Anger Management

Filler Scene

"Ugh who told my parents to birth me in this hellhole known as Ohio. I hate the Midwest. All we get is corn fields and humidity. It's sooooo hot."

"Well maybe if you actually got in the pool you'd cool down." I roll my eyes at Riley as she sits in a chair sunbathing. She wasn't lying though. Summers in Ohio were brutal for only one reason. Humidity.

"As if. I don't feel like having to go through my hair care regimen because I decided to contaminate it with chlorine." She did have a point there. Washing my hair after this was going to make me hate life, but the pull of a chlorine filled pool was too strong for me. I wave her off before dunking myself underwater allowing the muffled sounds of up above to wash over me. It was a quiet day today, I realize as I come back up for air and take a look around. A lot of the families who usually occupied the local pool were off doing things since it was the 4th of July weekend. There was only one family here and an elderly couple. I wasn't gonna lie. I liked how peaceful it was. At least I could actually swim around in the pool. Usually you'd only have a small area to splash around in. I change my floating position and float on my back no longer having the energy to doggy paddle in the water. I close my eyes letting the cool water hit me from underneath and the warm sun hit me from above.

The past two weeks had really made me feel like my life was getting back to normal. My parents had gotten back two days after Mason and Is friends dinner, and it wasn't until they were in front of me that I realized how much I had missed them. They had an awesome time in Greece, and I won't lie I'd gotten a little jelly when I saw all of their pictures. They promised me though that wed go together as a family one day so here's to hoping.

On the other hand life had been pretty peaceful without too much Ashter drama. Of course we saw each other on Sunday because of Anger Management requirements but it was always somewhat pleasant. We basically joked through all of the meeting and Summers Go lucky attitude was 75% of the time the butt of our jokes. It finally felt as if we were at a stable point. Our Tuesday get-togethers were fun and I even got him to finally do rock climbing which I absolutely beat him at. The look on his face had me laughing for days. I chuckle at the thought right now as I swim back towards the ledge lifting myself out the water.

I shake some water onto Riley purposefully which gets me a death glare. I giggle at her wrapping the towel around myself and sitting on my pool chair. I throw on my sunglasses and pull out my phone from my bag to see a couple of missed calls from my mom. I click on her name and listen to the dial ring waiting for her to pick up.

"-ketchup does not go in the fridge!!! Hi honey!"

"Uh hey mom, is everything alright?" I sit up from my relaxed position concern running through my voice.

"Oh yes hun everything's fine. That's just your father being your father. Anyways, how do you feel about us throwing a 4th of July party this weekend?"

"What? Why? I thought we were just going to do something small?"

"Well It doesnt have to be the whole neighborhood. I was just thinking about Riley and some of the other friends you were telling me about. I definitely liked to meet that rowdy little pupil of yours." I feel my cheeks flush in embarrassment at my mom's suggestive comment.

"Mom please don't say things like rowdy and pupil it makes me sound like a pervert." I feel Riley glance over at me in curiosity after hearing me say this. I just shake my head And mouth the word 'mom' at her and she laughs knowing how crazy my mom can be.

"Oh you know what I mean, but ask them I need to know by tomorrow before I go to the store." I let out a defeated sigh knowing she had already made up her mind. "Fine." We exchange a couple of more words before hanging up and I drop my phone next to me as I flop back on my chair, my hands covering my face.

"What's up with you?" Riley questions as she types at her phone probably responding to a text from Colton. I drop my hands to my side and look over at her. "You have to come to my house this weekend for a 4th of July party. You have no say and you can't get out of it."

"Ouu I get to have some of Jay's bar b que? Trust me I'm there. Who all is coming?"

"She wants me to invite everyone." I tell her in a deadpanned tone the least excited about it.

"Wait so I can bring Colton, because we were literally struggling to figure out something to do this Sunday." I simply roll my eyes at her but nod yes and she lets out an excited squeal her attention now back on her phone. Ever since I had found out that her and Colton were a thing, that's all she talked about. Colton knows how to play basketball. Colton has the softest skin. I mean I knew so much about the guy, it's like I was dating him too. At this point I was wishing I could go back to when they were secretive about it.

I turn my attention back to my own phone, and go to my messages pulling up Mason's name.

Me: My mothers throwing a 4th of July thing. You in?

I pull up Asther's name and text him the same thing. "Hey do you think we should invite Jamie?" I ask Riley as I scroll down my list trying to find her name.

"Nah. Shell probably just reply no like she does whenever I ask her about doing something. Plus her mom is so social I wouldnt be surprised if they were doing something as a family already. "

"Well yeah but she's like a part of our little group, so shouldn't I shoot a text her way just in case?"

"Oh Sylvie, you were starting to act like Ashter a little. I thought all the positivity had gone away." I feel my mouth drop open after she says this. I know those words didn't just come out of her mouth.

"I am not acting like Ashter. I am still my positive happy self, and I take all the offense to that comment."

"Ah don't get your panties in a twist." Riley casually says waving me off, "Maybe it's just that you two had been spending so much time together that you're starting to act alike. You know Like a cooouple."

"When are you going to get this into your tiny little skull. Ashter and I are never going to happen. Never. Ever. Okay?"

I was honestly fed up with Riley's little obsession with me and Ashter being together. I mean I was 100% percent positive in that Ashter felt only annoyance towards me, maybe a little bit of tolerance but that was probably wishful thinking. I at least thought we were friends by now. Although anyone who had seen all of the weird close interactions may think we were something more. I just blame that on Ashter's helplessness on controlling his player side. Honestly I couldn't even see myself with Ashter. He did always make me stoop down to his level and show an angry side I didn't even know I had. I mean yeah he has a gorgeous face and a body from the gods, and he could be sweet when he wanted to. There was that time he saved me from drowning, of course it was his fault but still. Ugh what am I even thinking? Me and Ashter? Pshhhhh that would never in a million years happen. Right?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So yeah, I know this chapter is short that's why I called it a filler scene. I just wanted to make sure there was some background context. The real juicy drama filled stuff will be in the next chapter.

Honestly I just felt that the next chapter would be too long if I kept it all together, so I broke it up. Anyways more fun next chapter, and some introductions to some new characters. I think you'll like them. *wink wink*

Thanks for the reads. Keep commenting, voting, reading, sharing yadayadayada.

All the love.

XOXOXOXO, Alysia2021