I can't think of an actual actress that I imagine as Ashley, so if the girl in the pic is famous at all please tell me her name, because I don't know who she is. But that's how I visualize Ashley -
"There he is! I see you guys did more than just talk, eh?" Louis shouts from the bottom of the staircase, and shakes Zayns hand as we reach the floor.
"Shut up Louis." Zayn laughs lightly, and steps in front of me to take my hand and pull me through the group of boys.
"It's alright if you got some, don't be ashamed!"
We walk further away and towards the kitchen, escaping the embarrassing conversation his friend relentlessly attempted to have.
"I just love your friends." I smile sarcastically, and he shakes his head as he reaches for the big bottle of Whiskey.
"They're something, I'll tell you that. And usually I can tell them anything. Especially Louis because he's my best friend. But what happens between you and I?" He points between us, glancing up at me. "Stays between you and I."
"I don't know, there's something exciting about all these boys knowing how I look naked." I tease, and laugh when I see his face turn completely straight. "I'm kidding."
"Better be. Want some?" He hands me the bottle but I push it away kindly.
"Oh no thank you, I don't drink Whiskey."
"What about this?" He hands me a bottle of that familiar clear liquid that I truly thought was water last time, but ended up ass drunk on the dance floor.
"God no, remember last time we were here? I acted that way because I was drunk. All because I drank that," I point at the bottle. "Thinking it was water."
"Anybody with a brain could tell you were drunk babe." He takes a long sip from his cup, slamming it onto the counter completely empty.
"You'll be the exact same way if you keep drinking."
"I won't get drunk. I have to be sober in case a guy touches you or hits on you." He leans against the counter casually, and looks up at me with his hazel eyes. I notice now that his hair, that was originally slicked back, is brushed out and shaggy all around. In just a matter of twenty minutes, he went from being a twenty year old sex master to looking like a seventeen year old boy.
"Keep an eye on me then. But I'm going to go find Ashley. I haven't seen her all night." I frown for a moment, wondering where she could possibly be. He nods quietly and reaches for his phone so I take that opportunity to disappear into the crowd.
Zayns POV
As soon as she's out of sight, I reach for my phone and scream internally when I see a message left on my screen.People start to reach around me in order to get to the alcohol so I respectfully move out of the way, and through the back door into the backyard.
"Hey Zayn!" Niall slaps me on the shoulder, gripping the fabric of my shirt.
"Hey." I glare at his hand still on me, then looking up at him. He steps back immediately, suddenly remembering I hate to be touched.
Unless it's by a beautiful girl with wavy black hair, and striking blue eyes.
Then that's different.
"What are you doing out here? It's freezing."
"I should be asking you the same thing." The phone keeps ringing in my ear and when I hear the final click of someone answering, I push Niall away and step a little further so he can't hear me talk.
"Hello Zayn." His creepy voice greets me, and sends chills running through my body.
"Hi, yeah we need to talk. You can't do this to her. On a fucking holiday?!" I shout and stuff my free hand in my pocket to keep it from freezing.
"I can do whatever I want Malik, always remember that. You work for me. Not the other way around. Plus her services are no longer needed, since she couldn't keep her mouth shut. I mean really, could you imagine if James wer-"
"She's a teenager God damnit!"
"I don't give a shit Zayn! This whole plan is about me. My money, my business. Not you. Or Ms.Collins being as young as she is."
My heart races as fast as I want to run towards Ella, and warn her about everything. But I can't. That'd just ruin everything, and really get us both killed.
"Zayn, listen to me. And this is the last fucking time I'm going to say it. She's being taken care of. We no longer need her, or her wasting oxygen for that matter. It's done."
I bow my head and stare at my shoes sunken beneath the snow. For a minute I just breathe, breathe and try to keep my cool for the time being. If he catches any hint of hysteria, I'm done for. As I breathe, little puffs of white air flow out and form in front of my now chapped lips.
"How long?" I finally reply, cringing at the possible amount of time she could have left.
"Only a matter of minutes now really."
"Minutes?! Ella just went looking for her. If she finds her dead what the hell am I supposed to do?!" I pace around, as if I'm going to find Ella anywhere back here.
