Dark Side |COMPLETED|

Part title

We arrived at the park, I wasn't too eager to go anyway. Heather, however, left me as confused as ever. How the heck do people understand girls anyway? I followed everyone out of the car, the lot of us going straight to the pool. Luckily it was vacant, God must be on my side today. I watched everyone slip their clothes off revealing their swimsuits. I frowned at this, sure I had swim trunks on, but I didn't want to take off my garb.
The scars on some of their bodies didn't go unnoticed by me, which did lighten my spirits, a small percentage. Rio stalked over to me, his bright orange swim shorts seemed to demand all attention on him, "yo, let's go." I scowled at him, tough exterior right? Heather noticed us and at that point I knew my tough exterior was being broken down. She read me so easily I hated it yet marveled by how she did so. I let out a breathy sigh pulling off my sweatpants to show my lengthy swim shorts. I didn't feel comfortable taking off my shirt. The past still clung to my back, reminding me of who I was, who I am. With a roll of my eyes I slowly entered the chilled water.
Rio took no wait in this, he jumped in sending a hurtle of water towards my figure. I glared at the boy as he resurfaced to see my now wet face. He let out a laugh splashing me with more blue water. Okay, game on. Like I said, I never went down without a fight. I splashed him back with an even bigger wave, he turned around attempting to block the water. It wasn't successful leaving me laughing. I felt hands on my shoulders and a mass pressing me under the water. My mind ventured back to the past once more.

Flash Back:

My small nine year old self struggled endlessly as Base had me by the hair. I cried out, but was quickly silenced as he banged my head against the wall. My hands flew to my head trying to protect it as he did it again. Tears streamed down my face, he didn't care, he never did. "Useless," he said in a mockery tone. He took me by the shoulders and forced me to the floor, I screamed, but within moments he covered my mouth with a gag. I became silent as he had his way with me, after all I was property.

I shook my head, resurfacing to inhale a huge mass of air. "Dang man, you see under for a solid minute," Rio spoke. I noticed everyone else had gotten in, but what I paid attention too was how close Heather was to me. Was that her? I raised a brow and she burst out laughing, yep that was her. I tried to slow my breathing from the previous semi-panic attack. Presley pursed her lips as she studied me, I knew I was paler than before, but I didn't think it was that obvious.
Trey tackled Rio under water, they splashed back and forth hidden by the water. Tina went into a fake war with Presley who was obviously letting the little girl win. Heather looked at me with calm eyes, "not ready yet?" I knew she meant the shirt. I shook my head keeping her gaze. She gave a small smile before sending a heap amount of water my direction. I shook my head and used all the force I could to send a ginormous wave onto her. She went underwater and before I knew it, my hand was grabbed and I was being pulled with her. I sucked in a breath, feeling the water consume me. Heather was smiling, her hair swaying every which way, her eyes stood out amongst her features.
I couldn't stop the smile that emerged onto my features, it was unfamiliar, weird, and unnatural, but it felt good real good. We stared at each other for a moment before she went back up to retrieve air. I did the same, finding us standing very close. She giggled at our predicament, I was still smiling feeling weird. Weird as in nervous, nervous as in butter flies in stomach, what is happening to me? I shook it off as Tina jumped on her back and pulled Heather under. I looked up at Bethany and Henry who were laid out on beach towels watching all the madness. I searched the crowd around us, my eyes landing on a normal parenting scolding.
The kid had a typical guilty look as the parent spoke harshly to them, the kid nodded, at the end of the lecture the parent rubbed the kid's back and gestured for them to go and play. This for an odd reason sent me back to memory lane.

Flash Back:

"Momma! Daddy! I just made a new friend," I called as I ran through the playground with a boy following behind me. I had a wide smile plastered on my five year old self. "That's great A, what's your name?" My mom leaned down to the little boy with an eager smile. "Daniel, Miss," the kid said smiling back at her. Grant, my six year old brother, walked up with a friend as well, "look Mommy! This is my best friend Cason. Cason this is my mommy." He too had a smile across his features. I looked at my mother with a goofy grin, I had seen this boy around before. He seemed nice.
"Nice to meet you two fellas," my dad said in a soft tone. He was the best dad ever. The very fact he liked my new friend was enough for me to beam for the rest of the day. Daniel and I spent a while playing that day and eventually I stumbled upon another boy, a ginger haired one, "hi, I'm Ash, want to be my friend?" His head shot up, "really? I have no friend." I smiled, "now you do. This is Daniel, who are you?" "Tommy, we are going to be best friends!" I nodded just as excited as he was. For the next month we played together non-stop. One day Tommy came to school with a little boy. "Hey, this is my brother, Tyson." Daniel frowned, "how is he your brother? He's not the same color."
I didn't know what he meant by that, I only knew the look of shame in Tyson's eye shouldn't be there. "That's so cool! Tyson, want to be my friend?" His eyes sparkled as his brother looked down at him with a 'told you so' look. That night I came home and told my parents about the day. "That's wonderful, boy," said my dad as he cleaned up our dinner. I went to my room, my mother came in with a weak smile. I frowned, "Mommy, what's wrong?" She sighed, "I just don't feel well, must be tired. How's my social butterfly?" I studied her, "I'm good, you sure you're just tired?" She laughed, but not her normal carefree laugh, a forced one, "yes A." She rubbed my back in a soothing tone.

Tears welled up in my eyes, I missed my mom so much. I didn't realize I was propped up on the side of the pool, watching the parent and child. I was quick to wipe away my tears, why the heck am I doing this in the middle of peers?? I felt an arm come around me, I tended but once I saw who the arm belonged to my body relaxed as if on command. Heather didn't look at me, she seemed to know I wanted my own privacy. Good. Instead she stays with me, looking off at the kids and parents by the playground. I pictured my mother. Her blue eyes, gorgeous long locks of hair, model like body, her kid heart. My heart stung to think of her again, but I couldn't help it.
I didn't know what took over me, but I found myself leaning my head against Heather's shoulder. She caught my gaze with kind eyes, she took my hand and rubbed her thumb over the back of it. I was instantly relaxed by this and felt a sense of peace wash over me. Something I hadn't experienced in for a long time.

A/N

Awww! Ash has truly come SO far with this family!!