Sneaking Out

His Passing

**Clara's POV**

Everytime Shelly or I tried to contact Ashley, it was no use. We haven't spoken in days. Her and Luke sure have been spending a lot of time together.

It was the weekend and I was sure to find Ashley. I quickly called Shelly and she picked up on the third ring.

"Hi. It's like 9:00 AM on a Saturday morning!" Shelly spoke quietly into the phone.

"Listen. We need to talk to Ashley. Come over," Before I could here an answer, I heard some shuffling on the other end and Shelly quickly responded.

"Okay. I'm on my way." She then quickly hung up and I went to get ready. This was going to be a long day.

Ten minutes later, Shelly showed up at my door and we headed to my room.

"Okay, so this is what I'm thinking. Since she isn't answering any freakin' phone or texts, we have to find her physically. I tried to call Mrs. Tanner but I think she's away on business, same with Mr. Tanner." I said to Shelly determined Ashley.

"This is so weird. Like Luke hasn't been anywhere without Ashley. Do you think they're dating? Oh my god. They prob' are."

"Shelly! We need to stick to the real problem!" She then quickly nodded and I continued to tell her my plan.

"Okay, so I was thinking we could go to her house. The maid knows us so we can have easy entrance, and if she isn't downstairs, we'll go upstairs. Let's start from there." Shelly then nodded again at my plan. We were then off towards Ashley's house.

After a couple minutes in Shelly's stuffy car, we reached Ashley's house and knocked on the door.

"Oh hi Shelly and Clara. Ashley's in her room. Be quiet though, I think she's still sleeping." We then entered the house and headed to Ashley's room.

**Ashley's POV**

It was Saturday and I was dreaming. It wasn't a nightmare, but an actual dream. I was in a land that never ends and I was holding a hand. That hand belonged to Luke Simon. He was smiling next to me as we jogged through the luscious meadows. I liked this boy.

Before the dream could continue, there was a knock at my door and two girls telling me to open up. When I unlocked the door, they barged right in. They then both gasped at the sight: Luke was in my bed. For a couple days, Luke has been staying the night. I stayed on my side, and he stayed on his. We just both felt safer together. My parents didn't know because they were barely home this week and Luke always snuck in through my window. My siblings were also preoccupied, so they didn't pay much attention to me. 

"What the hell?!" Shelly exclaimed. "This is what you've been doing? So I'm guessing this boy is more important than our friendship? You could've just told us, instead of ignoring our calls and texts." Luke was then quickly awake and was protectively by my side.

"Shelly, it isn't like that. I have been through hell and back these past couple of days. You have no clue what's been going on." I spoke calmly towards Shelly. Unlike Shelly, Clara seemed calm and collected, like always.

"If you came here to yell at me, what good friends you are. I had no way of reaching you because I was pent up at the hospital and I didn't feel like going to school. I am pretty sure that I'm going to get the Wrath of Mom soon, so don't feel bad for yourselves." I yelled at both of them. Shelly was acting just like herself and Clara wasn't speaking up at all, just nodding along with Shelly. Before I could second-guess myself about kicking these girls out, Luke spoke up.

"Girls, listen. Ashley and I have had a rough couple of days and we can't really give you all the details." Luke said to them. He was right. If they knew what was happening who knew what they were going to do. 

"Can you guys just go downstairs so we can talk? I have to talk to Luke first to figure everything out," I reassured them. They then both understood and headed downstairs. I then closed the door behind them and turned to Luke. 

"Let me go to the bathroom real quick. I have to figure some stuff out," He said to me. I nodded and watched the bathroom door close. I needed to figure somethings out too. 

**Luke's POV**

The cold of the toilet seat seaped through my thin flannel pajama bottoms as I held my head in my hands. My elbows were leaning on my knees as I thought. One of the reasons I was here was because I needed Ashley, I just needed her. Without her, I felt lifeless. But, the other reason brought me to tears. Aiden, he was dead. Going to my house just shut me down. All those innocent memories vanished with my brother.

It was the day after the hospital incident. My mother called me at night, as I was sleeping in Ashley's bed. As I answered, all I heard were quiet sobs and three words, "Aiden is dead". After hearing those three words, I completely shut down. The next morning, Ashley could tell something was wrong. I just couldn't find the strength to tell her what had happened. It hurt me to lie to her, but if I didn't, it would hurt even worse.

I then called Skylar and asked her how it happened. She told me it was a slow working poison that was entered into the body by a needle into his neck. That was the reason why it took longer to find the problem. This secret was killing me and I needed to tell her.

Exiting the bathroom quietly, I spotted her on the bed. She seemed to be deep in thought too, probably thinking about what to tell her friends. 

We then sat together and I took her hand.

"Ashley, it's kind of hard to tell you this, but..." I then looked up into her big eyes, looking scared. Grasping her hand more affectionately, I continued.

"Aiden, he-he's, dead." I then laid back onto the bed as tears swelled in my eyes. Forcing back the tears that I refused to release, Ashley cursed to herself and laid next to me.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry Luke. I am so sorry." She then turned onto her stomach and cuddled next to me. After laying completely silent for what seemed like hours, I pulled her along with me downstairs towards the kitchen.

"Let's go, Sugar. Your friends are waiting." She still looked stunned as we descended down the stairs. "Oh and, can you keep this a secret? I don't want any pity on me like when my other brother died." She then nodded as I wiped the remaining tears off her face.

As we made our way into the kitchen, Shelly and Clara's' heads popped up, noticing the pain on Ashley's face.

"Is everything okay?" Shelly then stood up and ran up to us. Ashley then nodded and she took a seat. I was then forced to sit at the end of the table as the girls comforted her. 

I wish I had such good friends, and I just recently lost my greatest one.

A/N

Also, I can not wait until Luke and Ashley finally get together. I know it's happening soon in the story, but I just can't wait. You do not know how many times I almost made it happen.

Inbox me or comment if the story gets confusing at some points. I find myself getting side tracked a lot. Trust me, I'm trying my hardest to make it flow nicely. Also, the days and everything is getting confusing for me, so I'll try and fix that throughout the story.

This is the longest author's note EVER. kbye.

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2 Years Later: some more changes