Binary: Rough Draft Edition (Sword Dancers, Book 1)

Chapter 13: Ashley

Ashley stood around while Haze and Olivia talked about how to wake Flair up. She looked at the fire-themed cybernetic organism. Her mind was running a mile a minute. One thought was concern about Flair. Although she didn't like being bonded to an alien being, she didn't want it, no, her to die. She was starting to believe the others as they were trying to help defend the Sparks and find Megatron. 

Her other thought was controlling her anger. Tyree wasn't here in the Krowten. She was mad at him and Colin. They went to the same high school when they were younger. Colin did cross country with her junior and senior year. Tyree did track those same years. So she did get to know them. The first year, not so much, but senior year, both of them helped her emotionally. 

When she started taking the SAT's early their senior year, she almost had a mental breakdown. She remembered the conversation they had.

"Ashley, I don't know you well, but I know you're smart Don't let these test make you feel you're not. They're only tests." Colin said.

"They're not only tests." she was holding back tears. "My test scores will determine if I go to an Ivy school. If I don't score well, then all my activities like French club, fbla, and model congress are going to mean nothing."

"So, you only join those activities to get into college?" 

"Yes and no." 

"Well, then no wonder why you're freaking out. You're not living your life for you. Are you sure you want to go to an ivy league school or is that your parents talking?"

She remembered looking at him like he was crazy. "Of course it's my goal. You can't get into Harvard, Princeton, or the other Ivy league schools without activities. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy all of my activities, but I'm busy all the time."

"That you don't  have time for yourself"

"Except for cross country and track."

"So, you get a high score and you get into one of the universities. what's next?" Colin asked point blank.

She stall. "I graduate"

"and then what?"

"I work"

"Sounds like what I'm doing," Colin said. 

"Aren't you joining the Army?"

Colin nodded his head. "I am. I already passed the ASVAB, I'm going to be a counterintelligence specialist."

"That sounds easy and hard at the same time."

"Yeah, well, at least I'm happy with my plan. I'm going to be doing what I'm interested in. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be working hard, but just make sure you enjoy life. Life is too short to not enjoy it. Take a break and enjoy it."

At the time she didn't really take his advice, but she ended up with good scores, but not enough to get into the Ivy league schools. She thought her parents would be mad, but they were happy when she went to Rider University to study business. She smiled at that memory and started to think about when Tyree helped her too.

They were at a track meet and she lost a race. Not the first time, but she was still going through the pressures of studying. She didn't score well on the SATs and the loss at the meet was the straw that broke the camel's back.

At that point, she barely knew Tyree and didn't know that Tyree and Colin were friends. Her one friend on the team was trying to console her, but it was Tyree that reached her.

"It's going to be okay," Tyree assured her and hugged her. She should have been uncomfortable, but there was something genuine about his embrace. He wasn't trying to hit on her like other boys.  "It's not the end of the world."