Stepping into the courthouse, Ashley had everyone she needed behind her as she pulled her shoulders back and took a deep breath before continuing to walk like she owned the building. Prior to Summer talking to her before all of them went inside, she felt okay about today. Now she felt even better about it.
There obviously was that fear of just being here, that fear of seeing John, that fear overall. It was very much there for many people.
But as Summer said, "This is your time to start locking that dick away Ashley. Own it. Don't let him take this away from you. You deserve it."
Ashley walked through the halls with Gina who led the group down to the courtroom that currently held a group of people ready to start this first court date with her and John.
With the doors opening and the group from The Sanctuary walking in, everyone walked to the open seats, besides gabriel and Gina who took seats upfront in front of the judge and across from John and his current attorney
It was about the insurance and not Ashleys case, this was all directly for gabriels business.
"All rise."
-----------------
Turns out, it was a very long,very long case just for the one day the insurance agency's Gbariel had lined up. There were at least three attorneys there for his insurance companies and two more for health care and insurance for the injuries caused that night as well. Overall, it was a very long day and everyone was getting tired and hungry.
The entire time Ashley sat near the back with her co-workers, Ashley felt like John's eyes stared into her soul. She couldn't help but feel like she was on fire, burning up the entire time.
Attempting to ignore the feeling of eyes putting holes into her, Ashley watched the floor half of the time they were all sitting there. She was getting anxious by the time everyone was down talking and showing pictures. Not to mention the half hour long speech made by John's attorney didn't really help his case in any ways whatsoever.
John in fact, was sitting up front slouched in a chair. A nice suit and hair gel couldn't fix the fact the eye bags and red cheeks. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked rather pale. He looked like a mess, externally and internally.
And he had looked back at Ashley in the seats behind him on Gabriels side, looking at his ex-girlfriend as she bounced her knee and sat by her friends. He specifically noticed the jacket on her shoulders and the hickeys peeking out underneath her shirt collar.
His blood boiled when he saw her holding her boss's hand, wearing his jacket, and now closely looking at her skin for anything else, those hickeys. John was jealous of Gabriel. And he never thought that he would really have to think of someone else having Ashley all to themselves.
Somewhere in time, she was all he had. Ashley was his light and flower, he had cared for her. And although that love dulled heavily, he felt bad about himself when he saw how well she looked.
John mainly watched the desk or his attorney, but every so often he would look back at Ashley, hoping that he could see her look at him too. He wanted to see her badly, he wanted to see that fear in her eyes from him, but he just wanted to see her. In any way he could, he really wanted to see her again.
Before John or Ashley knew it the judge was speaking and interrupting their off the train thoughts.
"For destruction of the property of Gabriel Ash, 3 years in the Sinica county jail, no bail. For the harming of Summer Adams, six months in the Sinica county jail, no bail. For the threatening of harm towards Jack Harpmton, Bill Cosmire, and Ashley Nicoles, six months in the Sinica Jail, no bail."
Ashley was frozen in place, everyone was. John was forced up and pushed to the doors with two cops holding him. Gabriel was tightly holding Ashley's right hand as soon as he walked away from the front with Gina talking to everyone else.
"Are you okay?" Gabriel was quick to ask due to the redness in her cheeks and the sudden tears that looked like they were going to come out of her eyes for some reason.
"I'm fine."
"Ashley?" Summer was now holding her other hand. "I told you this would go fine. He already has four years against him!"
"Y-Yeah." Smiling weakly as Summer, she removed her hands from her lover and friend and walked away from the group. Leaving to the bathroom, Ashley had planned on crying in there. She didn't know why she suddenly felt that urge to let out emotions. Part of her thought that it was because this was all overwhelming, this entire weekend would be. Another part was that she felt like she herself had hurt John in a way.
She planned on crying until she saw John being escorted out of the court house; in which she started to run to the cops and him despite the heels digging into her feet and heaviness she felt on her chest.
"Wait! Officer!"
They two cops both halted to the woman's call, watching her walk up to them, their hands tightening into John's arms as she did so.
"Yes ma'am?"
"I-I need to speak to John. Just for a moment."
"Ashley." John didn't raise his head but did mutter name in a threatening way. Her boss had just given him jail time and tomorrow he was sure she was going to get the courts to give him even more.
"Please..."
"I-Ma'am we cannot leave you alone with him. I'm sorry."
She didn't take that for an answer but walked with the cops instead, speaking to a man who wasn't listening to her.
"John, I'm sorry! I'm sorry that we are going through this! I-"
Whipping his head upwards and starting at Ashley with a murderous face, "Ashley, if you even have an once of a brain you will go right the fuck now and go screw another co worker of yours." John's face and words were raging as the cops continued to push him to the doors.
"Ash!" Danny had come running up to her as she watched John leave. "Hey, what are you doing?"
"Uhm....I don't know."
"...we were going to go out for dinner, Jack and I. We were wondering if you wanted to come?"
"Oh...I'm sorry I told Troy that we would go out. He...he really wanted to."
"No it's okay, I understand. See you tomorrow?"
