It had been two days since my birthday.
I somehow remember getting home but I went straight to my room and spent the entire weekend locked up there staring at the note.
How could Ashton have left me a note?
"Mel," A knock came from my bedroom door and Sheryl slowly entered. She had stayed true to her promise and was staying here, taking care of the triplets.
I looked up at her but made no other contact.
"Have you read it yet?" She asked, gesturing to the note that lay on my desk.
"No."
She sighed and sat down next to me on my bed. "Why not?"
I hesitated for a moment, "I'm just not ready." It's not a lie but it's not the whole truth either.
"I understand how your feeling and I'm not going to pressure you to read it."
"Really?"
She nodded, "I know you'll read it when the time is right." I let out a small smile while she checked her watch. "Anyway, it's time you got up."
"Why?"
"You have school."
It's Monday? When did that happen.
"About eight hours ago." Sheryl answered my unspoken question.
Wait; did I say that out loud.
"Yes."
Damn it.
"I heard that too!" She called back at me as she left my room.
I sighed and decided to get ready. The note will still be there when I get home. Who knows, I might even open it.
A horn sounded from downstairs causing me to groan.
I ran around my room and threw on the first hoodie and jeans my hands made contact with.
The horn sounded again and slowly became quicker before it was all I could hear.
"You'll wake the freaking neighbours!" I yelled at Chelsea when I finally managed to get into her car.
"Why do I care?" She asked as she started off down the road. Ah, there that selflessness I know and love.
I rolled my eyes. "Are we going to get Annie?" I asked.
She shook her head, "Apparently there's a family emergency so she can't come today."
That doesn't sound good.
Chelsea must have noticed the looked on my face because she sighed and nodded. "She'll be fine."
I bit my lip and nodded along with her.
She'll be fine. She's going to be fine.
A dinging sound vibrated through the car causing me to jump in fright.
"What was that?" I asked, alarmed.
"I think it was your phone," Chelsea stated.
I let out a little 'oh' at my stupidity and took my phone from my pocket.
"Your such a genius Mel," Chelsea said sarcastically.
I shrugged, "I get called that a lot."
"What, genius?" She wondered.
I shook my head, "No, Mel."
She sent me a flat look but I noticed the corners of her mouth twitching up. "I retract my statement… you're an idiot.
"At your service," I replied in a British accent before finally looking at my phone to find a text from Note Boy:
Just reached school. Are you here mystery girl? -NB
I replied with: Maybe, Maybe not. What's it too ya?- NG
Just starting to wonder who you are- NB
Too bad you'll never find out- NG
"Who are you texting?" Chelsea asked suddenly, causing me to jump in my seat just as she parked the car.
"Just Sophia," I said smoothly.
I think that is the quickest I've ever lied.
"Oh really?" Chelsea rose an eyebrow, "I know that is impossible for two reasons. One; She got her phone confiscated yesterday and two; she is standing right there, clearly not texting." She stated, raising her fingers at the numbers and pointing to where Sophia was approaching us in the end.
"Hey guys!" Sophia greeted enthusiastically as she opened Chelsea's door.
"This isn't over," Chelsea whispered to me before she turned to smile at Sophia.
We got out of the car and walked into school together.
“Where’s Annie?” Sophia asked.
“Family problems,” Chelsea and I said in unison with matching looks of concern on our faces.
“Is it… Well, you know who?” She asked, whispering the last part.
“I’m not sure, but I really hope not. If they ever found out about that, they’d kill her.” I replied.
Sophia nodded along in understanding, “Well should we visit her after school?”
Chelsea shook her head, “If she needs us, she will tell us. She knows were there for her and we’re better off not getting involved.”
I nodded in agreement with Chelsea.
She let out a sigh and then a smile took over her face. “On a brighter note; Melissa has a secret texting buddy.”
“Ohhh,” Sophia cooed as we reached my locker, “And who is it?”
“Not telling,” I said in the same mocking voice she had.
They both gave me a look and I rolled my eyes while I fished the books I needed from my locker. “Guys, he is no one.”
“HE!?” Sophia screamed gaining the attention from most of the people passing by.
I let out a nervous laugh as I looked at them all and said, “Please go back to what you were doing.” Most of them did as told but not before giving us odd looks.
“Why do you guys care?” I asked as I slammed my locker shut and began down the hall, both of them hot on my heels.
“We want you to be happy. Maybe get a boyfriend,” Chelsea claimed.
I stopped walking and turned to look at her, “And how exactly will a boyfriend make me happy?”
“It will help you forget about….” Sophia trailed off.
I shook my head in disbelief at the pair, “Ash? That’s what this is about. You want me to forget about him?!” I raised my voice slightly.
“That’s not what we meant,” Chelsea said.
“Then please enlighten me,” I sassily replied.
“You just need to get your mind off him, you can’t spend your entire life thinking about what could’ve been,” Sophia said.
“I don’t want to forget him. I thought you of all people would understand that,” I spoke quietly now. It feels as if all the strength has left my body and I can feel the tears building in my eyes.
Deciding I needed to get away, I ran down the hall, away from my friends calling my name.
Where to go when you need to be alone. I know it sounds cliché but the only place I can think of is the library; the only time anyone goes there is if they have a late assignment they need to print out.
I ran up the stairs and slowed my pace just in time to enter the library. Ignoring the stares I was getting from the librarian, I went and sat in a corner between two bookshelves.
