Rooming With Ash

Rooming With Ash: Chapter 8

I watched Ash walk away from me, out into the cool night and stayed frozen to my spot. Half of me wanted to run after him and make him tell me what was going on, but the other half – the bigger half – knew I had no right. Ash didn't have to explain himself to me and if he didn't want to, there wasn't anything I could do to make him change his mind. It was clear that he wanted to be left alone – or if not alone, then at least not around me. I wasn't going to disrespect that so soon. Even though it was easy to feel like I knew him so well I had to keep reminding myself that I didn't. Three years of a one-sided relationship didn't mean anything in the end.

Asia called my name from the living room, telling me to hurry up and get over there so that we could leave soon.

That interaction with Ash had no doubt ruined my mood, but I couldn't stay in now. I didn't want to be there when he got back from 'smoking' (if that's even what he had really gone to do). And so I went back into the room and grabbed my phone before making my way to the living room.

It was almost 11:30 and Tonya had originally said we should be leaving the house at 11:00. Although I wasn't surprised that nobody made it on time considering we were all bad enough at being punctual on our own anyway.

"Keira!" Asia let out a scream when I stepped into the living room, hyping me up much more than necessary even though she'd already seen me. I loved it. "Oh my God, Keira, that dress!" she cried. "You're really out here looking like a nice, tall bottle of undiluted cranberry juice, okay then!"

Yep, she was definitely drunk.

Tonya made a what-the-hell face at Asia while Mackenzie and Brian both broke out into fits of giggles. Jaime, whose interest was clearly piqued, looked me up and down before biting his lower lip as he contemplated whether or not he was into it. After a few seconds, he laughed and shook his head to himself, turning back to the drink he had in front of him.

Ouch.

That had hurt a little, but not really enough to affect me since if the roles were reversed, I'd probably have done the exact same thing. I rolled my eyes and pretended like I didn't notice as I sat down in the only empty spot that, coincidentally, was the one next to Jaime.

"Drink?" he asked, handing me a glass.

I took the drink from Jaime, scowling at him once he looked away. "What's in this?" I asked.

"Rum and fruit punch," he said. "But it doesn't taste good, so just chug it now and taste it after because our Uber is gonna be here in five minutes."

"Damn, way to keep me posted," I muttered.

"Keira, it's not Jaime's fault you took two hours to put on a tube dress and some goddamn sneakers," Tonya said before downing the rest of what was in her cup. "You look hot though," she added with a wink, once she had emptied out her cup.

The frown I was giving Tonya turned into a grin and she laughed, smiling back at me as she wiped the remaining alcohol from her lips with the back of her palm.

Mackenzie saw it coming from the corner of her eye and tried to grab Tonya's hand, but it was too late.

"No, Tonya!"

Tonya looked at her hand that was now smeared with dark red lipstick, and her eyes grew wide as she reached her other hand up to her face and swiped her cheek with a few fingers. And sure enough, those fingers had lipstick on them too. Instead of freaking out like everyone in the now silent living room expected her to though, Tonya began laughing quietly to herself, her laughs gradually getting louder until she was full out cackling, the sound making most of the circle burst out laughing too.