got asked by some dude who works with 4ocean to come work with them."
"no way??" breckin screams.
"ohhh yea!! i'm so happy Breck this is a dream come true !!!"
"i'm so so happy for you, i know this is something you've wanted to do for the longest time."
"we're so happy for you ash!!" says Jonah.
"i'm so proud of you baby." Zach kisses my cheek and smiles. at that moment i get a text asking me if i can do a facetime meeting with some of the 4ocean workers in 5 minutes. i quickly reply yes and run upstairs to Zach's room without telling anyone what i was doing. i plop down on his bed and grab my laptop. Zach enters and looks at me clearly puzzled.
"what are you doing babe?" i smile.
"right, sorry i just kind of ran up here without saying anything but i got a text asking if i can do a facetime meeting in.." i look at my watch, "3 minutes."
"oh wow, okay well i guess i'll leave. good luck!!"
"thanks Z." i give him a quick kiss and wait for them to call me. once the facetime request pops up i accept.
"hello miss ashley, correct?"
"yes, that is me."
"awesome, i'm Lydia one of the head workers here at 4ocean and i am joined by Ian who to my knowledge you met at the beach nearly 45 minutes ago?"
"yes, i did meet him at the beach."
"great, i just have a few questions to ask you. it surely shouldn't take long."
*skip to end of call*
i close my laptop and lay back on Zach's extremely comfortable bed and smile. i get fly to hawaii with the 4ocean team in a week to help work on a cleanup project and i can bring one friend along with me. i lay there for a few more minutes soaking it in when there's a faint knock at the door.
"come in." it was Zach. he lays down beside me. "i have great news."
"let me hear it."
"4ocean invited me to a cleanup project in hawaii." he sits up and smiles.
"that's amazing Ash!! i'm so beyond happy for you."
"thanks Zachy, it means a lot."
"when do you get to go?"
"i leave next saturday." he looks shocked.
"a week from today??"
"yep!"
"wow that's soon."
"yea, i know. but i'm so ready to get started!"
"how long will you be gone?"
"3 months, we will go to the different islands and beaches and i will get to meet some of the management out there which is huge."
"oh wow. 3 months..." he trails off.
"what's wrong?"
"well i mean 3 months is a long time."
"yea, but you're going to be touring during the whole first month anyway."
"i know, but i was going to ask you to come with me... and two months after that alone is going to suck." i give him a hug.
"i know it's going to be hard for both of us, but this is something i really want to do and i promise we can facetime every night." he smiles slightly.
"okay."
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how will Zach and Ashley do apart for so long?
how does the dinner tomorrow go?
will dylan try to mess things up again?
find out in the next chapter!!