As if fate was playing a trick on me, a book fell on my head, causing me to whine before I picked it up.
It was a yearbook, not just any yearbook, but the one from the year Ash died.
I don’t recall this yearbook being here. I looked for it a lot after Ash died but they said the issue was gone.
I looked around to see that the only person here was the librarian who was in the same spot as earlier. There was no one who could have pushed it onto me.
“Ash?” I asked in a whisper. I know it sounds crazy but it’s like I can feel his presence. Like his ghost was here.
Suddenly a shiver went through my shoulder as if someone was touching me, but when I looked there was nothing there.
“I know you’re here,” I said to the air.
“You caught me,” A voice said suddenly; causing me to shriek and jump a mile in the air.
I looked up to see Mark. “Holy crap!” I cursed.
The presence I’d felt before was completely gone and I couldn’t help but miss it.
“Wow, the good girl curses,” Mark commented.
I rolled my eyes allow myself to sniff once. “I don’t need your sarcastic comments.”
“Are you… crying?” He asked.
I shook my head as if to say ‘no’.
He snorted, “Yeah, I totally believe you. What's wrong?"
"Like I'd tell you," I sneered, wiping away a stray tear.
He put his hands up, "No need to get defensive; I just wanted to help."
"Like you would ever want to help me."
He shrugged, "You'd be surprised."
Just like that he was gone, leaving me alone and extremely confused.
The day flew by after that, I avoided Sophia and Chelsea like the plague, but all things must come to an end...
"Melissa!" Sophia shouted, running down the hall to stop me from entering the hall.
"What?" I asked annoyed as I spun around to face her.
"We're sorry, ok? You know we didn't mean it," Chelsea apologised.
I looked between the two a couple of times, seeing on their faces that they were in fact sorry.
I sighed, "Fine, I forgive you."
A grin broke out on their faces and they yanked me into a group hug.
"Uck!" I made a noise of disguist, "Get off me!"
Sophia laughed, "I know you like it."
I rolled my eyes as they pulled away. I guess in some sense they were right.
We all walked into the hall together; them laughing excitedly around me.
I took my seat in the hall for last period. Josh, Luke, Chelsea and Sophia sat besides me grinning at the fact they got to miss class. They had cancelled class because apparently they had some announcement…
"Any idea what's going on?" I asked the group.
Luke shrugged, "No clue."
"Someone mentioned something about a fete I think," Sophia scrunched her face up as she tried to recall.
"You look really weird when you do that," Luke commented.
"Your face looks weird," Was her oh-so-clever come-back.
"Burn," Luke said in monotone.
"SHH!" Josh shushed us, "It's starting."
"Good afternoon students!" Our principal greeted brightly. Yeah, yeah, get on with it, "As you all know, each year the school holds a fete for the different facilities to showcase their students work," the students nodded along, not understanding where this was going, "Well this year we have decided to change it up."
What? What does that even mean?
"Our fete isn't as popular as we would like so we have grouped together different senior groups to run stalls that will be elected by us." this caused chatter to erupt through the hall, "Quiet down. We have tried to place you with your friends but there is only so much we can do. So without further ado, you may proceeded to the teacher nearest you to get a sheet with your groups on them."
He didn't have to tell us twice as everyone started racing about trying to find out who they were with.
"I got it!" Sophia yelled, running up to us with the sheet before I even knew she was missing. God that girls fast.
"Ok… YES!" She exclaimed suddenly.
"What?" I asked.
"We're all together!"
"Yay!" Chelsea cheered, "Who else is with us?"
"Let's see; Dana, Jade, Abbie, Sara, Angie and Tyler," She listed, "Oh and…"
"And who?" I asked, trying to peak at the list in her hands.
She waved her hand dismissingly, "It's no one."
"Tell me woman or I swear I will rip this list from your hands," I threatened.
Her voice raised an octave as she said the word I had feared, "Mark."
"What the hell!" I yelled, "He said he was trying to put us with friends. Mark is not my friend."
"He's my friend," Luke pointed out.
"F*ck you!" I cursed.
I heard footsteps behind me before I heard his obnoxious voice, "Generally I wait a couple of hours before I do that but I'll make an acceptation for you." I see his ego has returned.
"Go away," I deadpanned, now facing the devil.
"Whether you like it or not we're in a group. Deal with it."
I went to protest but a teacher walked up to us and handed me a sheet. By now our whole group was here (minus Annie of course).
I scowled when I saw what our activity would be then looked up at the people in front of me.
"What are we doing?" Josh asked.
"Is it a cupcake stall?" Dana, I think it was, asked.
"A hair and make-up stall?" Jade piped in.
"A kissing booth?" Tyler asked, looking to Mark and biting her lower lip. Let me explain now that Tyler is the cliché dumb blonde. Trust me, I am under no illusion that all blonde are dumb- in fact Sophia and Annie prove that- But Tyler just makes me question if I am right.
I shook my head to deny all their assumptions.
"What is it then?" Angie asked as the entire group leaned in.
I felt a giant grin fall on my face as I turned the paper around so they could see it.
"No," Luke started.
"Freaking," Mark piped in.
"Way!" Josh finished.
This is going to be fun…
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Hey all!
Not long huh? I just finished this and decided to leave Ash's note alone for a while. Who knows what will be said in it?
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the whole book in fact and I hope that you keep reading because every read means a lot to me.
Thanks to you all!
-Bella