Ashton's POV
I check my phone for the millionth time today.
Still no text from Scarlett, it's almost one and she's been radio silent. We text each other every day. It feels strange.
At first, I tried to convince myself I was just being paranoid. I mean, Scarlett doesn't have to text me. I want her to but she doesn't have to. Sage hasn't texted me either and that's how I know something's off. He always sends me at least ten stupid memes before noon. Always.
I pace the house, staring at the last few messages I sent her hours ago.
Ash
Good morning Sweetheart
Someone's sleeping late
You okay?
Still no reply. I reread that last message she sent me yesterday.
Sweetheart
Don't worry about me Ash. I'm proud of you :)
It's kinda hard for me to not worry. She was so out of it yesterday, missing all of her usual sass. I haven't seen her frown that much since the first week I met her.
My phone digs and I check it so fast I almost drop it, I let out a frustrated groan. It's only Gabe.
Gabe
How're things going?
I pinch my brow, what the hell is he talking about?
Ash
What do you mean? I'm at home.
I expect him to reply immediately but it's five minutes before I get another message.
Gabe
You aren't with Scarlett today?
I consider throwing my phone at the wall, Gabe's favorite hobby is taunting me about Scarlett. He even threatened to ask her out if I didn't. Not like she would say yes to either of us.
What a great friend.
Ash
No I'm not with her, she hasn't answered me all day. Why?
We started talking after he pulled me off Bennett at his party. Surprisingly, once you made it past all the swagger and player, there's a really good person in him.
He's become one of my closest friends, along with Zev, learning they were a package deal like Ella and Stella. I'm not as close with them as I am with Sage and Scarlett of course. But I really can't talk to Sage about my girl problems and I certainly can't chat with Scarlett. That would be one hell of a conversation.
Gabe
You know what today is, right?
I roll my eyes, typing out a snarky reply and instantly regretting it.
Ash
It's the 27th you idiot. What's with the stupid questions?
Sorry, I'm just grumpy.
There's another gap before he replies, I contemplate not even looking at it but this conversation is keeping me from checking Scarlett's messages.
Gabe
Never mind... Are you still planning on going to my party?
I let out a breath.
Ash
I think Scarlett said she was going so yeah.
Gabe
Okay lover boy, I expect to see a New Years kiss.
Yeah, you and me both bud. I'm distracted by the thought of kissing Scarlett. How cute it is that I have to lean down to kiss her even if she's on her tiptoes. I wish I could kiss her everyday.
My phone dings, revealing a second message from Gabe.
Gabe
Don't get mad at Scar ok, I'm sure she has her reasons.
I send him a thumbs up, laughing at the thought, like I could ever be mad at Scarlett. I wasn't even mad at her when she hugged James. I already knew he had a thing for Stella, I was jealous he got to hug her so freely and I had to work for it. Then I got mad at myself for being jealous. It was a new feeling.
I start pacing again, Abuela stopping me the fourth time I pass her.
"What has you all worked up?"
I continue to pace, "Nothing." I'm not lying because nothing's wrong, she doesn't buy it. With an iron grip she pulls me into the tv room and forces me into the couch.
I rub my arm where her dainty hand was, maybe she should be our football coach.
"Now speak." She demands, joining me on the couch.
I scratch my head nervously, "It's nothing really. Scarlett hasn't texted me back or answered any of my calls today." Ok I may have called her once... or twice.
I was worried.
"She's busy." Abuela brushes it off like it's nothing and I let out a frustrated groan. Thanks for absolutely nothing.
"You must really like her." She states, giving me a knowing look.
I shrug, fighting to keep my face natural. "I guess."
That earns me a slap and a very interesting slew of words directed at me in Spanish. So my grandmother can see through my bullshit. Apparently, the only person who can't is Scarlett.
I pull my phone back out but Abuela takes it away. "If you like this girl enough to give her my ring tell me what makes her so special."
I let out a breath. Where do you really start when it comes to someone who's perfect? I think for a moment before I start listing things.
"Scarlett hides in the back of the classroom but you'd be stupid to miss her." I begin, remembering how much she stood out on my first day. "She has the ability to read an entire book in one sitting. She can call a football game better then some referees. Her laugh is my favorite sound in the entire universe, like music to my ears." A rare gift since she always seems so stressed.
"I fully believe her hand fits mine perfectly, like puzzle pieces. Her hair is always a wild mess but it's so perfectly her. She puts up with none of my shit, always giving me a run for my money. She loves her family more than anything else in the entire world. Honestly, she's like no other person I've ever met before. She's so stubborn that it drives me crazy but if I go more than an hour without her I go insane. Just seeing her makes me happy. And she's beautiful."
