Ashley's POV
I found myself tossing and turning and having trouble falling asleep.
I was bothered by the shirt, because I knew it wasn't Ainsely's.
I thought I smelled someone else on it, but there's no way it was her. Ainsley hates her.
After enough time had passed and I thought she was asleep, I snuck into her room to look at the shirt again.
As I walked in, I laid eyes on her phone, right next to me but I tried to forget it exists.
But it's so tempting.
She started to stir in her bed, and I quickly grabbed her phone without thinking.
"Ash?" She yawned.
"Hey." I whispered.
"What are you doing here?"
"I just came to check on you."
"Oh." She said. "Well I'm still here. Goodnight."
"Goodnight." I said, stepping out and closing the door.
I walked back to my room and opened her phone, immediately going to her texts.
I gasped when I saw who's name was right under all the unread messages from me.
She's kind of an idiot for not using a code name.
A bunch of texts about coming over, hanging out, but the worst thing I saw were the suggestive messages.
I threw the phone across my bed, knowing I saw something I shouldn't have.
Just like my texts aren't for other people, Ainsley's aren't either.
I just stared at my wall for a while, trying to process whatever the fuck I just read.
I think my best friend fucked my sister.
I wanted to cry, but also I wanted to get this phone away from me, so I clicked out of their texts and shut it off, then I walked back to her room to slip it back onto her charger and let it be over.
I got the phone on the charger before she woke up again.
"What do you want?" She yawned.
"I don't...I don't know." I said.
"Well leave me alone."
"Sorry." I went to leave, but she called me back.
"Ash?"
"What?"
"Can you stay with me?"
"Why? I thought you weren't a kid anymore."
"Maybe I still am."
I laughed a little bit and got next to her.
"I'm sorry for staying out too late." She said.
"And I'm sorry for being such a bitch. You're right. You're not 14. You're an adult, you make your own decisions."
I put my arm around her shoulder, and she snuggled into me, her breathing steadying almost immediately.
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Ainsley's POV
The next day, I thought Ash was still mad at me, so I stayed away from her. And I avoided her for two more days after that. The guilt of keeping the secret was eating me alive, and I was also the slightest bit afraid that I'd let it all come out if I talked to her for too long.
But because it's almost impossible to avoid someone you live with, she finally cornered me after about 15 minutes of running away.
I found myself in the kitchen, pinned to the ground my by sister.
"I know you're avoiding me." She said. "So talk."
"What?"
"Don't play dumb."
"Ash."
"Speak now."
"That's my favorite Taylor Swift album."
"Say one more stupid thing and I'll slap you."
"Who do you think you are, me? God damn."
She slapped me clear across the face and it hurt like an absolute bitch.
"That fucking HURT." I complained.
"TALK!"
"I might have kinda found someone. Is that good for you?" I said.
"Name?"
"Nope. Not ready to share that yet."
"Fine. I respect that."
"All that for that?" I asked.
"I should be saying that to you." She said, standing up. "Why'd you avoid me over that?"
"I didn't want you to make a big deal of it, which you fucking did."
She just looked at me and narrowed her eyes, and opened her mouth as if to say something, but she turned around and walked away instead.
I picked myself up off the floor and sat down on the couch to resume watching TV.
----------
I went to bed early that night, still trying to avoid Ashley at all costs, but after 4 sleepless hours and vomiting three times, I went downstairs to grab some water, only to find her awake, watching TV.
"Hey Ash." I said, walking past her into the kitchen.
"Hey Ains. I thought you went to sleep hours ago."
"I couldn't sleep."
"Ah."
I grabbed a cup from the cabinet and filled it up. When I walked back into the living room and saw her there, I sat down next to her for a little while.
Then, suddenly, I burst into tears. She just stared at me confused.
"What's wrong? What happened? What?" She tried to put her arm around me but I moved away.
"I did a bad thing."
"What's that?"
"I can't say." I sobbed into a pillow.
"Yes you can. It's me, Ainsley. We tell each other everything."
"Yeah, except for this."
"What could it possibly be? Did you do something illegal? I'm not gonna call the police on you. I would never do that."
"It's worse."
"Fuck. Who did you kill?" She joked.
"Not the time for jokes."
"Sorry."
"If I tell you, promise me you won't make a big deal."
"I won't."
