“You promise you wont say anything to mom?” Ashley asked as they turned into the driveway.
“You need to talk to her, at least about what’s going on at school.” AJ sighed as he shut off the car . “Nothing will get better unless you let her help you.”
Ashley and AJ walked into her Huntington Beach apartment just after noon. They heard voices coming from the kitchen and headed in. Ashley timidly stood behind AJ not knowing if she would be yelled at or not. AJ cleared his throat letting Denise know they were home.
“Ashley!” Denise jumped from her chair and pulled her into a tight hug. “I was worried sick about you, don’t you ever scare me like that again!” She slightly scolded her but quickly pulled her into another hug.
“I’m sorry.” Ashley said softly.
“Well we’re just glad you’re safe.” The person Denise had been speaking to came and hugged her.
“Uncle Tony, what are you doing here?” Ashley looked at him in confusion after returning the greeting.
“I was attempting to surprise your mom, but I was the surprised one when I showed up and found her practically having a nervous breakdown because she couldn’t find you.” Tony’s tone reflected his disappointment in her. “What were you thinking leaving like that? You could have been hurt or worse…”
“It’s ok, none of that matters now. Everything is fine now that you’re home.” Denise cut him off and smiled wiping her eyes, her emotions getting the best of her.
“No mom it’s not alright, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have left.” Ashley sighed. “I just didn’t know what else to do.”
“You could have come and talk to me sweetie. You should have let me know what was going on at school, these people can’t get away with these things or they’ll never stop.”
“I thought it would blow over, but I guess I just couldn’t deal with it as well as I thought.”
“Well we have plenty of time to talk now. Why don’t you explain to me what’s been going on.” Denise wanted to put an end to this bullying as quick as possible and try and get Ashley’s suspension lifted.
“It’s been a long night…can I take a shower or something first. I really just need to clear my mind.” Ashley smiled meekly.
“Of course sweetheart, take as much time as you need.” Denise hugged her again and smiled at her running a hand down her cheek. “I’m just glad that you’re home safe.”
“I’ll be in my room.” Ashley looked at AJ with a pleading look not to say anything. He sighed deeply as she walked off towards her room.
“Sweetheart, you can’t keep acting as if nothing happened. If you let this slide she’s just going to keep testing your limits until she breaks you.” Tony sighed.
“I need to find out what’s going on at school, if I yell at her she closes right up.” Denise sighed. “I yelled at her yesterday and look what happened, she ran away.”
“You have to start putting your foot down with her more before you loose the authority that you have.”
“Alex, do you know anything about what’s going on?” She asked trying to avoid an argument with Tony. They had been disagreeing recently over the best way to deal with Ashley’s rebellious streak and she didn’t want to get into it now.
“I think it’s best if you talk to her mom, she knows she needs to tell you about what’s going on.” He danced around her question not wanting to break the little trust he had built with Ashley the following night.
“What was that look between you two about then?” she questioned once more.
“It was nothing mom.” AJ lied.
“You of all people should know that you can’t keep a secret from me for long. Now please tell me what you know.” Denise gave him a stern look. He knew he couldn’t lie to her.
“She’ll tell you all about that mom, I promise.” He sighed.
“Well then why don’t you tell me where you found her last night.”
“She called me from a club on Sunset last night.”
Denise took a deep breath before she spoke. “The same club she was at last time?”
“Yeah.” He could see the disappointment on her face.
“Who was she there with?”
“I’m not sure. She just said she had an argument with a friend and couldn’t get a ride back home.” He lied trying to keep out the information that would really get her into trouble.
“Sometimes I don’t know what to do with her. I never have been through this before since you weren’t really in school, and girls are so much different.” Denise sighed again and poured herself another cup of coffee. “There are times she comes home so depressed over things that people say or do to her and all because she gets the good parts in the shows. She thinks I don’t notice, but I see how it affects her. Sometimes I just want to take her back out of school, but she wants to stick it out.”
“Why wouldn’t you tell me this stuff mom? I could help you.”
“Alex, the two of you have barely spoke to each other in the past 2 years, you’re not much help.” Denise didn’t mean to be harsh but it was the truth.
“You know that I hate that we’re not speaking, but I can’t force her. We’ve made some progress and she’ll forgive me when she’s ready.” AJ sighed and glanced at his watch. “I have a meeting soon. I’ll come back for dinner if that’s ok?”
“You know you’re always welcome here hunny. I’ll make something special.” She kissed him goodbye as she walked him to the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AJ reached for his phone as he got off the freeway back in Los Angeles. He hit the speed dial calling his good friend and bodyguard Marcus.
“Hey man how was your vacation?” AJ said as he picked up. “Sweet, what are you up to?”
He listened as Marcus talked for a moment before continuing.
“Listen, I need you to come with me to meet up with someone…I’ll fill you in more when I stop by, but are you down?” Marcus agreed and AJ heading in the direction of his house.
