I flung open the curtains of my room and the sunlight entered sweeping away the darkness and filling light into it. It was a beautiful day. I kept my room's door open. I never did that. I mean I always liked privacy so I kept my door locked at all times. But I was particularly happy today for two reasons. One, it was a Sunday. Two, Garrett wouldn't be home for two days.
I turned my laptop on, seated myself on the chair and dailed Jason.
"Good morning Jase!" I chirped as he picked up and showed himself.
"Well hello there!" He looked like he was just in from his morning jog.
I gave him a wide smile.
"You look delicious." He smirked watching me up and down.
Okay. He was checking me out. Because well, I was wearing way too less clothes today. Just white shorts that were way too short and my favourite black bralette over it.
"Enjoying the view?" I asked him.
"Hell yeah. And look at your face."
"What? Is there something on it?" I checked myself in the small mirror on my desk but saw nothing.
"You look so happy. I haven't seen that kind of happiness on your face ever."
"Oh!" I giggled.
"That annoying guy's the reason?" He tilted his face to the side examining me.
"Yeah maybe. You know, Raymond's really sweet."
He hummed in response. I heard the whirring of Stacey's hair dryer from her room. I guess Jason did too because he asked me then, "Is that Stacey?"
"Yup."
"Stace!" I called out to her. She clicked the dryer off and shouted, "Ashie? Did you call out for me?"
"Yep! Come here."
She came in and I was surprised to see what she was wearing. White short shorts and a black bralette. We both chuckled. It wasn't the first time that we had accidently wore the same outfit. We had similar choices for some days. Like today.
"You talking to Jase?" She asked as she sat on the bedside chair.
"Yeah," I turned to Jason who looked bewildered as his eyes popped from me to Stacey and back to me.
"Beauties." He whistled and that made me giggle while Stacey blushed.
"Jim has gone crazy! Somebody save me!!" I heard Sam's yells coming from the stairs as they grew louder and louder.
"Sam wait!!" That was Jim I guess.
Sam came running into my room and stood behind my chair. Jim entered a second later breathing heavily.
"Don't hide behind your sister. Come on!" Jim said as he pointed towards Sam and gestured him to come out.
Sam just giggled and said to me, "Ashley save me please!"
"What are you guys up to?" I turned my chair to face Sam and asked him.
"Jim was teasing me!" He pouted. I punched his cheeks and ruffled his hair.
"Jim?" I raised an eyebrow at him and he just shrugged his shoulders before glaring at Sam as he put his fingers on his lips. "Shhhh," he said and shook his head from side to side.
Sam giggled again. I was so curious by now, I held Sam's waist, lifted him up, sat him on my lap and asked him, "Mind telling me what's going on, kiddo?"
"Jim was singing the k-i-s-s-i-n-g song using Blake's and my name so I did the same with him using his and a girl's name."
I chuckled, "Sing it for me, will you?"
"Sure." Sam said and as soon as the words were out of his mouth Jim leaped forward and covered Sam's mouth.
Sam let out muffled sounds and I heard Jason clear his throat which made me turn my attention towards him.
"This is fun. I so want to be there with you guys." Jason said.
"Why don't you come over for a few days?" Stacey spoke.
Sam struggled to remove Jim's hand that was still covering his mouth. Jim suddenly jerked his hand away and wiped it on his jeans. Sam licked his hand I suppose. We all laughed at Jim and he looked so irritated.
"Jim and Ashley sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g." Sam shouted at the pitch of his voice and I gasped while Jim had a slight tinge of pink on his cheeks as he stared down at his feet. Stacey looked clearly amused as she said, "Wow this is something!" And Jason glared at Jim, "Didn't I warn you?"
"Sam? Jim and I are just friends, okay?" I said to Sam.
"Like I care!" He snorted and got off of me and walked out of my room before returning to giving us his infamous and very cute eye roll. He left the room leaving us all laughing lightly.
"Wondering why in the world did I keep my door unlocked today." I sighed and shook my head.
"No shit." Stacey said and added, "I'm gonna get some drinks for the group. Wanna join Ashie?"
That reminded me of our plans of the day. The group was coming over at our place later that afternoon to hang out for a while before we left for the movie we were going to see.
"Um..no, not really," I said.
"Okay! See ya." She waved me and left.
Jim looked at me and asked, "Shall we?"