"I can't believe I even did this. I'm shocked at myself."
"Tell me."
"I never ever ever saw myself doing this, not in a million years."
"JUST SAY IT."
I picked my head up from the pillow, tears streaming down my face, but I couldn't look her in the eyes. I couldn't do it.
I wiped my eyes and then stared straight in front of me, unable to even slightly look in her direction.
"I....I...."
"Ainsley, this is painful. It can't be that bad."
I finally looked at her, scooted closer, and opened my mouth to speak. Then I dropped my head onto her shoulder and she patted the back of my head.
"Just say it."
"I slept with Trinity." I said, and she tensed up a little bit. "Twice."
"Twice?"
"Twice."
I was afraid to look up. She didn't move and neither did I.
"So you're saying you're.....she's.....I'm lost." She finally said.
"It was a stupid dumb mistake. It was an impulse, crazy thoughts, whatever you wanna call it. You can call it what you want, but I call it a mistake."
She was silent, so I got up and nodded at her before heading upstairs.
"Ainsley." She said as I stepped on the first stair. I turned to look at her. "It's okay. It's okay. Your confusing, weird, relationships are not my business. I love you."
"I love you too." I said, then I disappeared into my room.
The first thing I did was text Trinity, and she immediately called me.
"You told her?"
"Hello to you too." I sighed. "God damn it, what else was I supposed to do? I fucking worried myself sick, Trina. I threw up three times before going down there. Was I just supposed to keep vomiting until you decide to tell her? I don't know what the fuck you want me to do!"
"Calm down Ace."
"Holy shit you drive me up the fucking wall." I said.
"You can't accept that you have feelings for me."
"So what if I can't?"
"So you do?"
"Yes...NO....well....I don't-"
"You totally do."
"Don't push my buttons."
"You know I'm good at that."
"More like I am."
"I'll tell you what. My cousin's getting married on Sunday, and I want you to be my plus one."
"What? That's crazy. We're not even-"
"But we use it as a test. Nobody that we know around, nobody that knows you hate me. Just for one night, pretend to be my friend. Just one night where you can drop the act."
"What act?"
"You hating me."
I sighed and shook my head.
"I'll go with you, but only because I've only been to one other wedding."
"Cool. It's at the Jersey shore, so we'll leave early Sunday morning. It's a 4 and a half hour drive. And at least the hotel won't be lonely."
"I genuinely can't with you."
"Sorry, sorry. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Night Trina."
"Night, Little Sanchez."
----------
The next day, after an awkward practice, Ashley disappeared into the Spirit office building, leaving me alone outside of the locker room.
"Where's Ash?" Asked Tara as she walked out.
"She went in for some meeting. I'm not sure what it's about, but I'll let you know when I figure it out." I told her.
"Want a ride home?"
"Thanks T, but I'll wait for Ash."
"Alright. I'll see you later. You're coming over for dinner right?"
"Yes ma'am. I'll see you at 6:30."
"See you at 6:30." She walked off, and other girls filtered out, saying goodbye on the way out.
"What are you doing here? I thought you left." Said Trin as she walked out.
"Ash is in some meeting and I'm waiting."
"Want a ride?" She asked. "Maybe...to my place?"
"You really think you're gonna get me again, don't you?"
"What???" She said sarcastically. "I never-"
"I have plans tonight. Sorry."
"After?"
"Yes. Wait. No. Well, maybe. I'm not sure. I'll have to think about it."
"Well..."
"Well what?"
"Maybe this will seal that answer for you."
She lifted my chin and I almost fell to the pressure, I almost let my guard down IN PUBLIC, but I quickly pulled myself together and took a step backwards.
"I hope you know I'm done with this. I can't do it anymore."
"What?"
"I can't let myself feel like this. I almost let my guard down in public. You're toxic. You're my fucking kryptonite. I can't let myself get any more-"
"The wedding on Sunday."
"Fine. You get until Sunday."
"Good. I'll be seeing you tonight then?"
"I never said-"
"I'll be waiting." She winked before turning on her heel and walking down the hallway. I watched until she was out of sight, trying to shake the excitement that had built up inside of me.
"Ainsley, I think you're about to be really happy." Ash said, skipping down the hallway.
"I already am."
"Well, even happier. Come here!" She grabbed my and and dragged me down the hallway into the meeting room she had disappeared into.