ASSIGNED

Chapter 13

PICTURED: Asha's exercise outfit

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"Hey mum," I said as I dragged myself through the front door and closed it.

"Hey sweetie, how was the party?" she called out from the lounge room.

I walked into the lounge room and slumped next to her on the chair, exhaling loudly.

"Yeah, it was okay..." I said.

"Uh oh...what happened?" my mum asked, putting her arm around me kindly. "Does this have anything to do with your new friend Bailey, by any chance?"

I sighed, unable to stop myself from smirking slightly. My mum knew me better than I knew myself...I could never hide anything from her.

"Maybe..." I said.

"Tell me everything. I want details," she said, before pausing and rethinking her demand. "Maybe not all the details."

I laughed and hugged her tightly.

"We have been flirting back and forth for weeks now, I thought she really liked me. And then last night we kissed. We were interrupted and then she literally just up and left the party without a word while I wasn't looking..." I told her, and she looked at me sympathetically.

"Oh Ash, don't take it personally. I can tell she likes you, she's probably just scared!" My mum said comfortingly.

"But why did she leave? Without saying anything! I don't understand!" I groaned, throwing my head back against the lounge and looking up at the ceiling.

"Maybe she realised just how much she likes you and it freaked her out. Why don't you just wait and see how things pan out? School is only ten days away so you have time to give her space and think about things," my mum said, and I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm gonna go for a run, I need to take my mind off everything!" I said, getting up and going to my room to change into exercise gear.

I threw on black tights, runners and a crop top and called out to my mum that I'd be back in an hour. I turned left out of my driveway and started running as fast as I could. By the time I had reached my destination I realised that I hadn't even taken notice of where I was going. Only when I looked up and was faced with a mountain of stairs did I realise that I had run to the place that Bailey had taken me.

I tossed up in my mind on whether or not I should go up there, but the thought of Bailey possibly being there made me turn and run the opposite direction. I ran along the footpath lined by leafless trees, my breath coming out in short but even puffs. I had always loved to run, it had been a passion of mine since I was a young girl. It always made me feel good, sort of like a natural anti-depressant I suppose.

I found myself in a small park with a swing set and slide. Two benches sat ether side of the playground and one of them was occupied by a blonde haired man. I walked breathlessly to the other bench and sat down, trying to catch my breath. I leaned down to tighten my shoelaces and when I arose, I was face to face with the blonde man from the other bench. Although it wasn't just any blonde man, it was Luke.

I didn't give him a chance to even open his mouth, I simply stood up from the bench and ran faster than I had in my entire life, the image of his face pushing my legs to work harder and faster. Weeks on from the party, he still bore scars of what Bailey had done to him. He looked angry, and he looked like he wanted revenge.

I didn't slow down until I got to my front door, opening it quickly and slamming it behind me. I leant against it and slumped down to the floor, holding my head in my hands. I could feel an impending panic attack and I slowed my breathing and tried to calm myself down before it became inevitable. Where was Bailey when I needed her? Out of everyone I'd ever known, Bailey was the only one who had successfully managed to snap me out of my thoughts and bring me down from my panic attacks. But she wasn't here.