An Old Family Friend (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Oh God, I'm going to die, I'm going to die.

Stop being such a drama queen. I'm sure she's just over here to borrow a cup of sugar or something... She only lives, uh, fifteen minutes away.

Yep, that's decided it, I'm going to die.

Oh shut up, will you? No one's going to die!

Oh, I'm sorry. Are you blind? Can't you see what she looks like!

Er... OK, well maybe you are going to die after all.

Gee thanks.

It was true. Ashley looked like she was ready to rip out my throat. Her normally perfect hair seemed to stick up slightly like a cat with its hackles raised. Her lips were lifted in a snarl and her eyes were burning into mine, flashing dangerously.

Just play it cool... Don't make any sudden movements...

I swallowed hard and tried to make my voice sound as normal as possible as I stammered, "A - Ashley. What are you d - doing here?"

Damn. So much for the calm attitude. I sounded like a stuttering, trembling fool. Oh wait, that's what I was.

Ashley's hard glare actually seemed to send heat rays at me as she said, "You know what I'm doing here, you stupid slut."

I was tempted to say, "That's a bit rich, coming from you," but considering I like living, I decided against it. Instead, I settled on: "Actually, I, uh, have no clue why you're here."

Ashley stepped over the threshold, forcing me to take a few steps back into the hall to avoid collision. I could feel the hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stand up, as though warning me to run from the house and never return.

That sounded like a pretty good idea, come to think of it.

Just as I was sizing Ashley up and trying to figure out if I could outrun her, the beast (otherwise known as Ashley) spoke.

"Don't play dumb with me, dumb ass," she hissed.

"Don't you think that sentence is a bit contradictory?" I said weakly, my frail attempt at humour failing miserably as her eyes flashed more dangerously than ever.

"I know what you did," Ashley snarled, shoving a long-nailed finger into my chest so hard I could feel the tip of her nail cutting into my skin.

"Well, I do a lot of things... Care to be a bit more specific?" I said, my tone changed from frightened to rude in a matter of moments.

Oh God, I'm practically signing my own death certificate, I thought as Ashley's teeth gritted.

"You. Kissed. My. Boyfriend." Every word she said sent us into a sort of dance: her coming forward and me backing up down the hallway. "Is that specific enough for you, bitch?"

My back bumped up against the wall, trapping me, and I gulped audibly. Oh, I'm so screwed.

"So, what happens now is I kick your ass," Ashley threatened, an evil smirk curling her lips.