Brook

Brook                    Three

I stood back with my friends as Ashley told Gabriella that she was going to go with us to the back room. I saw Gabri look a little hurt for a second before nodding and crossing her ams as Ashley bounded back over to us, a grin spread across her face. Oh, what I would give to be happy like her all the time.

“She said it’s fine,” Ash smiled and grabbed my arm, pulling me to the back room with everyone else in tow. I could barely hear the sound of my shoes hitting the concrete floor over the loud club music as I struggled to keep up with Ashley’s energetic pace. She dragged me through people, not even caring if she split up groups of people to get to the back room.  Man, this girl is on a mission.

Every few seconds she would look back at me to make sure I was still there even though she had me by the arm. She probably didn’t even notice that her manicured nails were digging into the dark flesh on my arm. Her fingers were wrapped around my arm so tight her knuckles were turning white. The white was bright against my skin. I caught a look at myself in one of the many mirrors we passed on the walls, my burly hair was escaping from its bun that I had fought with to get in the bun in the first pace. I scowled a little at my hair’s stubbornness, my curls refused to do what I’d like them to do. I looked behind me to see Mason and Cameron slowly following us. Their faces made me laugh a little, they looked bored out of their minds. I didn’t blame them, they were n’t the party type and they were hanging out with a bunch of girls. Ashley pulled me harder and more urgently toward the door to the back room as we neared it, obviously wanting to get away from the music.She reached fro the door before we were even ten feet from it, holding her arm way out until her fingertips collided with the silver door knob. She threw the door open, making it bounce off of the door stopper, before dragging me inside and over to a group of couches.

She smiled at me as she sat down, patting next to her for me to sit.

“You have to tell me about how you hooked up with that new kid, Connor.” She grinned at me as I sat next to her, her hand covering mine as she whispered the last part as  Cam and Mason following us. I rolled my eyes. Was it still socially acceptable to gossip about how you hooked up with someone? Whatever, I’ll tell her anyway.

“Well, you know Aaron F.’s party last week?” I grinned back at her as she nodded her head excitedly. “Well, I might have gotten a little drunk and he was drunk and he said he had a thing for black girls who don’t dress like s***s so we sat and talked for awhile. Next thing I know he kissed me and then the rest is well… you know, history.” I bit my lip, hoping she wouldn’t know I was lying.

Ashley’s face flat lined as she leaned back. “There’s no f*****g way that that is the story. I know you better than that Brook. You don’t let boys get with you with out them having to make an effort.” She crossed her arms and smirked at me, knowing she had caught me in my lie.

“Damn it.” I muttered before smiling at her. “It was worth a try?”

“No, now tell me the real story or I will go find Connor and have him tell me the story.” She smirked again. God how I hate her sometimes.

“You’re such a b***h sometimes, Ash.” I rolled my eyes, not even trying to contain my smile. “Well, he tried to get with me and I said no at first, so he went to flirt with other girls, so I figured two can play at that game. He saw me hanging all over boys before he finally came over and asked if I wanted a drink. Then we talked but I still made him try to show me he was really interested in me and not just what’s under my jeans. Eventually he proved it by actually listening when I talked to him and he was so sweet and-“

“Laaaaame.” Ash rolled her eyes and smiled at me. “I was looking forward to a ‘It was just a one time thing but man the sex was amazing’ story. Not a Nicholas Sparks love story.”

I snorted before covering my mouth and shaking my head at her. “It wasn’t a Nicholas Sparks love story. I was hot and steamy, I just don’t feel like talking about it.” I shrugged before turning to the boys who were talking about the upcoming football game.

“So, boys, what did you do over the weekend?” I leaned back into the couch, just like Ash, and crossed my arms, watching the boys gather their thoughts.

“Sam and I went to visit our brother up near Chicago. He still lives out in the country outside Chicago so we got to see his farm. He says its not a farm though. Sam tried to ride one of the horses, and you know how they will kick you if you get too close to their rear? Well, Sam got too close to it so he got kicked in the stomach.” Cam shrugged, smiling a little.

“That had to of hurt…” I rubbed my own stomach, grimacing.

“I didn’t really do anything this weekend…” Mason blushed and looked away, obviously hiding something. Ash beat me to calling him out on it.

“Liar! What happened, tell us!” She grinned and got on the edge of her seat, waiting to what could’ve made Mason blush so bad.

“It’s nothing really…” He mumbled and looked down at his hands in his lap, his cheeks burning even brighter. Ash grunted as she threw a couch pillow at him, hitting him in his face.

“Spill, or I’ll beat you with a pillow.” Ash raised the other couch pillow at him threateningly, rising from her seat to add more of a threat.

