Redlyn One Shots

Busy Pacing

"Hi, Ash." I smiled cheekily as I walked over to my fairly new girlfriend.

"What's up?" Ashlyn smiled and turned to me, almost hitting me with the script in her hand. We were on a quick break at rehearsals, because of something about a hamster. "My bad!"

"No problem." I dodged. "And not much, just... you know, wanted to say hi."

"Oh, yeah. I've been wanting to talk to you after yesterday."

"What's on your mind?" I asked, sitting down.

"Just wanted to thank you. Best Valentine's Day I could've wished for." She smiled. "Definitely not how I think either of us expected it to go."

"Oh, of course. Anytime. And yeah, unexpected." I nodded. "On that topic, how're you feeling about... you know, the show, playing the lead."

"Better. I'm really glad we talked. But—"

"And we're back! Ashlyn, Ricky, you're up!" Miss Jenn announced, walking back into the room.

"Gotta go!" She jumped out of her seat with a smile, leaving our conversation on pause.

"Ash!" I called out, carelessly running over to her in the parking lot without checking for cars. There wouldn't be many, since rehearsal ran later than school hours, but it was still a bad move to not check.

"Yes?" Ashlyn turned around, stepping up on a section of grass dividing rows of parking. "Oh, it's you." She said when I had caught up to her.

"Yeah." I panted, having ran since I realized she had left the bomb shelter. "What were you gonna say earlier?"

"I don't know what you mean..."

"We were talking about yesterday."

"Right!" She smiled. "Just a bit of nerves, nothing abnormal. Not used to playing the lead."

"Okay. Well, you've got more than enough talent to."

"Th—"

"Ash, want a ride?" EJ asked, walking up to us.

"Sounds good." She turned back to me. "Thanks. I'll see you around."

"Bye." I went in for a hug, but Ashlyn had already turned around and started walking away, talking to EJ. I started skateboarding home, wishing I had asked Ashlyn to walk home with me.

"Hey." Ashlyn plopped down in her seat beside me during robotics.

"Hi!" I smiled. She prepared her stuff for the following lesson. "How are you? Feel like we haven't talked much recently."

"Oh, yeah. I've been so busy." It had been almost a week since we'd had our last proper conversation on Valentine's Day. We'd never been the people to talk for hours on end, at least not yet, but I still missed her. "With theatre and other clubs, homework on studying, I've hardly had alone time."

"Sorry 'bout that."

"Don't get me wrong, I love it all."

"Well, this is basically my only club, other than theatre, so I'm always free."

"Cool." She nodded, picking up her pencil. I guess discreetly trying to say I wanted to hang out with her didn't work, but class started, and I had no chance to tell her I wanted to.

"Sounds like we're switching partners today." Ashlyn told me as she took her usual seat by me. It was now nearing the end of February.