In my mind all I can see is her face, the small smile she gets when I compliment her, like she doesn't want to believe me. The dumbfounded look that she gets after we kiss, her lips separated slightly, only making me want to kiss her more.
I'm so preoccupied with my thoughts that I don't notice Abuela arching a thin eyebrow, I hurry on. "I know beauty isn't important but it's the little things. Like the freckles on her face or the flecks of green in her eyes. The way she purses her lips when she's thinking."
There's more I could say but she holds up a hand, silencing me. "It sounds to me that you don't like this girl." I frown at this, did she hear anything I just said? "You love her."
I stare at my grandmother in shock as I process those three words, the weight of what they mean. Then I think back to Christmas Eve, I was going to say those exact eight letters when she opened my gift, the ring. Not found at an antique shop, instead a discarded family heirloom. I shrugged it off as just being caught up in the moment.
That's crazy.
I start to pace again but Abuela hands me money, "Go take all your energy and buy me a pack of tea."
Quickly, I take the money and head out the door, a jacket in hand. I smile, thinking back to my jacket thief. Currently in possession of my favorite jacket, not that I mind.
*****
I whistle mindlessly as I enter the store, my mind focused on one person. Right here at the store was where I realized I was jealous over Scarlett, not that she'll ever know that.
My bliss is interrupted by a familiar shout. "Ella, we have to get these!" My eyes scan the isles. Stella. And where there's a Stella and an Ella there's usually a Scarlett.
I run down the isles until I find them with the candy and, sadly, I'm disappointed.
Stella and Ella are fighting over an extra large bag of sour patch kids, Scarlett's favorite, while Sam and James hold boxes of other junk food.
There's no Scarlett, or Sage, in sight. My smiles falls.
"No." Ella states, jerking the bag back from her friend. She's strong when she wants to be. "We need to buy greens."
Stella pulls it back, "Some are green."
James seems to be contemplating whether or not he should intervene but Sam appears out of it. He's wearing sunglasses inside, along with a pair of spider man pajama pants. Not his usual style.
"Hey, guys." I offer, causing them all to immediately jump, Stella dropping the bag of candy.
"Ashton." Ella squeaks nervously, "Wha- what are you doing here?"
No one's looking me in the eyes and I'm so confused I forget why I'm here.
"Tea." I blurt out, scaring them even more. "I mean, I'm getting tea for my Abuela."
They nod their heads but honestly I don't think they understood anything I just said.
I stare at the people who have become my friends, barely recognizing them. They seem off, like their minds are somewhere else entirely. Ella is in sweatpants and Stella, for some odd reason, isn't wearing black. Instead she has on one of James shirts and a pair of gray leggings.
While there's nothing wrong with that, I just can't help but notice how wrong it feels to see them like this.
I take the awkward silence as my que to leave but then I decide to shoot my shot with them, if anyone would know where the Rhodes are it would be them. "Do you guys know where Scarlett is?" Then for good measure I add, "Or Sage?"
Simultaneously they shake their heads and I feel like I'm in a cult. Somebody please say something. Anything.
"Not today... She's probably busy with something." Ella offers and I want to call her out.
I know Scarlett, or at least Sage, would've talked to them by now but I don't push them. Instead, I bend down and pick up the forgotten bag of sour patch kids, handing them to Ella.
Her eyes are bloodshot and swollen, maybe she didn't get enough sleep last night.
I buy my tea and begin to walk back home when I hear another familiar voice, "AshyPoo! Wait up!"
I groan. This is not the person I wanted to see today. But I stop and wait for Avery, figuring maybe I could get some information out of her.
She finally reaches me, dragging her younger brother along with her. The kid seems decent enough but clearly he doesn't want to be here.
"Avery, what are you doing?" I ask flatly.
Her blond hair is in a tight bun and red lipstick is bright against her pale skin. Everything about her just seems so uniform, fake even. Like, if she had to be herself she wouldn't know how because every moment is spent caring about others opinions. Or hating Scarlett.
I blank out for a moment, wondering what she's doing right now.
"We just decided to go out." She says way too brightly, adding emphasis by placing a hand on my shoulder. Her brother snorts.
Her hand feels weird on my body so I politely remove it, my skin crawling from the contact. A few months ago I probably would've been all over Avery, at least till she opened her mouth, but there's no competition when it comes to Scarlett.
Knowing I probably won't get an answer I try my luck, "Do you know where Scarlett is?"
A million different emotions flash through Avery's face. First it's sadness then it's confusion before landing in a shocked gasp. "You don't know?"
