REMINISCENT

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Slowly Letting Go (FINAL EDIT)

Ashley's POV

"Ashley?" they both asked in unison.

I froze, spoon still in my mouth. My heart skipped like five beats as I slowly looked up, only to find every single person at the table staring at me. Even Justin had pulled his eyes away from the waitress. Great. Did I really take that long to answer?

"Uh..." My brain scrambled. Should I say yes? I mean, no one else was asked to prove it, so technically it should be fine. But what if they do ask to see it because I hesitated? Maybe I should say no instead? But what if—what if—they somehow find out one day?

"Ashley?" Chanel's voice broke through my inner spiral. Her brow was raised, expression unreadable—except for the subtle flicker that told me she already had an answer in her head, and whatever I said, she was ready to back me up. She always had my back like that.

"You zoned out a little... why aren't you answering?"

My heart thudded. Everyone's eyes felt like flashlights aimed at my secrets.

"Uh... no, no I don't," I finally said with a small laugh, forcing the lie out with a bright smile. "But I'd like to get one."

Lie through my teeth. Smile through the nerves. Classic.

"Oh," Jake said flatly, pulling out his phone like the answer didn't satisfy him at all. "I thought you had one."

I blinked. What?

"Why would you think that?" I asked, biting my bottom lip and tilting my head slightly—trying to look more curious than caught off guard.

He shrugged, not looking up. "I don't know. You just seem like someone who would."

"Okay..." I trailed off, confused. His tone didn't match his expression, and he definitely wasn't buying what I was selling. But he didn't push. Which somehow made it worse. I could feel something going on behind those eyes of his... but I couldn't tell what.

The moment broke when Emma suddenly chirped, "I'd love a piercing!"

We all stood up, preparing to leave, and I was grateful for the shift in attention.

"You already have piercings—two, one in each ear," Conner pointed out, clearly amused.

"Nooo," she whined. "I want mine like Ashley's! Two on one ear, and three or four on the other. See?"

She leaned over and pointed directly at my ears like I was a display case. I held back a smile.

"You don't need them," Ryan said quietly, standing next to me. His voice was low —so low I almost didn't catch it. I glanced at him, confused by the softness in his tone, but he just shook his head as if to say, don't worry about it.

"Wow, when did you get those?" Jake asked, leaning in for a closer look.

"When I turned fourteen," I replied with a shrug, the memory flashing back in pieces. The rebellious streak. The hair dye. The pushback. "Same time I started coloring my hair... I even wanted to get a nose piercing, but Mom shot that idea down real quick."

I didn't usually share much about my past, but for some reason, it just came out.

"It's also around the same time I got my t—umm... my periods," I stumbled awkwardly, covering up the sleep up.

Tina burst out laughing. "TMI, but okay!"

Everyone chuckled, and the tension finally eased as we reached the parking lot.

"Well, thanks for the ice cream, Aiden," Chanel said all at once. "But we gotta bounce. See you guys later!"

Before anyone could say much else, she grabbed my wrist and practically dragged me toward her car.