Sunrise in the Palisades || Gambino Fan-Fiction

12: Late Night in Kauai

"Donald, that's it!" I rose my eyebrows and Jaden continued, "Dude. Just write a song for her." Chance groaned in disgust.

"Here we go with some mo' gay shit, man. What the hell is he anyway, an oddball Chris Brown? You can't just throw a beat in her face and expect her to run it!-"

"CHANCE GET OUT. FUCK YOU AND YOUR COWARDLY FUCKBOY ASS PROBLEMS WITH TROIAN MAN. I HOPE SHE NEVER GIVES YOU THE TIME OF DAY. I HOPE SHE STARTS TRIPPING SHIT OVER VIC."

Chance and Jaden both stared at me incredulously and I sighed, sinking into the couch. It was as if-take notice of the if-I had went insane, and I knew that's what it looked like but.. I couldn't help anything that I was feeling in that moment. I wonder if Ashley is even thinking about me..

Ashley

"Ashley c'mon!" Jasmine started pulling me towards the photo booth, and I groaned inwardly. Troy and Jasmine knew that I wasn't in any mood for taking pictures, but they insisted on making me feel better the best way they could, which apparently, to them, was to annoy me. I just wanted to be left alone with my own thoughts. It had been two days since the kiss Donald and I had shared, and we hadn't even looked each other's way since then. I hated it. Not only was it hard to obtain my feelings for him, but he had become something of a close friend to me as well. I had no one to talk about corny, older shows together, as well as sing with or share poetry with or—anything! I was starting to get frustrated.

After the pictures we took—that I did not smile in, of course—came out of the slot of the booth, the girls thought it would be ideal for us to sit down and get something to eat. I wasn't hungry.

"Ashley, where are you going?" Troy furrowed her eyebrows at me. "The Taco Bell stand is right over there."

"Yeah, I know, Troy. I'm just not really all that hungry right now, okay? Here, I'll find somewhere to sit." I gave her a quick, reassuring smile while taking in her shocked expression after my declination of my favorite food, and scurried away before she could protest. I found a table as far away from the two of them as it could possibly get. I sunk down into the chair, and pulled out my phone to see that I had received five text messages: one from Chance, one from my mother, and three from Donald. I drew in a breath before deciding to open Chance's conversation first.

big brudda: where y'all at?

me: we just decided to go to the mall.. nothin' major. y?

big brudda: try and come home soon. got a surprise for ya 😜

me: um.. mmk that's not creepy or anything🌚

chance: girl😂 just come home ASAP, ight?

me: ohk😂😂

I then moved into my mother's conversation, biting my lip as I scrolled by Donald's notifications on the screen.

mommy: Hi, pumpkin! How have you been?☺️ I miss you, and would love to hear your voice soon. Call me!❤️

I smiled in content, but the feeling quickly subsided as I realized how self-absorbed I was being. There I was, sulking and sensitive over a boy, while my mom hadn't heard from me in about a month. The last time we talked, I had told her about everything that had happened to me and the girls so far, and it had only intensified her worries, and she wanted me to come home straight away. When I was finally able to reassure her that everything would be fine, she made me promise her that I would keep in touch. And what a wooonderful job I've been doing of keeping my word. A small grimace passed over my expression. I made a mental note to call her, but after that stuff with Donald had passed. I didn't want her to worry about me the slightest bit after what happened; I wanted her to know that I could take care of myself.

Before I could find a second to prepare myself to open Donald's messages, Jas and Troy caught up with me, and sat down. I huffed silently, knowing that I had to talk my situation out with them in that moment, whether I wanted too or not.

Before they had the time to actually interrogate me, I just let the two of them have it.

"...And now, he won't speak to me. What am I supposed to do?"

"Ash, fuck that nigga—"

"Troy!—"

"I'm serious, man. Jas, no. I gotta take this one. Ashley, so what if he kissed you and dipped? Lessons and blessin's, honey, he ain't worth a second thought over..."

I'm not sure what came over me just then, but I felt my eyes welling up with tears. Maybe I'm just overwhelmed by Donald?

"Are you even serious right now, Troy?!" Jasmine took a slap to Troian's arm before reaching across the table to hand me a napkin. Troian began to protest but then looked my way. Her expression changed immediately, and she rushed over to sit by my side, enveloping me in a hug.

"I am so sorry, Ash. You know I just be talkin', just bitter because I don't have a love life." Troy sighed as if to try to convince me that she was genuinely lonesome, but it was impossible. Still, I appreciate the effort, I thought to myself while sniffling and blowing my nose one last time.

"Hey," she nudged me with her elbow, "what's the move?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Chance wants me to go ahead and make my way back to the house so he can—"

Troian threw her hand up, cutting me off. "No further. Please. Let's just go." She started clearing the table, not paying any mind to Jasmine, who was snickering quietly. I smiled to myself. Even if Donald decides to be a jerk, I still have my friends, right?