“Hey man.” He greeted Marcus as he opened the door letting him in.
“So what’s goin on? Who are you meeting with?” he asked as the two men entered the living room.
“It’s not a meeting really…” AJ sighed taking a seat. “You remember that creep Adam I used to hang with?”
“That’s the guy from X who always used to hang around with that chick Amy right?”
“Yea.” AJ continued, as Marcus looked at him curious as to why he would be meeting with him. “He’s been hanging around my sister lately and I really don’t want to get into details but he needs a little wake up call to stay the hell away from her.”
“How did your sister end up around that crowd?”
“I don’t know but I want to keep her away from them. He’s already tried to get her to use coke, I don’t need her going down that road. As much as she says she won’t call him again I can’t be sure of that. I need to make sure that he gets the message loud and clear. I don’t want him around her.”
“So what’s my role in this whole thing?” Marcus asked.
“I just need you to make sure I don’t get crazy. Pull me back if I’m taking things too far.”
“You know I have your back man, just be smart.”
“I know…he should be home right now so let’s get moving.”
The two made their way out and got into AJ’s truck. They drove the short distance to Adam’s house and saw his car in the driveway. AJ made his way to the front door, Marcus close behind. AJ pounded on the door and waited for Adam to answer.
“Look who the hell it is.” Adam grinned as he opened the door. “Didn’t think you’d be showing up at my house any time soon. You know I don’t do my business here, if you’re looking for stuff you’ll have to meet me somewhere else.”
“You know why I’m here, and it sure as hell ain’t for drugs. We need to have a little talk.” AJ rolled his eyes at Adams cocky attitude.
“What ever could this be about? Or is it more like who?” Adam laughed. “You can come in, but your friend here needs to wait outside.”
“Fine.” AJ knew he could handle his own and Marcus would still step in if he heard any trouble.
The two men walked into the house as Marcus waited out on the front stairs just incase he was needed.
“Surprised it took you so long to show up. Guess you’re sisters right about you not being involved.” Adam tried to test his waters.
“What goes on between me and my sister has nothing to do with you.”
“But I suppose what goes on between me and your sister is all of your business?”
“It is when my sister is only 15.”
“Gotta love them young ones, so desperate for attention, willing to do whatever it takes to stay in the game.” He smirked.
“You’re such a scumbag, I’m glad my sister realized just how much of a loser you really are.”
“Are you sure about that? She came back once, I have no doubt that she won’t come back again and I don’t think you would be here right now if you believed she wouldn’t come back.”
“If I have anything to do with it you’ll never even talk to her again.”
“Not like I care really, I got what I wanted from her.”
“More like you took what you wanted from her.”
“She didn’t know what she wanted, I had to make her realize what it takes to roll with me.”
AJ could barely stand to listen to him anymore, he knew he was trying to break him and it was working.
“I must say she was pretty damn good though…hearing her cry and squirm under me trying to get away was such a turn on…”
AJ lost it at that point he couldn’t stand to hear Adam talk about Ashley as if she were no more then a piece of meat.
“You fucking worthless excuse for life.” AJ yelled as his fist connected with Adams face.
“She gave up eventually though.” Adam kept egging him on, the punch not swaying him. “I think she started to like it.”
“You fucking piece of shit!” AJ slammed him into the wall and punched him in the stomach finally making him stop.
Adam pushed back causing AJ to hit into the shelf against the opposite wall. Adam lunged at him punching him in the mouth. It did nothing but piss AJ off more. He kneed Adam in the groin and pushed him to the ground as he continued to punch him in the face.
“That’s enough, he’s had enough. He gets it.” Marcus came into the room pulling AJ off a bleeding Adam.
“Stay away from my sister you piece of shit.” He said as he kicked him in the side. “If I see you even close to her I swear I’ll kill you.”
“Come on let’s go.” Marcus said pulling AJ from the house. “ Get in the car.”
AJ got into the passenger side of his truck as Marcus started the car and pulled away.
“What the hell was that about?” Marcus said as he drove towards his house.
“He and I needed to come to a little understanding.” AJ checked his face in the mirror. He had a small cut on his lip and a bump on the back of his head but other then that he was fine. He hadn’t wanted to get physical with Adam, but he knew it was needed to make the message clear.
“Anything here you might not be telling me?”
“It’s a long story Marc…”
“Already heard most of it…I came inside as soon as you guys walked away, why don’t you fill in the blanks.”
He looked over at him and signed as he began to tell him what exactly had happened between Ashley and Adam.
Author's Chapter Notes:
sorry it took me so long its been a crazy week...more sometime this week :) enjoy cuz you all have been waiting for this one...let me know what you think!
Chapter End Notes:
I am very honored to have been nominated for best new author in the readers choice section of the Felix awards if you get the chance please go vote for me or one of the other very deserving candidates.
