We said "I DO" (Arranged Marriage)

Chapter 22: Keyword HAD

After a long day at work I didn't want to go back home right away. I hopped into my car and started to drive. I didn't know where I was going but I drove. My mind drifted and when I noticed I was still driving I found myself in the parking lot of the mall. How was it that I got here to the mall without getting into an accident? I could have run over a person or worse a dog. I stayed in my car for a while debating if I should go inside the mall. I knew if I went inside I would buy unnecessary stuff that I don't know. While I listened to music it was interrupted when the phone started to ring. I only had special ringtones for my friends and family to know who was calling me. The ringtone that was playing was What Makes You Beautiful from One Direction. It was Ashley..

"Hello." I answered.

"Are you busy?"

"No I am not. I am at the mall parking lot."

"I need to talk to you in person. Which entrance are you by?" she asked. It wouldn't take her long. She worked at the mall after school so it would take her long to get to me.

"Okay. I am by Forever 21. Next to the small dolphin water fountain." I explained.

While I waited for Ashley to meet me. I observed the people coming and going to the mall. It was the middle of the week so it wasn't as busy as if it was on a weekend. I saw a group of young girls walking out with a couple of small shopping bags in their hands. It reminded me of when I came with Ashley and Mindy after school just to hang out and maybe buy something if we had money, and we did have money. I only got small items to go to the five and under section at Target. And to think about it the amount of times we came to hang out with a boy when our parents didn't let us date just yet. To think about it, I had my first date with Ethan here. I could almost puke. When I looked up again I saw Ashley walking over to my car. She opened the passenger seat. She was wearing her usual clothing of choice which was her midnight blue university hoodie and jeans.

"Hey Ashley."

"Hey. Hey. Hey." She chirped.

"So what is it that you have to tell me that is urgent?

She sighed, "I don't know if you noticed that Marcus and I were bickering the other night at your house."

I let out a laugh, "who didn't Ashley? I thought it was in my head at first but there was something." I tilted my head. "So what happened between the two of you?" I curiously asked.

"Well..." she turned away from my face and looked out the window. She should have gone to school for acting she would have been really good at. "On the night of your wedding Marcus and I, well... we started talking to each other and we hit it off. We really hit it off."

"That's great."

"Yeah it is but... on that night well" She paused and faced me again. Oh. Oh! It click in my head. "l...we had sex." I gasped as she covered her eyes in shame.

"No you didn't? "

"Yes. We got drunk and I was in no position to drive back to campus. So Marcus offered me to stay in his hotel room and one thing led to another." She got a rose pink shade across her cheeks.

"Are you ashamed because it was with Marcus? Or is it that it was a one night stand?"

She shook her head, "no it is not that. I am not finished with the story." She giggled. " The day after I left early in the morning back to campus and went on with my day. We hung out a couple times since then but then the day before you told us that you and James were arranged if I found out that he has a girlfriend... A girlfriend! Of course I had to check social media to confirm it and it was true."