"Yeah I'll be there in a minute."
I turned to Jason and said, "Jase I am gonna go do some baking for everyone. I will catch up with you later?"
"Sure Ash! Enjoy." He blew me a kiss and I disconnected the call.
Jim and I went to the kitchen. I saw that Jim had already done the pre-preparations and all I had to do was to mix up all the ingredients and put them to bake.
I was making cupcakes and Jim was super excited to taste them since he thought they would be incredibly delicious.
"Just like you." He had whispered in my ears.
I smiled at the thought and wondered how I could taste like cupcakes.
I put the double boiler up and added chocolate in it to melt while I worked on the batter. Once the chocolate was ready I added it into the mixture and folded it till it was smooth.
"Pass me the moulds." I said to Jim who was staring at me as I tried to push a strand of hair out of my face. He came forward and did it for me before handing me the silicon moulds.
I filled them with the cupcake batter making sure to be very neat. Then I set them inside the microwave and started cleaning up the kitchen with Jim helping me.
"Cupcake?"
"Hmm?"
"I really don't have a chance, do I?" He stopped doing what he was doing and looked at me.
"Bluntly Jim, no." I told him.
The ding of the microwave grabbed my attention and I went to take the cupcakes out. I demoulded them and put them neatly in two plates.
"I'll just go and change, okay?" I said to Jim as I took off the apron I was wearing and went out the kitchen after he gave me a short nod.
Once I was ready, I went upstairs and saw everyone was already there. I didn't spot Jim anywhere. Maybe he left since he wouldn't be comfortable around with us. He had his own gang of friends at school.
"Hey guys!" I greeted everyone.
"Ashley!" The twins said without looking away from the X-box and Tyler waved at me as he punched the keys of his remote to kill anyone and everyone in sight. Emily and Stacey sat on a couch discussing about something while Raymond gestured towards the empty space next to him.
"Do you mind if I just be by myself for sometime?" I said.
"You mean do we mind if you want to go to that reading area and burry yourself into one of your books because you think that inside the pages of a book is the best place to be? No Ashie, we do not mind at all. We will let books swallow you whole and just watch you. It'd be pretty interesting, no?" That was Stacey.
Woah. Was she PMS-ing?
"Sarcasm appreciated, Stace."
"Cupcakes!" Sarah entered with the plate of cupcakes that I made and placed them on the center table.
I thanked her and she left us guys to be.
Ignoring Stacey and Raymond – who looked surprised – and went to read something.
I sat on one of the comfortable couches and took my new copy of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. I was around five to six pages through when the book was snatched from me.
Raymond stood there looking down at me with his eyebrows creased together. I grabbed the book from his hands and continued reading. He snatched it again and sat beside me.
"Snow!" He pouted.
"Ray." I rolled my eyes.
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me up to sit on his lap.
On his lap.
On his lap.
Images from that day flashed my mind and all the colour seemed to drain from my face as I got up and ran.
Ran and ran till I reached my room.
I locked it behind me.
And I broke.
Tears steamed down my face like a massive waterfall forcing itself down the heights.
I screamed till my lungs hurt.
I grabbed my pillow and puched it.
Punched and punched and punched and punched and punched.
All the anger.
The rage.
The sorrow.
The guilt.
The frustration.
The hurt.
The loneliness.
Everything came one by one as I continued to bawl my eyes out.
Hours passed.
It still didn't feel enough. I wanted to cry it all out. But I felt too weak. And I fell asleep.
The unlocking of the door woke me up. I wasn't in any state to think if I had forgotten to lock it. A hand stroked my hair.
Raymond.
"Snow? Have you been crying?" He softly asked me.
I tried to sit up straight and he helped me. I got out of the bed and went into the en-suite without answering his questions.
I brushed my teeth and splashed cold water on my face before drying it and going back to my room.
Raymond sat on the edge of the bed with a worried expression as he looked at me. He let his hand out for me and I held it as I went closer to him.
He sat me on his lap. Again.
But this time. It felt.... Okay?
Better, maybe.
He rocked me like a baby and made circles with his thumb on the back of my hand. Being near him was always comforting.
I rest my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. A tear escaped and dampened his shirt.
"Do you want to talk Snow?" He brushed my cheek.
"No. I just want to stay here Ray." I said under my breath but loud enough for him to hear.