Chapter 6: CHAPTER 5

"It is never too late to be what you might have been"- George Eliot.

Ashley's POV

I'm home in my bed with a pencil in hand and a sheet at hand, sketching anything at all that comes to mind. I'm not an artist or anything like that but I just want to see how far I can go with a pencil. Maybe I might turn out to be an artist one day, who knows? If I turn out to be one I will flaunt my artistry skills. And do you know how?.

Guess!!!

Amazing much, huh?!!.Well..... I would do anything for the people I love, those who are special to me.

Blah blah blah

Flashback...

"Um ...hi," I say awkwardly.

Grayson turns around and I notice as shock registers his features but it goes as soon as it comes.

He parts his lips to talk but then someone beats him to it....It was a girl my age I would say or maybe a tad younger. She distracted him by putting her arms around his biceps causing him to halt his actions as he turned to face her, concentration lost on me.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting. I know you probably waited for long, did you?" The girl says batting her lashes at him childishly.

Disappointment weighs in the tummy as he smiles at her. Heat rises to my cheeks as I suddenly feel embarrassed for even taking Cam seriously.

"Uh....No. I just got here."  He says.

It's obvious...I'm invisible now. Why wait?, such a waste of precious time. The little courage I had went straight through the windows. Confidence I was working so hard to build tumbles on the hard floor.

Flashback ends...

So that was that. I couldn't stay any longer...if I did that would be shameless of me. My presence wasn't needed .....a mistake in the first place.

What if whatever happened was a sign that I shouldn't have decided to approach him? Now .... I'm gonna rephrase that. What if whatever happened was a sign that I'm not supposed to do whatever it is Cam wanted me to do?

A sign from the heavens

So I marched back to Cam and all she did was squeal in delight, so oblivious of the fact that I was bringing her a piece of rather unfortunate news.

"How was it? How did it go?" she inquired grinning.

"Not bad,"  I answered.

"What happened? Tell me everything I'm all ears." She asked more enthusiastically than I would have liked, what's worse is that she had that annoying grin plastered on her pretty face. She's liking this whole 'Grayson thing' too much. I hope she doesn't get disappointed though.

"Nothing," I say smiling smugly.

"Nothing?!!"  She yells "What do you mean by nothing?. You mean nothing happened? How is that possible?" the grin disappears from her face at once and a scowl replaces it.

"Well, let's just say that the heavens saved me from a moment that would have been the most embarrassing moment of my life."

"How so?" she lifts her brows.

"A sign !! the heavens sent me this beautiful brunette she's made me the happiest you know. I said 'hi ' to Grayson, he was about to respond but then BOOM! My savior came to my rescue. She wrapped her arms around his arms practically taking his attention from me. I took it as a cue to leave. I had to let them be." I cringed at the memory.

"Oh no! You did not. You shouldn't have left."

"Oh.....but I did. Why would I want to be where I'm not needed?  She was the one he was waiting for. Who knows, they probably have somewhere to be, and I wasn't planning on being the one to ruin their plans" I say with a frown.

"You think it's a sign that you guys are not going to be together someday right?"

"We are not going to be together, stop dreaming."

"Trust me, I strongly believe he's going to be a part of your life someday."

"Whatever runs your boat. Dream on..."

So that was what happened. I wouldn't lie and say I wasn't disappointed, just a little though.

Grayson's POV

I was standing in the middle of the hallway waiting for Yvette, my cousin so I could drive her home when I felt a light tap on my shoulder from behind. I turned around only to come face to face with the ginger-haired girl I saw at the ice cream parlor, the same one I kept staring at in Miss Brooke's class.

I saw her lips moving but I couldn't quite fathom what she was saying, I was riled up a little with shock. I never imagined the day when we would get to talk. She looked pretty nervous. Just when I was about to ask her to repeat what she said someone snaked their arms around my biceps, I turned to look at who that was, wrong mistake. When I turned back she was gone, ginger hair was nowhere.

"Shit" I cussed.

"What's wrong?" Yvette asked.

"Nothing Yve, let's get you home."

"Okay" She drags me to my car and I send her home.

Ginger hair seemed pretty nice. It won't be bad if I get her to be my friend, right?

Shit!! Why am I thinking that way?

No....I can't. I've had a female best friend before, that was when I was younger, way before I met Cole and Pierson. We were the closest thing until her parents decided to separate us by taking her abroad to a different country. After she left we lost contact and that was that.

I wouldn't lie and say that it didn't hurt back then.... when all of a sudden we lost contact but not anymore I mean it's past. Back then it was really difficult for me to accept that she was leaving....now it doesn't matter anymore.

Wait a minute!! Why did ginger hair come to me?

Well... that's unexpected.

"How was your day at school today?" My nanny hugs me immediately after I enter the house.

"It was great" I hug her back.

"Tell me what happened," she said giving me a knowing look.

"Well..." I halt unsure of what to say.

"I'm listening" She probes so I tell her everything that happened from the ice cream parlor time to what happened closing time.

"So...what do you think?" I perk up waiting to hear what her answer might be.

"Mmm...." she taps her chin in thought, " I think she might want to be your friend. From your story, she kind of freaked out and left when you didn't converse with her. She probably felt stupid for even trying to talk to you all because you let Yvette take your attention from her... I would feel the same if I was her."

"I acted stupid," I say exasperated.

"Not exactly but I think you should apologize to her or something. Try to befriend her maybe?"

"Okay?" Not bad actually, great.

Woah there!!

"Take it cool though, don't rush else you might scare her off. She seems to be the timid type."

"Okay, it's not going to be easy. Gosh, I don't remember the last time I tried to make someone my friend. You know I've not had any female friends ever since she left." I chuckle.

"Yeah...I know but I'm sure this one's going to be different." she smiles at me.

I hope so.

I smile back at her "Is dad back from work?"

"Nope, he isn't. He called to say he's going to be back late so don't wait up for him."

"As usual" I smile sadly.

"It will get better."

"I've wished that for so long but it never does."

"He's finding it hard to cope with reality."

"What about me?"

"She was the love of his life. She might have been your mom but it's easier for you than it is for him. It's hard I know  but imagine someone you're in  love with leaving you for someone else."

"I know I'll never understand his pain but him  immersing himself so much in work wouldn't reduce the pain."

"He'll come around eventually, just give him time."

"Hope he would sometime, I miss him."

"I'm sure he misses you too."

"Mmm....."

"Go get changed." she pats me on the back.

"Right!!"

"Come downstairs in an hour for dinner."

"Okay," I say and walk to the room.

I lay on my bed and picked out my phone. I plug in my headphones and listen...

music 🎵

I'm jealous of the nights that I  don't spend with you

I'm wondering who you lay next to

Oh I'm jealous of the night

I'm jealous of the love

Love that wasn't here

Gone for someone else to share

Oh I'm jealous of the love

I wished you the best of all this world could give

And I told you when you left me

There's nothing to forgive

But I always thought you'd come back, tell me all you found was heartbreak and misery

It's hard for me to say I'm jealous of the way you're happy without me

Mom, I know you're out there, probably happy with whoever. You hurt my dad so bad. I wish things were different. I want you here with me. Although I don't admit it, I miss the times you were here in this house. I miss your smiles, your laughter, and your radiant face.

I miss us....the happy family we were. God please bring my family back together, this I ask of you.

******

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