“Ugh, fine. Well I had a girl over, and I thought my mom was going to be gone like all day so me and the girl started doing… things… and in the middle of it my mom came home and walked in of the girl giving me head…” He blushed like crazy but he kind of smiled. He was the type of person to get over embarrassment fast and laugh at himself.

I laughed more than I probably should have at the stupidly, awkward story Mason just told us. He looked at me and narrowed his eyes so I quickly tried to change the subject.

“Oh, Cam, tell them about the time you and Samuel jumped into the pond in that residential community and got the cops called on you because you wouldn't get out.” I said, still giggling uncontrollably, I had had something to drink before I saw Ashley standing around with Gabri. I guess I’m more of a lightweight than I thought. God damn. Shut the f**k up Brook.

“Haha, oh yeah.” Cameron said 'yeah' like it was stupid of me to bring that up, and just to emphasize he narrowed his chocolate brown eyes at me before smiling again. His smile made me melt like ice cream on the Fourth of July. “Well we-” The door opened causing all of us to stop what we were doing and turn towards the door as it banged against the door stopper. Oh come on! Who the f**k now?!

My mouth dropped open. Liam stood in the doorway, his blond hair disheveled as if he’s been messing with it and his long sleeved blue shirt had the sleeves rolled up, scanning the room until he stared at Ashley. Oh, s**t.

“Ash,” He mumbled so quietly that it could have just been my imagination. Oh, how much I knew this would happen. He'd cheat on Ashley then she's get upset and leave him. He'd throw a big fit once she left and try to get her back after a month or two when she's already moved on. And I was right, it was exactly what happened. I told her, I told her so many damn times that ‘Liam is bad news. Stay away from him. If he can't get in your pants after a while he's going to go and cheat on you, breaking your heart like the last guy.’ But she never listens! No one listens when it comes to Liam. Liam was probably the biggest player at our school, and everyone knew that, even Ash. The minute he started to take an interest in her she forgot everything I told her about him. They lasted for almost a year before he was sucking face with some girl at a bon fire the minute Ash turned her back. It was a dare, my a*s. He was drunk, my a*s. I don’t believe either of those things and even if I did it would not justify his actions. He’s lucky he hasn’t been beat senseless for all that he’s done.

"Liam?" Ash said, her expression more surprised than her voice, like she knew this would happen. She grabbed her bag as her eyes filled with unshed tears. Liam Catcher ruined my best friend’s happiness and he ruined her innocence as well, I can’t forgive him for that. "I thought...” She quickly ran from the room with out finishing her sentence, pushing Liam aside. Liam stared at the spot she was sitting in for a minute before looking at us, confused and wanting an explanation. Great. Just f*****g great.

"If it doesn't work out the first time, don't try again. And don't cause s**t like that!" Mason said above the music that was flooding in through the open door, the only reason we came in here was to get away from the damn music. He pointed after Ashley, probably referring to ‘s**t like that.’ Cameron nodded next to him, his arms crossing over his stomach as he leaned back in the chair, slouching and taking in the situation. Mason grabbed Liam by his shirt before slamming him against the wall. “Everyone told you to stay away from the poor girl. Her brother even told you to stay way or he’d beat your f*****g a*s.”

“Hey! Save the a*s beating for Ryan. We all know she’s going to go run to Ryan and Ryan will take care of things.” Cam looked at Mason as he pinned Liam against the wall.

I rolled my eyes at him, he didn’t know s**t about relationships. "Oh, just shut the f**k up, Mason. At least they have exes'." I stood and pointed at Liam He was going to have an earful of me before he could make a run for it, or go after Ashley which would just make matters worse. "You! What the f**k are you doing here? You told everyone you weren’t coming. That’s the only reason Ashley came tonight, because she thought she knew that your dumb a*s wouldn’t be here." I ignored the hurt look that flashed across his eyes when I said Ash was only here because he wasn’t supposed to be. Serves him right, a*****e.

"I-I came to see Ash." He stuttered as his looked at the ground, suddenly interested in his shoes. His eyes frantically looked between Mason, Cam, and me, probably wondering which of us was going to clock him in the face. I’ would do it, but it wouldn’t be fair to him.

"Well she doesn't want to see you." I plopped back down on the cheap club sofa, crossing my arms over my annoyingly large chest. I frowned down at my red, short sleeved, peplum shirt. It was all crinkled from sitting down. Oh, well, that’s what I get for coming tonight.

"Just leave her alone, Liam. You've upset the poor girl enough." Cameron mumbled, going back over to the couch and sitting on the arm of it.

"No, I need to fix this!" Liam blurted out before running after Ashley. She didn’t want anything to do with him, and he needed to respect that before he got his a*s beat by her brother, which I don’t doubt would happen soon. Liam never new how to take a hint and get a clue. That was one of his biggest flaws.

"God damn it!" I groaned as I got up. I had to get to him before he could get to Ash and hopefully after she had gotten to Ryan.