Chapter 4 (1 month ago)

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The sounds of students slamming lockers shut for the day wasn't exactly a comforting sound for me but it meant Ashley and I could begin our daily walk home. I spotted her leaning against the Westview Middle School sign waiting for me. I waved as I jogged over excited to talk to her for the first time since lunch. "Hey Luke you are three point five minutes late," Ashley says glancing at her watch.  

I know she is joking so laugh before asking, "My house or your house?" 

Both me and Ashley took turns on whose house we went to for homework everyday. We had used this method since 4th grade and our parents were used to it by now. It wasn't uncommon either to eat dinner at each others houses as well, especially if we had a lot of homework and I needed Ashley to help me with it. 

"Yours, if that's ok," Ashley says struggling to put her book back in her bag. 

We spend the rest of the walk home replaying some of the funny moments in classes to each other. I finish up telling her about the kid in my P.E. class who sweat through his entire shirt during sprints as we climb the steps to my house. I follow her inside grabbing a small snack from the kitchen to keep us motivated as we work. I head upstairs with Ashley on my tail carrying her bag like a child. We both head straight for my room and get out the things we need for homework. I claim the desk chair as my spot for this afternoon and Ashley calls the beanbag hers. 

As we do our homework we throw in a few comments on each others work and Ashley shows me this super cool constellation app she found. I pull out a new sheet of paper for my Chemistry homework when I hear a notification sound from Ashley's phone. 

"That's weird. I thought I put it on silent so we wouldn't get distracted," Ashley says sounding confused as she picks up her phone to see what it is. 

Her face turns slightly lighter as she reads what ever notification she received. What ever message she got is definitely no good because Ashley looks really disturbed when she sets her phone back down. 

"Hey, is everything ok?" I ask hoping that it isn't something really bad.

"Nothing important," Ashley says trying hard to look like she is refocusing on her work, but I can tell that the notification is the only thing that is on her mind right now. 

Only a few seconds later Ashley stands up saying, "I'm going to go to the bathroom." 

"Down the hall on the left. Right next to the laundry room," I say as a joke knowing that Ashley has been to my house a million times, but Ashley doesn't look happy.

"I know where the bathroom is Luke," she says in a monotone voice with a blank look on her face.

I'm surprised, Ashley never acts this unresponsive towards me. She is always kind even if it's a bad situation. Whatever Ashley saw on that phone isn't good, I think as I finish writing my answer down on the paper. I try and resist the urge to peak at Ashley's phone, trying to be a good friend and respect her privacy. It only takes a few seconds for me to give up and reach across the room for her phone, the anxiousness driving me crazy. 

The phone screen lights up with the time and a photo of Ashley and me during World Space Week. The message underneath is from Levi. Every single part me prays that Levi was just asking for help on homework as I click into it. 

The only thing in the message was a photo shopped meme. It is Ashley sitting in the library surrounded by books with the caption "NERDY BITCH". It makes me so mad that Levi would even dare text Ashley this meme of her. I hear Ashley's faint footsteps in the distance making me freeze, I quickly put the phone back where I found it on the floor. I pull my things close to me trying to make it look like I was deep in thought about my Chemistry homework. 

I promise myself to get revenge on Levi for calling Ashley a nerdy bitch, she deserves so much more than kids who call her mean names. 


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