Run. Just Run.

Chapter 35

James stares, unable to move, in shock of what he just heard. He stares at the outline of Ashley and the boy that must be Danny, arms wrapped tightly around each other. I love you, Danny. Those words keep ringing in his head, unable to think of anything else. He should have known. Of course Ashley just thinks of him as like a brother. It has never been any more in her eyes, had it? He has become her best friend, and like her brother. That's all. But she's become so much more to him. So much more. He wants to wake up and see her face every morning. He wants to be by her side forever. He wants his to be the name that changes hers. He wants...but all that doesn't matter now. Because she'll never look at him that way. That's why she hadn't said anything back in the store, because she loves Danny in that kind of way. Not him.

Ashley and Danny slowly let go of each other, and Ashley starts walking out of the alley. James jumps back, hoping she hadn't seen him. He dashes back to the door of the general store, then turns around and casually walks towards the alley. Ashley comes out of the alley and greets James with a smile.

"Well, where have you been?" James says nonchalantly. "I was about to get worried." Here was her chance to explain...

"Oh, nowhere." Ashley smiles. "Just looking around." She says as she slips her hand in James' hand.

James pulls his hand away at the touch. So she wasn't going to tell him. Well fine then. He didn't need to know anyways. She could do whatever she wanted, after all he was just her friend. And brother figure. Nothing more.

Ashley wrinkles her brow when James pulls his hand away. "Let me see what you got!" She says excitedly.

"Wait till we get out of town." James snaps back.

"We're leaving so soon?" Ashley whines. "But you paid for the night at the motel and everything!"

"It's best if we leave now." James says crossly.

Ashley grabs James' shoulders and stops him, turning him towards her. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay." James retorts. "Why wouldn't I be okay? I'm perfectly okay." He snaps at her. He turns back around and keeps walking.

Ashley's face falls. This is a side of James she doesn't know. He's being cold, harsh.

"I don't know, I'm not the one who's acting weird." She says back sharply.

"I'm the one who's acting weird?" James turns around to face her. "I'm the one?"

"Yes. Yes you are." Ashley says bluntly. "You are acting weird."

James huffs as he keeps walking. She's acting like nothing happened! It's no big deal to her that he'd told her he loves her, and then not thirty minutes later she was telling another guy the same thing. And then kissing him on the cheek!

Ashley follows James thoughtfully. Well fine. If James is going to be like this, then she'll just give him a taste of his own medicine.