Nodding, Ashley felt a tad bit bad yet again for blowing off her friend fro Troy, but she had agreed with him they would go out for dinner some time and he wanted to do today. She really didn't want to go home and feel awful right after this first day of court so she had agreed to go out."Yeah, of course."
She watched Danny run back to Jack and the group, in which Ashley followed slowly. Everyone there was smiling and talking, happy about today's outcomes. Only smiling at the group as they all talked, Ashley looked at everyone and did a quick head count. Everyone was here except gabriel. Ashley figured that he was still talking to Gina and other attorneys and such.
"Hey, so where were you thinking for dinner?" Troy tapped her shoulder and smiled, pulling Ashley out of her mind for a moment.
"Oh, right. Sorry I didn't think of any places..."
"That's okay. We'll figure it out as we drive." Troy only laughed at her as she played with the sleeve of her knit sweater while looking down. Completely forgetting about finding somewhere for dinner.
"Sounds good."
"When were you thinking of leaving?"
"I want to talk to Gabriel and Gina first and then we can head out."
"Alright. I'll be waiting in my car!"Troy left with Billy following him, the two of them talking as they left. Ashley snuck away from the group still here in the hall and back to the office where Gina and Ashley had met before the court stuff today, she said they would probably be there again afterwards.
Sure enough, Gina and Gabriel were there in the room. When Ashley had knocked on the door, both of them turned their heads and smiled at her, welcoming her in.
"I just need to talk to Gabriel for a moment if that's okay."
"Of course, steal him away girl." Ashley giggled and thanked Gina as Gabriel stood and walked to the door, his hand on Ashley's back as they left the room and stood in the hallway away from everyone.
"What's up?"
"I just wanted to let you know that Troy is taking me out for dinner and I'll be back home around...Eight probably..." Ashley thought about it for a moment, it was only four-fourty at the time. That was a reasonable amount of time to hang out with Troy and get home.
"Okay. Just keep your phone on you please, and let me know when you are on your way back, I'll meet you down in the Lobby."
"Okay."
"Do you need anything else?"
"No, that was all. I'll see you later?" Nodding, Gabriel smiled at Ashley as she fixed her clothes and looked back up. "Do I look okay?"
"You look beautiful." Stepping closer and taking her face in his hands, Gabriel watched Ashley smile as she leaned into his touch even more. Kissing her lips slowly, Gabriel felt Ashley melt into the kiss, her hands relaxing against his body and her stress evaporating. It was soft and welcoming, the kind of kiss's Ashley loved from him.
When Gabriel pulled away, it wasn't very far from Ashley's face, who looked at him with doe eyes from under her lashes. Her cheeks were pink and her lips parted. That look is what Gabriel loved from Ashley.
She did that look after every kiss like that.
"Be home around eight, okay." Winking at her as he let go, he watched as a blush appeared on her cheeks, much more red as she nodded and backed away from Gabriel.
She watched him leave and head back to the room where Gina was before leaving herself to meet Troy at his car.
---------------
An hour and a half later, Ashley and Troy were sitting in a rather nice restaurant where they were waiting for food to come out. Troy had found the place online and insisted he pay and they ate there.
For the past forty-five minutes and a few drinks later, they had only been talking. Conveniently there had been people Troy had known from school there as well that night, and for a short bit they had even joined the two at their table to chat.
Ashley was more than fine with it, she just stayed quiet and sipped her wine that was calming down any nerves left over for earlier.
"I'm sorry about them. I haven't seen them since college, I didn't know those guys moved here."
"It's fine. They seemed like they were fun people." smiling at the guys who joined them as they left, Ashley only shrugged and sipped her wine again.
"They were, especially in the frat house we were in."
"What? You were in a frat house?"
"Yeah...those are not my glory days." Suddenly Troy was sheepish, rubbing his neck and looking down as he smiled and talked.
"You have to tell me about that. Please."
"I would prefer to not talk about my drunken college days." laughing and looking down, Troy only chuckled as his race reddened in front of Ashley laughing as well. "What about you? Any insane clubs in college?"
"I don't think anything as extreme as a frat house. I was in a debate club and running club."
"What? There is no way, no offense, you did any boring clubs like that. I would have totally pinned you at least for a...a...I don't know! But something more fun than that."
"Hey, my running club was great."
"And debate?"
"I was a very persuasive person."
"I will believe it when I see it."
"Hey!" Ashley had smacked his arm while they both laughed again.
By the time their food had gotten to them, it was well past seven. Ashley was enjoying herself, conversation flowed easily between the two, they never ran out of topics to talk about. They both discovered that they went to colleges a few towns over from each other and that they had a lot more in common than they thought.
"So, can I ask how you started to work at the Sanctuary?"
"Danny. He's my best friend. He got me a job there, no interview or anything. I needed a new job just to get out and do something again, and they desperately needed a receptionist I guess. Been there for a few months now. What about you?"
