I see Fire

Chapter 30

Next morning Ashley was first to wake up. She didn't know when he came to bed, but she was sure he was there. It was so hot in there that she didn't even have to look. She sat on the bed and looked at him. He slept so deep...he didn't sleep like that in weeks. Finally she got up from the bed and wanted to go to the bathroom. As she opened the door and was in her way there, she spotted two figures sleeping on her couch. Maybe not very comfotable but still. She chukled as she realise it was Swiss and Phantom. From bathroom she went straight to the kitchen.
"They'll need a lot of coffee when they wake up." She mumbled to herself. Meanwhile Sodo woke up, mostly because he felt that Ashley wasn't there. He walked out and smelled fresh coffee which led him into the kitchen where Ashley was in the middle of her cup.
"Good morning love." He said still sleepy.
"Mornin'" She said handing him his cup.
"It must've been long talk." She said pointing at the couch with her mug.
"Yeah, I hope you're not mad that I let them stay here?" He asked
"Of course I'm not mad. It's just bit funny seeing them there." She smiled slightly.
"Well, it's probably time to wake them up. We need to be in hotel before bus call."
"Yeah, go wake them up and I'll make some breakfast."
Sodo went into the bedroom and he got back after a while with guitar. Ashley chocked seeing this and shook her head. He slided through the strings and started play "Square Hammer". They were awake in a matter of second.
"Damn, stop it fucker." Swiss said jumping on the couch.
"Time to wake up princess if you don't want to miss bus call."
"The fuck is your problem man..." Phantom said
"My problem is that's pretty late and you know how Copia hates any delays." He said "Come on, Ashley made coffee and breakfast."
They got up still pretty sleepy and joined Sodo and Ash in the kitchen. Within' next hour they were on their way to the hotel. There was a lot of fans again. Boys went meet with the fans again but Ashley went straight into the bus. She felt better than yesterday but she didn't want to risk to meet Clark again. Girls were the first ones to show up so she talked with them for a while than boys started to show up one by one. Rain came to sit and chat with them.
"How it was to sleep in your own bed agaian, Ashley?" He asked.
"You have no idea. Great."
"Am I missing something or Swiss and Phantom didn't come back to the hotel?"
"No, they didn't. I found them sleeping on my couch this morning." Ashley laughed. "You should've see that. I don't know how they fall asleep there. But it was so cute."
"You could've took a pic."
"Yeah, probably but I was still half awake myself."
They took off about 30 mins later. Everybody were busy with their usual things while they were on the road. Watching something on their laptops, reading books, talking. Ashley was laying in their bunk and she was listening some music on her phone. Suddenly notification popped that she's got new txt. She didn't know this number but she opened it. It had attachment. She clicked on it and she frozed. It was picture of Per with some girl. He was looking at her and smiling, she had her head tilted a bit. Their faces were close, too close, like they were about to kiss or just kissed. She started to breathing fast. She felt how her blood drifts away from her head. She was sitting there pale for some time and she couldn't think of anything. Not single thought was formed. Like hard strike into her head. Few minutes later Rain came in to take something from his bunk. He saw that Ashley was there and he approched to talk with her but when he saw her face he got scared.
"Ashley, are you ok? What happened?" He said looking at her with serious fear in his eyes. "Ashley!" No response. He looked at the phone in her hands and took it from her. One look at it and it was enough for him to understand. "Ash, there must be reasonable explanantion for this." He said and looked at it again.
"Like what?"
"I don't know. Photoshop?"
"Yeah, keep telling it to yourself."
"Stay here, I'll bring you a glass of water." He said and left. He went straight to Sodo.
"You better come with me." He said and turned to get that glass of water and got back to Ashley. Sodo looked at Rain and his face. He stood up and followed him. Rain got into their bunk and handed water to Ashley.
"It will be better if you two talk." He said and left. Sodo looked at him questioning and than looked at Ashley.
"Damn, what happened?" He asked and sat beside her. She didn't even looked at him.
"Ashley, what happened for fuck's sake?" She just handed him her phone. He took it and looked at her face again and than at the screen. He got on his feet second he saw what's on it.
"Ash...please tell me you don't believe it's true?"
"I don't know what I believe anymore." She said with quite spooky voice.
"Come on, you know that I wouldn't do that." Per said calmly.
"Really? You wouldn't? So this pic doesn't exist and it's my imaginantion what I see?" She said
"No, I wouldn't. And you know it. And pic is prepared for sure."
"That would be very comfortable explanantion."
"Ash, why would I do it? After whole that we've been through?"
"I don't know? Old habits?"
"Even you don't believe that."
"I don't know what I believe anymore."
"Who send it to you?" He asked
"I don't know."
"You don't recognize that number?"
"No, if I did, it would be in my contacts."
"Wait for me here." He said and went into common area. "Swiss, Phantom come with me." He said. Rain was watching him close still with worry in his eyes.
"Hey, can I come too?" He knew it's about that photo and felt that's something big is going on. Sodo looked at him and nodded. They all got back to sleeping area. She was still laying in their bunk, not moved an inch. They came in and Sodo showed Swiss and Phantom that pic. They looked at each other scared.
"Do you think that it is what I think it is?" He asked.
"Hey, can someone tell me what's going on?" Rain asked looking at Ashley who's been still out of it.
"Yeah, well, yesterday Ashley's idiot-ex showed up and demaned cash and access to backstage blackmailing her that he'll publish some photos from years back. She knocked him out but than he showed up later before the gig and attacked her. Phantom and Swiss rescued her." Sodo made story short.
"The fuck are you sayin'?!" Rain yelled. "And why I didn't know about this?"
"Because less people know, the better. He's just a piece of trash. Believe me, I know the story." Swiss said.
"So what do you think?" Sodo asked
"For me it looks like lame attempt to ruin your relationship. He didn't get what he wants so he's trying to cause as much damage as possible." Phantom said. With that Ashley woke up from her state.
"You think it's his doing?" She asked like that possibility just reached her mind.
"Of course. It's not orginal for sure." Swiss said. She frowned. "Come on, Ash, you know deep down that he didn't do it."
"I'm not so sure about it." She mumbled.
"Not to mention the timing." Phantom added. "Don't you think it's bit suspicious?" He asked her. She was thinking hard. Finally she sat on the bunk and looked at them stopping on Sodo.
"So what we should do about it?" She asked. Per breathed out with relief.