𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 ~ 𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐫

10. 𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐘

♡
𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐘
♡

♡-𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐒-♡

*INCOMING CALL ANDY BARBER*

I look down to my screen and giggle to myself. I contemplate answering the call but decide it'll be more fun to reject it and watch how flustered he gets.

I'd been drinking all afternoon and by now I was back in my room, alone and feeling needy. Jacob had again rejected my advances and it hurt, I wanted attention. Even if the attention was from the wrong Barber man. Hitting the reject button on my screen it doesn't take long for Andy to ring me back again. My thumb hovers over the reject button again but just at the last second I accept the call.

"Ainsley?" I feel the butterflies deep in the pit of my stomach take over, making me feel all gooey inside. The sound of his voice had me excited.

"Oh hi Andy..." His name rolls off my tongue, my tone playful. I bite my lower lip and I'm playing with a loose strand of hair.

"How drunk are you?" The seriousness in his voice makes his voice deeper than normal.

I just giggle, feeling thankful he can't see how much I'm blushing. This whole interaction was wrong, but something about him and how 'protective' he was kept drawing me back to him.

"This isn't funny Ains, how drunk are you?" I feel a warm sensation rush over me at the sound of him calling me Ains.

"Just a little, I promise I'm being a good girl."

I hear him sign deep on the other end of the phone, clearly flustered by my words. Just as I go to speak again I hear my dorm room open. Quickly without hesitation I hang up, leaving the line dead on the other end.

"Ashley?? W-what are you doing here?" I question furrowing my brows with confusion.

"I've come to see you silly. Why else would I be here?" She giggles walking over giving me a squeeze.

"Well I gathered that Ash but like your here... at Harvard-"

"Oh I'm still not coming here... buuuuut...."

"But....?" I raise a brow waiting for her to finish her sentence.

"I got a place at Boston university!"

"You mean the one literally 20 minutes away!?" I gleam with excitement.

"Yes girl!! I'll be able to see you and Jacob all the time again." She gives me this look that I can't quite place. I shake off the insecure feeling I have and continue to spend the next few hours catching up with Ashley, drinking more and more alcohol.

"So come on, you need to give me some more info on this secret novio (boyfriend)."

Dropping her head so her hair covers her face I can see my friend blushing deeply. "Oh come on Ash at least give me a name." I nudge her whilst taking another drink of my beer.

"Fine... but you'll never believe me..."

"Oh come on, what is his name Jacob?" I laugh trying to think of the only coincidence it could be. She doesn't answer and it dawns on me that I'm right.

"Aha!" I laugh, throwing my head back. "No way! What are the chances that both our boyfriends are called Jacob." I look at my friend and her cheeks are bright pink. "Oooo is somebody falling in love?" I tease as I nudge my friend eagerly.

"Oh stop it Ainsley! So what if I'm falling in love."

"Hey there's nothing wrong with that, I remember the moment I first realised I was in love with my Jakey." I feel my heart go all fuzzy as I recall back to mine and Jacobs 1 year anniversary where we finally both had the courage to say 'I love you.'

I look to my friend after I stop reminiscing on old times and I can see she's uncomfortable about this whole conversation.

I hear my phone buzz and sigh in relief looking to my phone to see I have a string of messages from Jacob. "Ash, it's getting late, I have orientation classes tomorrow, I really need to get some sleep." I hope she doesn't push to stay, she'd always do this, especially if Jacob was around.

"Oh yeah... sure I best get back to my dorm, might even stop by to see Jacob on the way.."

"He's asleep." I answer automatically. "Oh wait, you mean your Jacob?" She nods, laughing at me, but I can see the awkwardness in her body language. I'd had my suspicions for a while but my best friend was hiding something from me. I had a feeling what it could be but denial takes over.

"Cool, I'll text you later Ash."

"Night Ains." Once she leaves I pull my phone out and hit the call button, after a few rings a familiar voice on the other end of the phone picks up.

"Hey babe, you okay?"

"Hey Jakey, yeah sorry Ashley turned up-"

"She did?" I can hear the uneasiness in his voice, like he was nervous all of a sudden.

"Yeah... she came to say she'd been given a place at Boston University."

"Oh I see..." I can hear the uneasiness again, I knew something wasn't sitting right with him either.

"You don't sound so thrilled about that Jakey..." I tease, nervously laughing.

"Oh no it's not that..."

"What is it then?"

"Oh you know-" He's interrupted mid sentence as we both hear his dorm door go.

"Hey-" I hear a muffled voice in the background, I'm sure it's a female one.

"Look Ains babe I've got to go, speak tomorrow. Love you." Before I have a chance to even answer the line goes dead.

I sit with the phone still to my ear, eerie silence filling the room. Something wasn't right. I had a gut wrenching feeling deep inside telling me something bad was going on, and all I could be certain of was it involved Jacob, Ashley and this seemingly secret boyfriend who's name was also Jacob.

I had to play my cards right during this next semester. I had no evidence to back my suspicions but I knew my best friend and boyfriend were lying to me about something.

Stumbling to my closet I rummage to find something suitable to wear for bed, doing a half arsed attempt at my skin routine as I was still very intoxicated, I crawl into my bed, trying to settle for the night. The bad feeling I had and the bad thoughts I had kept circling in my mind. Signing in defeat I open my phone again and reopen my conversation with Andy.

I smile down to the screen, feeling the butterflies take over, squashing the dread in my stomach. I hover over my keyboard going to send him a message but can't bring myself to do it.

I read over his words one more time bringing a smile to my face before I set my alarm and settle back down again. Knowing tonight all I would be dreaming about is him.

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a/n: As always thank you for your patience, this writers block has been something else! I think I'm slowly getting my ability back so hopefully you guys won't wait as long to update.

Sooo Ainsley isn't dumb, she knows something is suss, but she knows she can't jump to conclusions either 😏

ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴠᴏᴛᴇ & ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴛ 💗
ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ 3000 ʟᴜᴄʏ xᴏxᴏ