"Billy and Marco I guess. I don't really know actually, it just kinda got thrown into it by everyone here and then transferred to another sanctuary in Ohio by Gabriel. I was just kinda found off small jobs, Marco and Billy were taking care of me for a while before I was working there. They needed another person to work there because of the expansion they did."
"When did you transfer out?"
"Four years ago? Gabriel had opened another Sanctuary in Ohio and needed someone to hire and work there. He knew I used to live there and told me I should really go there."
"So you run that Sanctuary?"
"God no, Gabriel does everything from here. I just was hiring and teaching I guess. Making sure everything was safe for clients and that these people were crazy."
"That's still a huge responsibility. That must have been cool."
"I guess. What were you doing before this?"
Ashley hesitated. Thinking if she should just make something up or tell the truth. Troy was her friend after all, she didn't like the idea about lying to him. And she didn't like the part about lying about her past, but it was easier right?
"Nothing. I was just at home because of John." The honest route. It was just the truth.
"The guy we were in court for today?"
"Yeah. He's my ex. He didn't let me work. He was working as a nurse at the hospital before all of this. He didn't want me to work so I pretty much sat at home all day."
"That's unfortunate."
"I guess. But I'm working and living now so I'm happy."
"Good. You deserve all the happiness in the world."
It was a short dinner with a long drive back to Gabriels apartment. Ashley had texted him that they were on their way home, but due to traffic she would definitely not be home around eight. It was past Eight-thirty when the traffic lock was moving again.
Troy was playing music softly in his car as they sat there in the dark with traffic lights illuminating them, talking quietly still. Somehow with Troy, the conversation never ran out.
By the time they were at Gabriels, Troy had walked her into the building lobby, a hand on her back as they entered the doors where the doorman smiled at Ashley but frowned at Troy. He had known Ashley to be with Gabriel and not some stranger.
"Tonight was fun. Thank you for taking me out."
"Of course, we should go out on a date again. I liked it a lot." That had taken Ashley back. Date? This was a date to him?
She wouldn't have gone out if he said this was going to be a date. She tried to smile at him and not encourage it as she stepped towards the elevator. "Y-Yeah. Well it's late, I should really get you going do you don't get stuck in another traffic lock-"
The elevator opened with a ding, Gabriel looking at his phone as he stepped out. Troy narrowed his eyes at him and then Ashley smiling at her confused.
When Gabriel stepped out and walked towards them, phone in the pocket of his dress pants, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his face stern.
"Gabriel lives here too?"
"I-I'm actually staying with him for a while until all of this court stuff is done."
Suddenly Troy didn't feel right, he was more confused than anything. He genuinely didn't like Gabriel and didn't understand what Ashley had just said. "Why?"
"B-Because I am-"
"Troy."
"Gabriel. I was just talking to Ashley. So if you could leave us to finish, that would be much appreciated." Defensive, that was Troy's actions and behavior towards Gabriel while Ashley was here.
"I told Gabriel I'd be home by eight or close to that, he's just coming to get me so I don't get lost in this building. I think you should go though. I'll talk to you later?" Trying to intervene before the two started to go at each other, Ashley butt in. She knew there was bad blood between them over something. And she didn't want to start a spark because of conversations. She just wanted Troy to leave.
"Yeah. Sure." Leaving the lobby, Troy turned his back on them and left. Ashley's mind was already fumbling over itself with what Troy had said earlier. When she got in the elevator with Gabriel she threw herself at the wall and groaned.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"He thought it was a date! I didn't know he thought that! I thought he was being nice! Am I really that blind? Did I lead him on?!" She definitely didn't want Gabriel thinking that there was something going on between them. She definitely was overthinking it all now.
"He said it was a date?" Stepping closer to Ashley, Gabriel looked concerned, not for the date sake but for Ashley who was frowning and nodding. She looked like she was going to cry. Taking another step, Gabriels hands gently took a hold of Ashleys arms that were running her hands through her hair rapidly.
"Ashley, if it wasn't a date for you, then it wasn't a date. He can think that all he wants but if you don't want that it isn't like that. If you don't want it to be a date when you guys hang out then it doesn't have to be for you. You didn't lead him on. Troy is a very stubborn person and until you set a hard boundary with him."
"But...he-I just- Im freaking out for no reason."
"It's not no reason, you're fine. Just take a deep breath."
"This is so dumb."
The elevator doors opened again on the top floor, leaving Gabriel to lead them back to his home. Opening the door Ashley immediately sighed and kicked off her shoes and jacket, going to his fridge for water. Chugging it before turning back to Gabriel who was taking off his shoes and tossing his phone on the counter by her.
"Are you okay now?"
"y-Yeah. I'm fine. I was over thinking and it was dumb and stupid and i shouldnt have been doingthat because youre right and i should just set a boundary and call it good with Troy because im not interested in anyone but you in that.... way-" Ashley stopped, She stopped everything.
Did I really just say that in front of him
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Long time no see, I'm currently working on the last few important chapters of the book and the ending (All of which will come very soon because I am hyper fixating on them)
Thanks for staying and reading, what did y'all think of this one? Finally getting those feeling out there, right Ashley?
Vote/commet\share
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