When Kat Came Back

Chapter 30

October turned into November and Ashlynn had settled into something resembling a routine.

She still couldn't call Patricia 'mom' and found weekend visits with David awkward. He didn't know how to talk to her or what to talk about so the two often wound up at movies or at home watching TV until Patricia would pick her up Sunday night, or David dropped her off.

But this weekend, Ash, Megan and Patrick were going to the twentyone pilots concert, and they had all access passes and were going early to hang out with the band.

School was going alright. Jonah and Ashlynn had met up and worked on their science project together, earning the two of them an A+. Science was one of Ashlynn's favourite subjects.

"See?" Jonah said when they got their grades. "Isn't that better than me doing all the work and you showing up to present?"

"Shut up," Ashlynn smiled at him. They'd become good friends, and Ashlynn hung out with him and his group of friends. Which now included Ashlynn. Katie and Amanda were in their English class, and Devon was in their science class. Brian had PE with Jonah and history with Ashlynn.

Amanda was also in Ashlynn's PE class, which she had just started participating in, now that her hip was healed. She still had to take it easy, no contact sports for at least another month, but she didn't need the cane anymore and no longer felt like she stuck out like a sore thumb.

Mason, the football thug, hadn't forgotten how Ashlynn had talked back to him, but seemed confused about how to handle her. No one had ever talked back to him. He bumped into her - literally - any chance he got. But he aimed for her left side. He didn't want to hurt her already fractured hip. He'd looked her up online and realized what she'd meant the day he'd accidentally run into her.

He'd heard she passed out after class and felt something he'd never felt before. Remorse. He felt bad that he'd hurt her accidentally and that she'd passed out.

But he was still annoyed that she had the balls to talk back to him. He was going to keep an eye on her.

Saturday afternoon, Patrick and Meagan picked Ashlynn up and they headed to the venue.

"Have fun!" Patricia said as Ashlynn left the house. "Love you!"

Ashlynn's face didn't show it, but she was stunned to hear it from Patricia. It wasn't the first time, but it caught Ashlynn off guard every time. No one had ever said that to her. She didn't know what it meant. Or what was expected of her when someone said it to her.

Ashlynn got into the back of Patrick's car.

"Hey kiddo. How's it going?" Patrick asked.

"Fine," Ashlynn said. Then she thought about it.

"Patrick? Or Megan?"

"Yeah sweets?" Megan said.

"Did, m- uh, Patricia always say 'love you' when you went out?"

"She still does," Megan said. "Whenever I get off the phone, she says it."

"What does it mean?" Ashlynn asked.

"What do you mean?" Megan asked, turning around and looking at Ashlynn.

"What does 'love you' mean?"

"It means she loves you," Megan said.

Ashlynn didn't know how to explain that she still didn't understand.

"So, what am I supposed to do?" Ashlynn asked.

"What do you mean?" Patrick asked.

"What's expected of me when she says 'love you'?"