GREEK TRAGEDY
:: x. | every little step
It had been a couple of hours since the incident and everyone was just finding out about it. As soon as Ashely found out, Chad gave her ride. Once arriving, they rushed in. Haley was who they ran into when they walked into the waiting area.
Ashely then told them that she wanted to go in first. So she headed towards his room and as she approached it, she saw the door was open. She peeked in and saw Peyton and him talking. Ryland's words kept playing in the back of her mind as she watched him.
As she stood out there, she didn't notice Lucas looking her way and Peyton.
"Ash, hey."
At the sound of her name, she walked on in and immediately felt like she was interrupting something.
"I'm not —- you know —- "
Peyton shook her head, "Of course, not. I was just on my way out."
After Peyton left, Ashely slowly approached Lucas who had a light smile across his lips as he stared into her eyes.
"I'm fine. I swear." He tried to downplay the accident, so she wouldn't worry much.
"You better be." Ashely shook her head, "You have no idea how scared I was when Haley called."
"Why would I miss out on ever being with you?"
And just like that, Ashely went in for a kiss. She kissed one of her good friends and it was different from kissing other people. Maybe because she had a real relationship with him before hand? Whatever it was, she didn't want it to stop.
The two briefly pulled away and then pecked each other's lips one last time for the time being. Just when they thought they were completely alone still, there was a light knock on the door.
"Just making sure everything's ok in here." Karen walked in.
"Hi, Karen." Ashely went in for a brief hug, "Welcome back."
She hugged back, "Wasn't the way I intended to come back, but thank you."
With a light chuckle, she glanced Lucas' way as she pulled from the embrace. Ashely then parted ways with the mother and son, wanting to give them their space. She met her brother and Haley in the waiting area. She filled them in on Lucas' well-being before exiting the hospital together.
After dropping Haley off home, Chad and Ashely then made their way back home. On the drive there, she mentioned to her brother that they needed to have a talk. The sister dating your best friend kind of talk, which she was ultimately prepared for.
• • •
Back at school, lunch time and Lucas was the talk of the school. Everyone he knew was worried and sending their love his way. As everyone sat at a lunch table, Brooke came crashing their party.
"Is he ok?"
"Had no idea you had such a heart." Ryland looked towards Brooke.
"It varies." She met Ryland's gaze, "Only to people who aren't on my naughty list."
"Kinky." Ashely mumbled.
"Hm." Brooke's tone suddenly changed, "Seriously though, he's ok, right?"
"Yeah." Everyone nodded in unison with a serious expression.
Soon enough Brooke was on her way and Ashely had a lot of questions about her two friends. She swears that she just witnessed Brooke flirting with Ryland a little bit. This definitely intrigued her.
As the day carried on, everyone was wrapping up midterms considering the school year was wrapping up in only a few months. Since then, everyone's lives began changing and it all started at the river court. Lucas joined the ravens, Ryland got back with Jake, Chad finally talked to Peyton, Ashely got with her crush, and Haley was now married.
Can't forget the bigger picture though, Chad may have drove Ashely to see Lucas but there's a reason he didn't want to go in. He hasn't yet told anyone about him and Lucas' falling out. It all happened so fast, one after the other.
All he knew now was that Lucas hated him and he hates Lucas.
Lunch quickly wrapped up and everyone parted ways, heading to their next classes.
• • •
After school, Lucas was basically everyone's priority. He was back at home now and just like a revolving door, people kept coming in and out. Nathan and Haley, Brooke and Peyton, Ryland and Jake, Alexa, Jay, and Ashely. But Alexa, Jay, and Ashely stayed around the longest. They were a close-knit friend group. Even though they were missing three people, that didn't stop them from hanging out.
As Alexa was picking out a movie, Jay watched his friends be all lovey dovey with each other on the bed. He was happy for them, but at the end of the day, they were breaking a code.
He cleared his throat, "This is rule break 101, no one in the friend group dates each other."
"We know." Lucas began, "But you can't help who you like."
"So you're telling me, no more Peyton? Cause I find it funny that after so many years of pining over Sawyer, then getting rejected, you're now with Ashely? Smells like second best to me." Jay was known for not having a filter, he says it as he sees it.
Ashely began getting up, "And that's my cue."
Jay deeply sighed, "Ash, come on? You know I didn't mean it."
Before he could get up and go after her, she was already out the door and a pillow met his face. Lucas threw it at him in retaliation for pushing his girlfriend out.
Alexa shook her head, "Idiot."
He rose his hands up in defense, "Hey. I just say what I see."
"Yeah." Lucas had a serious tone, "And that's your problem sometimes."
Quickly enough the room quieted down and focused back to the front where Alexa was still looking for a movie they could watch together.
• • •
As they searched for a movie, Ashely had just approached Ryland's front door. She rang the doorbell and only moments later was it opened. Ryland looked all dolled up, really pretty for someone who just going to walk around tree hill for a bit.
"Oh my god!" Ashely exclaimed, "Jake's on his way? I totally spaced out, sorry. I can go —- "
"We rescheduled actually. Something came up with Jenny." She calmly spoke, "Want to come in?"
Ashely walked on in and the two headed up towards Ryland's room. After closing the bedroom door, Ryland plopped on her bed as Ashely sat in her spinning chair.
Ashely spun around a few times before getting dizzy and stopping right in front of Ryland who had a light smile on her face.
"I was thinking we could have a girls night?" Ashely tried to focus herself as she spoke because she was still a bit dizzy.
"I'm down." Ryland agreed, "But it wouldn't be a girls night without Alexa and Haley."
"You're right. You call, I'll order food."
And so the girls were off. Ryland called Haley and Alexa while Ashely ordered bunch of foods from some local place. It was a nice idea to push all of everyone's worries away and just be with each other. For them, it was a different kind of girls night ——- they would talk everything out about what's happening in their lives, pushing all of their worries away just for one night.
Alexa was worried Jay was using again, Ashely might be intimidated by Peyton, Ryland doesn't know if she made the right decision with Jake, but Haley, she's doing pretty good for a teen who only got married a few months ago. However, after listening to Alexa, the whole conversation became about Jay and what was needed to help . . .
a/n:
&& on to act 2!!