The Return of Love (Editing)

Chapter 3

I wake up to the sound of my alarm and groan. Even on a weekend, I only get thirty more minutes of sleep than the usual school day.

I swing open the doors to my closet and sigh, going through my usual clothes. I end up wearing a pair of black skinny jeans and a red hoodie.

"You're going shopping like that?" My mom asks when I make it upstairs. She raises an eyebrow at my messy bun and I grab my keys from the counter, twirling them between my finger, "Are we going or not?"

She slips on her shoes behind me and follows me to the car.

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I reach my hand for the chocolate chip muffins that sit in a plastic container of six and throw them into the cart.

"Nope!" My mom says taking them out and setting them back.

"But mom! I'm gonna eat them tonight after dinner. You know I have to have some sort of dessert or I'll literally go insane."

She smiles and I follow her into the next isle with the cart, "Sweetie, you can eat something tonight at the restaurant."

There's a girl holding a platter of sample cheese on toothpicks and I take two, setting one into my mouth and handing my mom the other, who pushes it away gently.

"What restaurant?" I say, setting the other in my mouth.

"Oh, I didn't tell you," she chuckles, "You remember Ashton, right?"

I nod and grab a sample of chips and dip, chewing a piece in my mouth.

"Him and his family moved back, I believe he's starting school Monday."

I cough on my chip and the lady serving the samples hands me a small cup of juice.

"Thank you," I squeal out, sipping out of the little cup.

"We haven't seen them in so long. What has it been dear? Almost seven years now?"

What happened last night at the party plays through my brain and panic begins to set in , "You mean to tell me Ashton is back?"

We make our way to the cashier and begin unloading the cart, "It's going to be wonderful really, isn't it?" Her tone has a hint of excitement and I force a smile.
"Ecstatic." I manage to say in a somewhat excited tone, "Just ecstatic," I whisper to myself.

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"Wait, wait, go back. Who's Ashton?" Dakota seems confused on the other line.

I fall back on my bed with my cellphone to my ear, "Are you listening to me? I told Derek I'm dating Ashton and I explained everything to him and now Ashton's back and Derek's going to be expecting me to introduce him once he meets him."

Dakota is silent and then it clicks in. Or so I thought. "You used to have a crush on this guy? You mean you actually had a crush once upon a time?"

"Dakota! Focus!"

She sighs, "If you guys are good friends, I don't see the issue with just telling Ashton about it."

I squeeze the skin between my eyes, "I haven't seen this kid in over seven years. We haven't talked at all since he moved. I doubt if he even remembers me. I can't just go up to him. What am I gonna say? 'Oh hey Ashton, I know I haven't spoken to you in years, but here's the thing, I lied to someone that I was dating you because you were the first person that popped into my head. Nothing weird about that right?'."