"Figure it out. You're pretty good at lying, work something up."
The line goes dead, along with the timer that was Ashley's lifespan when I hear a gunshot go off in the distance. Screaming erupts towards the front of the house, and I race inside to find Ella.
"Move!" I push everyone out of the way, not caring whether they were even girls in ridiculous high heels. The house is completely packed and I can already feel sweat forming on my skin, ready to race down my back and neck.
Everyone crowds around the door, but some choose to stay back and not look. Girls cling to their boyfriends, shielding their eyes while some guys gather together and repeatedly tell eachother how it looked.
"Fuck. Ella!" I shout through the crowd, still forcing my way towards the door.
"Zayn!" Jade stops in front of me, and grabs my face in her hands. "You don't want to see that."
"My girlfriend is out there probably, I need to go see it." As nicely as I can, I make my way past her and finally reach the entrance. It's much easier to walk now, with little to no people outside wanting to stare at the horrifying site.
As much as I know I need to be here, I could've gone my whole life without seeing this. Time has stopped, and I'm frozen in place on the last step, staring as Ashley's body lying next to someone's car. Blood leaks from her chest, spilling out onto the concrete, creating what could be my worst nightmare.
My eyes avert to Ella, kneeled on the concrete next to her bestfriend, pressing her hands to the wound and sobbing uncontrollably.
"Go up to her mate!." Louis whispers and pushes me down the step, towards her.
I finally snap out of my thoughts, and rush over next to her. All I can do is hug her tight, to remind her she isn't alone just yet. Her body relaxes as soon as I touch her, and she screams into her hands covering her face.
"No, no, Ashley." She pleas hopelessly, most likely wishing it wasn't real. "Don't leave me Ash. You can't leave m-me."
The pain in her voice brings tears to my eyes, and I have to clench my jaw to keep them from streaming down my face. I glance up at the crowded doorsteps and house at all the people just standing by watching, like fucking morons.
"Why are you all just standing there like a bunch of stupid fucking monkeys?! Call the damn police!" I shout, and Louis immediately reached for his phone, walking off into the grass for quiet.
Ella's body shakes as tears rake through, and she lets out another sob. It's pretty clear she's going to have to get up sooner or later, and the only person that will do that is me.
"Ella." I release her, and reach for her shoulders. "El, babe, we need to get u-"
"No! I'm not leaving her!" She shouts and runs her hand, full of blood, over Ashley's cheek.
"We nee- hey." I move my hands up to her face, and force her to look at me. It's amazing how even with smeared lipstick and black eyeliner streaming down her cheeks, she's the most beautiful girl to me. "We need to move. You don't have to leave her. We just need to move. And you should wash your hands."
"I can't leave h-"
"Babe look at your hands!" I shout and grab her wrists to pull them up to her eyes. "Your hands are full of blood. You can't stay like this Ella. You just can't."
Her eyes go wide, and her breathing turns shaky as she stares at her hands, draped in her bestfriends blood. Anxiety is clear in her eyes, along with complete shock and fear creeping in the background. It's my job to get her away from here and make sure that fear doesn't overwhelm her, or take over her completely.
"Mate, I got her from here." Eric approaches, from what feels like no where, and kneels in front of Ella.
"Like hell you do! You're not touching here Eric." I spit at him, and wrap my arm around Ella protectively.
"I'm her best friend Zayn, you should talk to the police when they get here." His eyes are somber, clearly affected by Ashley's death just as much as Ella.
"I'll be fine Zayn, he's right." She speaks up finally, and wipes her tears away, only smearing the black eyeliner even more.
I glare up at him, and mouth a very clear warning with my eyes along with a simple statement.
"If you hurt her, you're dead."
She turns to a very pale, and bloody Ashley, and brushes a strand of blonde hair off her forehead the same way she does to me.
"Can I have one more minute?" She mutters, sniffling a bit.
"Yeah sure, Eric leave her alone." I bark at the annoying man standing way to close to her for anyone's comfort, and back away while I wait for the police. Eric backs up a bit and waits against another persons car, subtly wiping under his eyes in a way that no one paying attention would ever see.
