cw - mentions of vomit/feeling sick.
january 2015
houston, tx
"Oh, Ashley!" Aimee grins, having spotted her for the first time tonight.
Ashley offers up her best fake grin, disappointed that she hasn't managed to avoid her all evening.
"Happy birthday," she says, begrudgingly.
"Aw, thank you so much!" Aimee pulls her into a quick hug, which almost makes Ashley feel lightheaded. "I have a bone to pick with you," she teasingly waves a finger in front of Ashley's face. "You were one of the only people who didn't bring a gift!" She laughs it off, but Ashley doesn't find the comment very amusing.
"Yeah, I'm pretty broke at the minute," she shrugs, responding flatly, even though she doesn't think Aimee deserves an explanation at all— Ashley just didn't want to buy her anything.
"I'm only playing," Aimee nudges her shoulder. "Where's Gracie?" She questions, after a moment, and it becomes clear to Ashley that that's the only Aimee spoke to her in the first place.
"Uh, over there," Ashley points in her general direction, earning a small wave as Aimee scurries off.
She can only roll her eyes once she's out of sight, hoping that she doesn't have to see her again for the rest of the evening— or ever again.
After a while, Ashley's head begins to feel heavy; it feels like it's pounding to the beat of the blaring music, and the lump forming on the top of her head is throbbing.
She tries to weave her way through the crowd to get to the front door, thinking that maybe some fresh air will help her to feel a little better.
But, as soon as she steps outside, she feels nauseous, which only makes her panic.
Ashley has emetophobia; the entire subject of vomit freaks her out, let alone actually feeling sick— which means she usually tries to avoid getting sick by any means possible.
It's the main reason she hates eating out so much; she's scared that if she eats too much, she'll be sick— or maybe they cooked the food wrong, and she'll get sick from that. She's not sure if anyone knows that's the reason why, because she's never told anyone; she's too worried that they'll invalidate how she feels.
It's something that's always panicked her, and whenever she is inevitably ill, she can't help but cry helplessly until it's all over.
It takes everything in her not to just collapse in the front yard, because she doesn't want to be mistaken for one of the illegally drunk teenagers that are passed out around her.
She heads back inside after a few minutes, wondering if it's the fading light outside that's making her feel so dizzy, as she desperately tries to push away her nauseous thoughts.
Ashley goes upstairs to find somewhere quieter, and there's a large bedroom, which must belong to Aimee's parents; she enters cautiously, heading over to the corner of the room to sit down. She pulls out her phone, to find a couple of texts from Awsten, and hugs her knees up to her chest as she reads them.
awsten💕
How are you doing?
Just want to make sure
you're okay.
