Silver Lining (Completed)

red velvet ice cream

Dedicated to Sameera1234 for pointing some errors out and commenting. I recieved comments after so long

After all this time I felt like I had finally found some closure. Like I was not dirty. I felt whole again. Ashton deserved someone whole and now I felt like I wouldn't cringe away the next time he held my hand.

Ashton. I had forgotten all about him which was strange since he was the reason I was here.

'Have you heard from your dad?' I asked Tessa, wanting to know everything I had missed out on

Her face fell and I squeezed her hand. Her father had left them when she was nine without an explanation. Her mother was the most uptight woman I had ever come across in my life and dictated Tessa's every move that sometimes I worried that Tessa might break under all the pressure. Everytime she got upset, I would find her hiding here and that was how it had become our little haven.

'He hasn't contaced?' I asked and she shook her head. 'it's okay really. I have my mum. Sort of. And I have Noah' she smiled and I admired her for being so strong.

'What's Noah upto these days?' I asked.

'What is he ever upto? He's gone to a State Maths Quiz and won't be back for a week' she answered and I grinned. Trust Noah to be neck deep in studies.

We sat in silence for a while, both of us lost in our thoughts when I spoke.

'I may be in love with a guy' I whispered and she shrieked.

'WHAT? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?'.

'Calm down you crazy woman' I grinned and launched into my story of Ashton. At least now she wasn't thinking about her father. By the end of it, my smile was so wide that it hurt my cheeks and I realised just talking about him made me happy.

' So today I ended up yelling at him in a fit of jealousy, demanding to know what I am to him and he kissed me. Which of course brought all these memories and I decided I needed to talk to you' I concluded and she narrowed her eyes jokingly.

'Good thing he's here or it would have taken you another 3 years to call me' she teased and I laughed.

'Show me his picture' she demanded and I took out my phone, finding the picture of him standing in a grey shirt against a wall from his facebook profile pictures.

'Wow' Tessa nodded and I giggled. It was silly yet so comforting how two old friends could giggle over a guy and all worries in the world evaporated.

I noticed the time and realised I'd been here for only two hours and had two more before I needed to get home.

I'm sorry for leaving without meeting you. I was in a rush. Meet me at glenda's in an hour?

I typed quickly to Ashton. He replied in less than a minute.

I was worried I had scared u away. See u there. Can't wait xx

His text made me smile and I shoved my phone in my pocket and Tessa and I talked about everything and everyone. An hour later, I got up to leave and she walked me to the door.

'Don't disappear on me again' she said and I hugged her one last time.

      *******

As I entered the coffee shop, I cringed at my reflection. I was still in my school clothes and my face was a mess. My hands were dirty from sitting in the dirt and I cursed myself for not cleaning up before leaving Tessa's.

Glad to be five minutes early, I rushed to the restroom and after washing my hands and face pulled my hair from the ponytail and combed it with wet fingers, hoping to get them curled naturally.