Ash took a deep breath, slowly letting it out. “You were right.”
“About?”
“Shelby.”
I froze—shocked for a second. I wanted to say something snotty, like oh, you just make friends with someone, and dump them whenever you get bored of them? But instead, I could only say, “What?”
“Okay, what happened to you in first grade might’ve happened to me last Friday?”
I blinked. “Huh?”
“I was at Shelby’s, it was going great, but then it got weird.”
“Weird how?”
“Weird… I dunno, just weird, and I kinda got the creeps, and I bolted.”
“Bolted?”
“Yeah, I ran outta the house.”
“That bad?”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m guessing you repressed it.”
I looked down at the floor, allowing my unbraided hair to fall over my face as I pondered. I didn’t remember first grade, and I barely remembered Shelby. Maybe that creepy thing did happen to me, and that’s why I hated Shelby.
“In case you’re wondering, she’s uninvited.”
“What?” I looked back up.
“To my birthday party,” Ash confirmed. “But… you’re not.”
“I’m not?”
“You’ve been my friend forever. I want you there.”
The corner of my mouth twitched. “Thanks.”
“And, uh, there’s something else.”
“Yeah?”
“I need to get something off my chest.” She leaned against the wall.
“What?”
Ash sighed. “My mom and Frank had a falling out.”
“They did?” I asked, having met her jerk stepdad before.
“Yeah,” said Ash. “I dunno what happened, but it happened, and I was sent into a daze.” She swallowed. “They’re getting a divorce.”
I didn’t respond. But she continued. “I’ve been living with Dad and Mary. And my mom. And Hannah and Mikey, too. Obviously. And Frank’s probably gonna get some custody of Mikey.”
I’d been to her dad and stepmom’s house. It was relatively small, but it had three bedrooms. And now, six people were living there. Three adults, nonetheless.
“I’m sorry to hear all of that,” I said softly. “But I think it will work out. Your mom and Mary get along. And Frank was rude, so maybe it’s good he’s out of at least most of your life.”
“I guess so.” Ash closed her eyes, sighing. “Thanks. I missed your optimism.”
I couldn’t help but smile softly.
“I’ve been feeling… I dunno, weird lately. And I just needed to escape, I guess.”
“That’s why you went to Shelby?”
“I dunno what was happening with Shelby,” said Ash. “Maybe all the stuff happening made me listen to her more. But… she felt genuine. Like she actually cared about me and what I wanted.”
“What about me?” I asked, more harshly than I intended. Ash flinched, I cringed. “I’m sorry, go on.”
“She reached out to me,” Ash continued. “I dunno how she figured out something was going on at home, but she did. And… because she kept talking to me and made me forget about all the drama at home…” she shrugged. “You didn’t know what was going on, and I didn’t feel like talking about it then. Shelby just… coaxed it outta me somehow. And then you got mad, and because I’d become so open with Shelby, she made me madder at you—”
“About that,” I said, “I was a jerk. Even if that creepy thing did happen to me, I don’t remember it. I shouldn’t’ve been so against it.”
“But you were right.”
“The problem is that I was right! I acted like a selfish jerk… and I was right. I should feel better, right? I won, but it doesn’t feel like a win.” I sighed roughly. “Maybe we were both wrong.”
“So,” said Ash after an awkward moment of silence, “we’re friends again.”
I looked her in her eyes. I smirked a bit. “Friends. Not again. Always.”
Ash scoffed, rolling those bright green eyes. “Don’t be such a sap, Lex.”
I laughed as we walked back into the locker room.