soldier | | ash

➳ three

➳ 

mary e. o'neil 

➳ 

"So, you're meaning to tell me this mystery guy you know nothing about is planing to take you on a date you know nothing about?" My best friend Michael sits across from me on my couch with a half pint of half backed in his arms.

I nod and scoop myself a spoonful of the delicious ice cream. I bring the spoon to my mouth and down its contents shrugging. "He's not a mystery entirely, his name is Ashton. And I do know something about this date! He's taking me to a friend's party!"

Michael smirks. "He asked you to a party?"

"Yes, he said it was gentleman like," I respond sheepishly taking another spoonful. This makes Michael burst out into laughter, so I do the only thing I can think of doing, which is punching him in the side. His lanky figure curves at my punch, but he continues laughing, unaffected by what I just did. I sigh in defeat.

Michael finally ended up calming himself down, but his eyes were still gleaming with laughter. He would never let this go. "Alright, whatever you say. Can't wait for Luke to see this guy. He'll laugh along with me."

I roll my eyes. Luke is my younger brother, and to say we're close is an overstatement. Luke is nineteen and off at some fancy school in New York. I, on the other hand, decided to stay home in South Carolina here. My brother is extremely talented, and I'm proud of everything he's done, but we're not very close. Somehow, though, he got close with Michael, which I still don't know how to feel about.

I roll my eyes scooping up another spoonful. Michael swats my arm away since it was his ice cream to being with. "Yeah, well, if he ever comes home, then I'll call you up."

Michael narrows his eyes. "He hasn't called?"

I just shake my head. I know Luke talks to Michael on a weekly basis checking in every now and again. It bothers me a little, if I'm going to be honest. My best friend in the entire world and my brother I barely see get along perfectly, but I can't even get along with my own brother. Sometimes, I wish Luke was never even born, but I can't say that because it's too mean. I don't actually mean what I think, but sometimes, I just over think everything.

"That's a shame," I hear Michael say over my thoughts.

I look up and shrug. "Whatever. I'm used to it, anyway."

"Wait, did this Ashton kid say whose party is tonight?"

I furrow my brow and shake my head. "No, why?"

"Because my old college roommate's girlfriend is hosting one tomorrow night, and it's a military party."

"Ashton didn't mention anything about a military party," I say shaking my head. I tuck some of my brown hair behind my ear and let out a soft sigh. "What the hell does that mean, anyway? I am in no way able to go to a military party."

"Oh shit," Michael says quickly.

"Michael, you are literally scaring the shit out of me. Like I'm literally about to take a dump."

Michael gives me an awkward look before bursting out into laughter. "No, no, no, calm down. The whole point of the party is to bring a date, but one of the people have to be in the military. It's to honor the heroes or some shit like that, I dunno."

"Oh," I say thinking over what my best friend just told me. Ashton asked me to this party, but he knows I'm not in the military. He's from out of town and just got here. He said he moves around a lot. Oh crap, is this kid in the military?