Girl Gone Bad (18+)

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Asher's POV

"This is like the 8th time this week you've left early," Didi arches an eyebrow at me as I attempt to flee the building. "What are you plotting?"

I shrug innocently, glancing to my left. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" She tilts her head down so that she can blankly stare at me over her reading glasses. She pulls them off and slides them back into her coily hair.

"No.." I shake my head again whilst chuckling lowly. I can tell she doesn't believe me at all, and that she wants to press me more. That's something else I'll have to worry about.

"Just leave." She sighs, shooing me with her hand. "I can't bother looking at your lying ass."

In between laughs I bid her goodnight and quickly leave the station to head to my car. It was almost 6 PM and pouring rain. The raindrops hitting my car windows put me at ease the entire drive home.

My mind slowly drifts to the times my mom would drive my younger brother and I to my dads house as young boys. He would forget to come pick us up for the weekend after a long week of constantly working, and my mom would be forced to drive us to his house where he laid asleep with other women.

We stopped coming by to his house once we hit our teen years, and our relationship became nonexistent when I left home for college, and Blake did the same once he left too. I think of my once distressed mother who now stays in California with her 2nd husband, my step dad, Newton.

A phone call pulls me away from my thoughts, and when I pick it up I almost drop it in surprise.

It's my mother.

I'm on route to my house when I pick it up, hesitant to speak.

"Mom?" I say in a confused tone. I can hear her small voice begin to speak up on the other end.

"Asher, hey love."

"How are you and Newton?"

"We're just fine, thank you. How are you? I know you were saying that work stressed you out so much last month."

"It's alright now, I'm doing fine. Listen, mom-"

"There's actually a reason why I called so suddenly, Ash."

"Yes?" The car begins to slow when I turn into the driveway of my house. I actually wanted talk to her about Morgan, but I guess whatever she wanted to talk about was important.

"It's your dad."

I sigh, rubbing the bridge of my nose, unbuckling my seatbelt.

"What happened?"

"He passed away early this morning."

I groan internally and watch as Morgan moves through the kitchen, setting the dinner table for two. My eyes are trained on her from the driveway, and I slowly begin to get out.

"Ash, you there?"

Sighing, I respond. "I'm here, mom."

"He was in a car crash and died on impact. I knew you were crazy busy and waited 'til tonight to tell you. I haven't told Blake yet, I was hoping you would."

"Oh."

"Are you going to come down to California?"

"For what?" I almost spit, ducking my head near the front window as an attempt to get a view inside the house. I spot Morgan scurrying around the kitchen and finally sitting in her seat, folding her hands carefully in front of the table full of food.