Know what? That you're annoying. I think she's just trying to get attention but her brother shakes his head.
"Avery, don't." His face is contorted in pain, I notice he even has bloodshot eyes. Why is everyone crying?
"Know what?" What is so important that I don't know?
"Oh my, with you and Scarlett being so close I figured you would be glued to her side all day. Especially with it being the anniversary and everything." She bats her eyes up at me, looking like a cartoon character.
Now I'm getting worried. Part of me knows better than to ask because it's exactly what she wants but I need to know. "Anniversary of what?"
"Avery." Her brother protests bluntly, trying to pull her away but she ignores him.
She tilts her head softly, "Of her parents death of course. Poor thing, it was two years ago. Drunk driver hit them head on."
She continues to prattle on like it's normal gossip but my ears start to ring. What the actual fuck was going on? She has to be lying but then Ella rounds the corner and freezes.
The look of horror on her face is the only confirmation I need before I start running.
"What the hell did you do?" Stella shouts at Avery but I don't stop to see what happens.
I run faster than ever, her house only a few miles away. My mind is trying to piece all this information together.
It's makes perfect sense. The bond the five of them share. The constant absence of parents. The boys only needing her permission to go do things. How, no matter what, Scarlett always seems worried about something.
I pound on the door repeatedly, scared to see who would be on the other side. This has to be a lie. I know everything about Scarlett. Her favorite song is Delilah by Florence and the Machine. She loves chinese food and smoothies, but never together. She could watch super hero movies all day, never growing bored.
Why wouldn't she tell me? It stings that out of everything we've told each other that this wasn't something she deemed important enough to share.
The door opens and my heart breaks as all my fears are confirmed. Scarlett stands there with a swollen, blotchy face. Snot everywhere, even in her hair. Hair that's in the same braids as yesterday.
"Hey Ell-" She starts, falling short when she sees me.
I don't know how to act. She's a complete mess but she seems just as shocked as I am. One word echoes in my mind, liar.
"Ashton." She says, or tries to. Her voice cracks, sounding so raw and unlike her usual self. Quickly she looks upstairs before moving outside. She sets one crutch on the bench, taking a sudden interest in her hair. I hate it when she does that.
"Is it true?" I demand and I sound like an asshole but I need to know.
She shrinks into herself and I immediately want to hug her because it makes me so upset to see her look so small but I can't.
Every lie she told me runs through my mind.
Working late. Out of town trip. Mandatory party. Over at her aunt's house. All of it was a lie.
It's a wonder how you two raise children.
She lied to me constantly and never once felt bad. Never once told me the truth, even when I asked.
She starts to cry, tears silently falling down her face like she's already drained herself of all other emotions. Yesterday she hugged me for the first time and today she's sobbing. And I'm doing nothing to help her.
"I ran into Avery, Scarlett, she told me everything."
And like that she crumbles. Her face pinching up, her lips shaking as she tries to calm herself. That's all the confirmation I need.
"I can explain." She offers, grabbing for my hand. I snatch it away, which is surprising to both of us since all I want to do right now is hug her.
I ignore the part of me focused on sitting down next to her and pulling her into my lap. Protecting her from all the pain she's feeling. The other side of me remembering how it felt months ago, the last time a collection of lies imploded on my life. Completely ruining it.
I notice she's only wearing a sweatshirt that swallows her whole. She has to be freezing. Without thinking I pull my coat off and drape it over her legs.
"Why didn't you tell me?" We tell eachother everything.
She bites her lip to keep herself from crying harder. It's funny how much you can learn about someone but in the end you don't know everything.
"I wanted to-" she starts but I cut her off. I've heard that line before.
"But you didn't, Scarlett. You made the decision not to tell me!" You lied are the words I want to scream. She lied to my face for months and I never suspected a thing.
"Please, just let me explain." She begs softly.
I don't need her to explain anything. She chose to lie.
She lets out a sob and I can't stand to be here anymore I'm so upset, at war with myself on what to do.
I run down the stairs and start back to my house before I turn back. James's car turns on to the road but I ignore it. I can hear Scarlett crying from here. I don't have to turn around to know Sage comes out and picks her up. He probably heard me yelling and now I'm even madder.
Sage lied to me too. My two best friends kept secrets from me.
Once I get home, I fling the door open, startling my mom who's waiting by the window.
"Where's your jacket?"
I want to laugh because even as mad as I am, I still gave her my jacket. "At Scarlett's." The things we do for those we love.
And with that I go to my room and slam the door.
*****
PLEASE DON'T HATE ASHTON!!
but, also, check out Life in Search for more of his PoV!!!
Xo-Mo