Changing paths

Path A or path B?

   Ashley POV

‘So the way I see it is that you have two paths’ Joe begins.
   I lift my eyebrow speculatively wondering where he was going with his little speech. He grabs one of the salt shakers on the counter and places it to the left of us.
   ‘This’ he points to the little salt pot. ‘This is path A and this’ he grabs a sugar shaker and places it to the right of us. ‘This is path B. So let’s say path A is you and Charley. If you go down this path you talk to Charley make up and get back to what you’re comfortable with. Path B is Lana. You decide to give it a go. It’s new exciting.  But then I guess there’s path C where you don’t bother with either and hang out with your best friend’ he grins.
   ‘Wow so informative and helpful Joe’ I say sarcastically.
   ‘You really think so?’ he asks eagerly.
   ‘No of course not’ I grab the newspaper next to me and hit him on the head.
   ‘Ow’ he complains rubbing his head. ‘It does come down to these different life paths though, one could have an amazing ending and the other might not but it’s up to you to figure this out’ he shrugs.
     In fact what he said actually did help a lot but I wouldn’t let him know that. My head had been spinning since the weekend’s events. How could Lana suddenly come out with everything she did?  I mean she was straight wasn’t she and she had a boyfriend to top that.
   ‘Thanks Joe’ I mumble.
   ‘What was that?’ he says holding his hand up to his ears pretending to not have heard.
   ‘I said thank you Joe’ louder into his ear.
   ‘No problem Ash. You know I’m always here if you need to talk’ he smiles before ruffling my hair like a dog. I swipe his hands away.
   ‘Don’t get used to it though’ I retort.
   We sit in silence for about a half an hour.
   ‘I think I know what to do’ I finally say.
   ‘What are you going to do’ he grins enthusiastically.
   ‘Lips are sealed’ I pretend to zip up my mouth.
   ‘Awww’ he moans.
   ‘If it goes to plan you will find out sooner rather than later’ I smile. I kiss him on the cheek and leave the diner we were sat in.

I breathe in the fresh air of the large park that surrounded the university’s student accommodation.
   I take a look around at the students milling about seeing if I can see the one person I had come here to see. I walk towards the student flats that Charley was staying at as I walk past the car park I notice a familiar pink vespa in the motorcycle section and smile to myself. I spot Charley walking a little ahead of my I try to get around the students but I couldn’t get by the large groups. I notice another familiar face of Phoebe walking in the opposite direction I watch as she greets Charley with a huge smile. I stop dead in my tracks as I watch Charley kiss Pheobe on the lips and it wasn’t the friendly type of kiss. I restart my brain and I practically instruct my feet to start walking again I steer off of the path to a quiet are under a tree and I just drop to the ground bringing my knees up to my chest. I just felt like crying…wait I was crying. I wiped away the unfamiliar warm tears that made their way down my cheeks.
  I must’ve been sat like it for hours as I looked up noticing the light of the day was waning. I stood up and walked towards my car.

Lana POV

What had I done? I shook the memories from the weekend away unfortunately it wasn’t that easy to escape them.  My mind resumed to torture me with images of my actions. I had acted stupidly. I was now more confused than I had ever been before. It all felt so right yet the look of shock on Ashley’s face told me that was all wrong.  My mobile buzzed I took a look at the caller ID nad sighed. It was Tyler. I guess I had better answer it.
   ‘Hey’ I tried to sound happy to hear from him. He asked if he could come round. ‘I guess so. See you soon.’ I couldn’t face to see him. I felt awful that I had went behind his back to add to the self-loathing that I currently was doing.
   I hadn’t even bothered changing out of my joggers and t-shirt or put on any makeup when he knocked on the door.
   ‘Hey babe. I missed you’ I smiles leaning down for a kiss. I feebly smile back.
   I walked into the living room and slumped down onto the sofa and he followed behind.
   ‘So how’s it going’ I asked awkwardly as I just sat in silence.
   ‘Good’ I lied.
   ‘Good’ he repeated. ‘So’ he grinned moving his hand to my leg.
   ‘So?’ I sighed. His hand moved up my leg to the bottom of my shirt, his cold hands on my stomach was unwelcoming.
   ‘Stop!’ I wriggled out of his reach.
   ‘What?’ he asked surprised.
   ‘Us. I can’t do this anymore’ I jumped up from the sofa. ‘I don’t want to be in a relationship with you anymore!’ I almost shouted. ‘Please go’ I said more quietly.
   ‘But’ he said.
   ‘No. Just go’ I said. I watched as he shut the door behind him.
    I ran back up to my room in the once again empty house. My parents worked all sorts of long hours so I didn’t see them much. I slumped down onto the floor and just lied there like so many times before. Something startled me out of the sleepy state. Someone was knocking on the door. I groaned.
   ‘Tyler go away!’ I shouted but the knocking carried on. I sat up and made my way down the stairs. I opened the door to the persistent knocker.
   ‘Hi there’ the figure stood in my door way said.
   ‘Hi’  replied confused at how she had found out where I lived.
   ‘How did you…’
   ‘Laura.’
   ‘I should have guessed’ I mumbled confused by the situation.
    ‘I gave it a while’ she said.  ‘Can I just ask something?’
     ‘Sure’ I replied still confused by the situation.
    ‘You and Tyler?’
    ‘We’re not together’ I sigh.
     She looks almost happy in the darkened light of the day. ‘Good I didn’t want to be the one that breaks a relationship up’ she smiles before pushing me gently back into the dark house. She grabs my waist pulling me forward.