Unwanted (Editing)

When Tragedy Strikes

Chapter Twelve – When tragedy strikes.

Throughout the drive home I was hypnotized to the blurry scenery outside, ignoring everything directed to me by my father or Serenity.  My attempts of distracting myself from the situation at hand proved to be difficult where I found my thoughts drifting back to memories of Ashley: past and present.

Intense guilt took over every other flowing emotion in my body as I came upon the memories during the time Ashley and I dated, our relationship lasting only three weeks. He treated me well: a little too well, actually. He, constantly, showered me with gifts and compliments. The perfect boyfriend he was and an amazing friend too. He, apparently, liked me from the moment his eyes came across me four years ago. He admitted this a month into our friendship, his attempts of wooing me continuing through another three years until I gave into his attempts.

I didn’t give in on my own accord though. The whole event of that day ran through my head even to this very day that I had it perfectly memorised. It only happened last year, after all, a few weeks before the summer holidays:

Jay and I were making our way to school as usual; his arm around my shoulder and mine around his waist. We were at our usual games: teasing each other where I began it.

“Oh Gosh, what would Helen think if she saw you now?” I joked, pulling out his shirt, which was neatly tucked into his trousers, with my free hand. Helen being his love interest at the time since Jessica was half way across the world without us in the knowledge of her existence.

“She’d think I’m…HOT!” He pretended to think about it, gazing into the sunny sky and tucked his shirt into his trousers again. He yanked my hair band off that held my hair up in a loose pony tail. I released him in order to retrieve the band.

“Why’d you do that for?” I moaned and slapped his arm in an attempt to repossess it. He held the hair band behind his back since raising it high would do no good and as I jumped to get it, my hair was blown to my face, rendering me looking like a maniac.

“Oh no, poor Taz. What would…”He trailed off, giving me time to remove the hair from my face. “Wait, who do you even like?”

“Err…no one?” I replied, stumped at the question since it was never asked before. At the same time as answering him I was questioning myself.

“Awwwh, little Taz doesn’t like anyone ‘cause she can’t get anyone,” he teased. By this time, we turned a corner to the street where the school was situated.

“That is so not true, I’m hotter than you!” I clowned, although I was slightly angered with his statement.

“Prove it!” We approached the school gates.

“What?”

“Prove it, by the end of the day, get a guy to go out with you,” he challenged, a step through the gates and we were officially in school.

“No way!” I denied, making our way to our usual meeting spot by the training cage, towards our friends.

“HA! Knew you couldn’t do it! I would do the chicken dance but you deserve to keep your dignity.” He laughed.

“Fine, I’ll do it.” I frowned, gritting my teeth together.

“For three weeks, you have to go out with him for three weeks,” he added, chuckling even harder.

“Wait, isn’t that, like, using them?” I shouted.

“What’s ‘like, using them?” Ashley asked, as he was in earshot. We joined in the circle in front of our friends.

We stood in a position so Ashley was standing opposite me, Serenity next to me, Jay on my other side, Jasper next to him and then Hannah between him and Ashley.

“Oh nothing.” I turned, smiling at him and through habit I slid his glasses back up from the tip of his nose.

“You two should just go out together already, you’re cute together,” Serenity pointed out as Jasper snorted. Jasper doesn’t believe in long term relationships.

“Actually, that doesn’t sound too bad.” I smiled sweetly at Ashley, “Hey, still up for the cinema tomorrow?”

“Absolutely!” Ashley answered rather quickly. I stuck my tongue out at Jay, celebrating his defeat.

“My little Taz is growing up,” Jay patting my back with congratulation, only no one else knew why. He left his arm on one of my shoulders.

“You’re such a twat!” I rolled my eyes him.

This memory led to a domino of other events that took place the following week after that one date, involving Ashley spending a lot more time with me. Mostly when we spent more time by the tree in the training cage, the place which was branded our own. I was so comfortable around him and through all these memories a lump formed in my throat, refusing to vacate as I swallowed.

I fell asleep soon after, only waking up due to the vibration of my phone just as we were taking the exit of the motorway. I rubbed my eyes before I glanced down at my phone, which I placed on my lap, to see Jay’s name flashing across the screen.

“Hello?” I answered my phone, my voice tired from the sleep.

“Taz!” His voice was uneven.

“What’s wrong?” I panicked, instantly fully awake. “Is Ashley okay?”

“Actually…” he stopped. There was coughing and multiple weeping noises in the background.

“What is it, Jay? Tell me!” I demanded, my heart beat quickening and I was heating up.

“Ashley’s far from Okay, the doctor just told us…” He trailed off once again, his voice cracking towards the end.

“Oh my god, Jay! Will you tell me already? Is he, like, unconscious?” I shouted through the phone, irritation clear in my voice.

“No Taz, he’s…dead and h ––” I didn’t hear the rest of his words since the phone dropped out of my hand, the screen cracking from the impact of the crash to the floor.

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A/N - so i know this is kinda short and i'm sorry but i really wanted to get this chapter done because it upset me thinking about me. 

Like seriously?! Ashley's dead? - i was attached to him but this was in the original plot when the characters weren't developed and i had no feelings for him. but i'll let you in on a secret (Ashley was my fav character in the story).

towards the end of writing this chapter, a lump really did form in my throat and i feel guilty for killing him off :S but it was kinda necessary. 

Anyways i hope you enjoyed. please vote, comment and i will be eternally grateful.

thanks :)