Love Me Tender, chapter 16

"You bitch!"

Audrey stalked into the room. Her cotton candy colored hair flew behind her as she walked, and she wore a long black t-shirt with a very short red layered skirt. She walked over to me angrily. She pointed at the door.

"Get out."

I stood up, looked her straight in the eye. I stood there, without moving. Once again, she told me to leave.

I didn't move.

"GET OUT!"

I didn't move.

And then I knew. She was afraid. Afraid that if I stayed around, Jon could get hurt again. Afriad that if I stayed, SHE would get hurt again.

That if I stayed, I would only hurt those that she loved.

"No one is going to get hurt again. Trust me."

Audrey turned her head slightly. She was debating if she should trust me.

She nodded at me.

"You can stay."

I smiled and so did everyone else. Everyone but Audrey.

She turned and sat down with Jon, and Nikki pushed me gently toward the door. We walked out together.

"So." She said quietly.

"So how madly in love are you with Brendon?" I smiled. She laughed.

"Well, I don't know. But I love him. I know I do. Ashley, I don't want this to end. I don't want to go back to school and life and Master and all that shit. I just wanna stay here, like we are now, with Ryan and you and Brendon and Jon. I don't want to leave."

Nikki sighed when she finished speaking.

We walked to the cafeteria in silence we each bought a cup of coffee. I took a sip and said quietly...

"Who says we have to go back?"