The Outcast

Home Sweet Home

I was grinning like an idiot in the picture. No doubt laughing at whoever was behind the camera. Asher wasn't looking at the camera. She was looking at me with a genuine smile and an amused glint in her eyes. The smile she had was one that only appeared when she was mid laugh. Her right arm was slung over my shoulder and my left arm was wrapped around her waist. Normally I was taller than her but those damn boots gave her one or two inches over me. So, I ended up looking shorter in the picture than I do in reality.

We looked... happy. Neither of us had a care in the world. I remember that day like it was yesterday. We spent the day at the lake in the next town over jumping off the dock. We spent hours swimming, splashing, and dunking each other. Just us. No one else. That was our tradition for both of our birthdays. We talked for hours about anything and everything.

I remember telling her specifically with a smirk, "Thank God our lives are somewhat finally working out. No more drama. No more worrying about other people's BS. We at-least have each other. It's us against the world." And her idiot self agreed with me. Boy were we wrong.

I stared at the photo for what felt like eternity. My vision blurred and I blinked the tears away. I refuse to cry over anyone. Especially someone who willingly left. I don't care what her reasons were for leaving. I don't care how pissed she was at me for defending not only my BOYFRIEND but also my mate. She knew better than to go against Triston. She brought this on herself. It's not my problem. No point in crying about it. Bestfriend or not.

With that thought in mind, I bit down on my lower lip hard enough to probably draw blood. I furiously wiped the tears off my cheeks with the back of my hand.

"Screw you. Wherever you are. I don't need you." I utter to the picture.

I angrily clench my jaw as my eyes narrow to slits. Forget this Brittany. The past is the past.

Oh great. Now I'm talking to myself.

Sapphire is uncharacteristically silent. In fact, now that I think about it, she has been ghosting me all day. Apparently I'm not the only one who isn't in a partying mood today.

Shaking all other thoughts from my head I dipped the left upper corner of the picture towards the flames. Unfortunately, it didn't burn as fast as I wanted it to so I lit the other upper corner of the picture too. The flames enclosed our smiling faces and I have to admit it's kind of ironic. Why not turn the picture into ash? I mean our friendship has practically turned to dust.

With that being said, I couldn't help the satisfactory smirk I felt on my lips as our smiles went up in smoke. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. Blah blah blah. Good riddance. Friendships are for losers, I thought to myself as I turned my attention to the actual fire instead.

"OUCH! Son. Of. A. Bitch." I dropped what was left of the picture and looked at my blistered fingers as I stomped the flames away. Okay so that burned faster than I thought it would. The blisters were healing quickly but damn that hurt. I scowled at the charred remains of the picture under my foot. All that was left was the lower half of the picture. The only visible part being where my hand rested on Asher's waist.

I growled at the scorched remains before throwing what was left into the fire. I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding before turning my back and walking away.

Happy freaking birthday to me!

•••

~Asher's POV~

By the time we left, it was Saturday instead of Friday which meant it was the day after Brittany's actual birthday. But I knew without a doubt that they would still be partying at Triston's tonight and I had every intention of making my presence known. Grace called her dad on the way to the jet and told him we were coming. Since the Knox family and Triston share some territory I only need permission from one to cross over into the part they share. She didn't elaborate on what was going on and he didn't ask questions. Bless him.