Dare || m.c.

➵ 0.8 - jade

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Jade went home with Ashton. Only it wasn't home.

It was Ashton's house.

Home was where her mom was. Home was the shitty trailer she had lived in for almost two years. Home was where she had a reminder of her dad.

This wasn't home.

Ashton's little brother, Harry, met them at the door and hugged Jade for a long time. Jade almost wanted to cry, but she kept herself in check. She wasn't going to break down.

"She'll be happy now," Harry said quietly. "She's not hurting. Maybe she'll meet my Mommy and Daddy and they can be friends."

Jade smiled through her pain. Ashton's parents died when he was ten and Harry was two and they had lived with Ashton's foster parents since then. Well, they were his legal parents now because they had adopted Ashton and Harry a while ago. Jade felt bad for Harry because the poor kid never got a chance to know either of his biological parents. Even though Ashton was also young at the time of the accident, at least he would have some memory of them.

Jade untangled herself from Harry's small body and stood up from where she had been kneeling. "I'm sure they'll be great friends, Harry."

"Hey, bud, I think Jade wants to sleep now," Ashton said, ruffling Harry's hair.

"Okay," Harry said and hugged Jade one more time. Ashton sent Harry to his room before pulling Jade further into the house, where Ashton's mom met them.

She was a nice woman, with pale blonde hair and soft brown eyes. She hugged Jade too, but for a lot less longer than Harry had. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Jade. It'll all get better."

Jade wanted to laugh. It wouldn't fucking get better. Life didn't get better when your parents died. It got worse.

That thought replayed in her thoughts. Her parents were dead. Forever. She was an orphan. She officially had no family left. Admitting that to herself was so hard.

"Hey." Ashton touched her cheek.

Jade blinked and realized they were in Ashton's room. She had completely blanked out and had no idea how long she'd been in here for. She took a seat on the edge of the bed. Ashton sat next to her. "How're you feeling?"

"Alone." She leaned her head on Ashton's shoulder. "So fucking alone, Ash."

Ashton put one arm around her shoulders. "I'm here, J."

Jade shook her infinitesimally. "Both of my parents are gone, Ashton. I'll never see them again. Ever."

"I know," Ashton said gently. "It'll get easier with time."

Jade lifted her head and looked at her friend. "How did you deal with it, Ash? You were so young."

Ashton stared straight ahead, his eyes glazed over and Jade wondered what he was seeing. "I don't think I knew what was really happening. Like, I knew my parents were dead, but I don't think I knew what that really meant. It wasn't until I started living with Sandra and Jack that it hit me. My parents weren't coming back."

Ashton talked quietly, as if he was afraid of startling someone.

"Life is such a shitty thing," Jade wondered out loud. "Why us? Why take our parents from us? Why do it to anyone?"

"I'll be damned if I know," Ashton replied. "Sometimes.. sometimes I wish I could do something to make the pain go away. For everyone. It would be so nice to see everyone happy, you know? I'd like to see that someday."