Ella's POV
"Why are you out here? It's freezing!" I smile at her as she blows the smoke of her cigarette from her lips.
"I needed a moment to myself. Plus I can't exactly smoke inside anyway." She tugs on the large brown leather jacket draped around her shoulders, and leans against a strangers car.
"Who's jacket is that?"
"Louis'. It's funny because he may not seem like he cares about me, but he's the one who offered it in the first place."
I purse my lips into a firm line, and take a deep breath to build enough courage in order to tell her the truth about him.
"He's actually something I want to talk to you about."
"And I'll let you. But I really need to tell you something first. With the whole new year thing starting, I really want to say something that we can leave here and start fresh in the next few hours."
As confused as I am, I decide to let her go first anyway. Besides, I've always been one to want the bad news first.
"Sure, go ahead."
"Zayn isn't good for you Ella. You may not think so, but I know so."
"What?" I'm completely taken back by her comment, even though she's said it before. It's still strange though because she was the one pushing me in the beginning to be with him. "I thought we've discussed this already."
"We need to discuss it again. Because there's just stuff I haven't told you. Especially about him."
"Okay, continue then."
"Soon, I'm not even sure anymore, but soon there will be a time where you're not safe with him. He will hurt you Ella, and I don't mean heartbreak hurt. I need you to heed my warning now, promise me you will." Nervously, she runs her free hand through her hair, wiping it away from her face.
"I promise! Ashley, tell me what's going on."
Her eyes go wide as bright lights shine on her face, and practically blind me.
"High beams. Bloody hell." She winces, and covers her eyes with her free hand. "Turn your fucking high beams off!" She shouts and walks closer to the street, me following closely behind.
My vision clears up immediately, and I notice a shadow, holding a gun out under the streetlight, pointed directly at her.
"He has a gun!" I shout at her and yank her arm back. But there's no way I could've reacted faster than the bullet shot directly into her heart, splattering a bit of blood onto my dress.
--
"None of this makes sense." I whisper, and use the back of my hand to rub her now cold cheek. "We were supposed to be best friends forever. Go to college, graduate together, and live life without any worries because you had me and I had you. Of course we'd get married and have our own lives, but we would still have each other to cry to when our husbands are stupid or buy each other chocolate on our periods."
"You tried to warn me about something, and ironically, you're killed just seconds before." The tears build up immediately again, and force themselves out and onto the red fabric of her dress. "You were my other half Ashley. I can't do this without you!"
I bow my head, and press my forehead against hers, not caring how weird it looks or how it must feel to be on the outside looking in on me.
"You're gone, and now I don't have anyone. I lost my mum, and now I lost you. You were supposed to watch over me, I remember my mum made you promise her you would, except I never knew why. You were supposed to make sure I chose the right wedding dress with your brutally honest opinion, because she could no longer be here to do it."
"You were supposed to be my person Ashley!" I scream, and choke on a sob forcing its way up my throat. "Oh God, you're gone!"
I feel strong hands yank me up, and warm arms wrap around my body.
Zayn.
"It's okay baby." His arms are wrapped tightly around my waist, and mine around his neck as I sob into his shoulder. "It's okay to cry."
"She's gone." I stretch the word gone as it gets caught in my sobbing, hoping the denial will somehow fade, and the grieving process can be over by now.
But I know that's not the case.
It never is.
There are five stages to grieving.
Denial.Anger.Bargaining.Depression.And finally, acceptance.
Denial can take months to endure, and eventually overcome. In my case, I know I'm in for a good six months of denial, grieving the death of my one true best friend. As for tomorrow, I know I'll call her just to let her know I spent the night at Zayns', in case she's worried I ran off with some stranger in the midst of being too drunk to tell who's who. Then I'll show up to our dorm, wondering where she is, and why she couldn't make her damn bed before going to class. And of course, when people ask me where Ashley is, I'll want to say I don't know and that I haven't seen her all day, but it'll take strength to say she died.
In front of me.
And secretly, without Zayn or anyone's help, I plan on finding out why.
One down, who knows how many more to go... -Nat xx