Fiction: Maybe Perfect
Hey everyone! *waves* I told you I was writing and I have the first story finished. I hope to post one more today. *crosses fingers*
This is for 50prompts The prompt was: Stars
Teen Coop and Ashlee are back. This is a continuation of my previous story: Ferris Wheel. The basic story is that Coop and Ashlee have been together for seven months since that night. Now Ashlee is worried that Coop might be ready to break up with her.
Title: Maybe Perfect
Author: jailynn24
Rating: PG
Prompt: Stars
Warning: A continuation of another story: Ferris Wheel
Disclaimer: If you've seen the show, you know I don't own anything. The characters belong to CBS, P&G daytime and others
Word Count: 1788
Character/Fandom: Ashlee Wolfe, Guiding Light
Summary: Ashlee wonders if Coop is ever going to ask her to Prom or if he wants to break up with her.
==22==
Fall bled into winter and winter glided into spring. Flowers bloomed at her feet, blanketing the world in rich color. She inhaled the sweet fragrance of the blooms. Bending down, she plucked one perfect red flower from the ground and brought it to her nose. Ashlee closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. The light smell filled her with peace, even though she didn’t feel very peaceful right now. The evening breeze kicked up, whispering its secrets through the leaves of the tree next to her. She walked over, sitting carefully on the swing that was hanging from one of the strong branches.
Ashlee leaned her head against one of the thick ropes at either side of her, wrapping her arms around them both and brushed her feet back and forth against the ground. She swayed gently, letting her mind wander. She couldn’t believe her senior year was coming to a close and prom was right around the corner. This year was a complete dream that started at the benefit carnival in the fall. High on the Ferris wheel the man that she’s had a major crush on since she met him kissed her and took her breath away. It was the perfect moment. One that she still has to pinch herself to believe actually happened.
It did happen. Henry Cooper Bradshaw, captain of the football team, the most popular guy in school, kissed her, Ashlee Wolfe, for the whole world to see. The dream didn’t stop with a single kiss. It continued with dates, hand holding in movies, laughing with their friends, gentle kisses in the hallways at school, love notes passed between classes…it continued with her falling head over heels in love with him. It continued with him telling her that he loved her too. Their relationship continued even when he got flack for dating someone that was heavy and not a cheerleader.
She sighed, kicking her leg and spinning around, twisting the two ropes in front of her. Everything was going perfect. Too perfect she guessed. Law of averages had to come into play sometime. The fates finally remembered that Ashlee Wolfe and perfect couldn’t coexist for long. She paused then pulled her leg up from the ground and let the ropes unwind. She closed her eyes, spinning around and around. Once the last twist was released, she swung for side to side until she placed her foot back down on the ground to stop completely.
For some reason the cracks in their relationship shocked her. They shouldn’t have. Coop is prince charming and she is Cinderella without the mice or the fairy godmother. Why would he still be interested after seven months with her? She got up from the swing and carried the flower to her back porch, sitting down on the step. Maybe he finally realized that she wasn’t what he wanted. Maybe that’s why for the past two weeks they’ve barely talked and when they did, he hasn’t brought up Prom. Which was only three weeks away; she dropped her head into her hand that was resting on her knee.
Ashlee watched Lizzie and Daisy look through magazines and talk excitedly about buying dresses, pointing out which hair-dos looked the best and about shoes that would be the best for their perfect dress. Bill asked Lizzie the first day prom was brought up during a senior assembly. Rafe didn’t wait much longer than that to ask Daisy. Coop, on the other hand, didn’t say a word to her. He just smiled, held her hand and then laughed as Lizzie launched into a discussion of the theme- Starlight Dreams. Ashlee rolled her eyes. That was lame, but damn it, she wanted to go. She wanted to be excited by the thought of being on Coop’s arm and dancing to cheesy music. She wanted perfect back.
The assembly was two weeks ago, the start of Coop’s distancing himself from her. Ashlee shifted on the step so that her back was against the wood posts that held the railing. Looking up into the night sky, she watched the stars wink and twinkle at her. Bright, white dots lit up the black velvet sky and surrounded the almost full moon. Another gust of wind blew through the backyard, bringing with it a new scent. She turned her head and her heart started pounding. Ashlee blinked her eyes a couple of times to make sure she wasn’t imagining him there.
Coop stood at the edge of her white fence, his arms crossed over the top, his white and blue letterman’s jacket showcasing his strong upper body and tight blue jeans that hugged his long legs. She licked her suddenly dry lips, sucking the bottom one between her teeth. He grinned at her, pulling the latch and walking into her backyard. Ashlee watched his movements. The way his body glided across the green grass under his feet. She reached up and grabbed the railing to pull herself to her feet. Her knees were feeling a little weak. She stood on the second step and he stood right in front of her. She ached for him to kiss her…when was the last time they kissed? Coop brushed her bangs behind her ear and then rubbed his eyebrow, nervously. Her stomach flipped. Was this the break up, was he going to ask her to Prom finally or was he just there to drive her nuts?
“Lizzie came by Company today,” he started. His voice sent a shiver down her spine. Her blue eyes dropped to his full, kissable, soft lips and watched him form words. “She basically called me an idiot and I have to agree with her.” He rolled his sweet tongue over his lower lip and she forced her eyes back to his blue green ones. “I’m sorry, Ashlee, I haven’t been honest with you. I should have told you what was going on sooner. I should have told you that I…”
She shook her head. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes and threatened to spill onto her cheeks. This was a break-up. Fate has finally set the balance back in order. Perfect was gone and she was back to where she should have been months ago. Swallowing against the thickness at the back of her throat, Ashlee pushed a lopsided, watery smile to her lips. “It’s fine Coop. I understand.”
“You do,” he arched one brown eyebrow and his eyes narrowed. “Um, wow, you understand really? I thought you would be more upset about this. I thought that…” he paused and then shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I should be relieved that you are taking this so well.”
‘Damn right, you should be,’ she thought, fighting against the crushing waves of emotions she was feeling. ‘I could be bawling like a baby and pounding my fists into your chests for breaking my heart.’ Outwardly she stepped from stairs to the ground and looked at the flower that was still in her hand. She had forgotten that she picked that up. Ashlee turned to face him, thankful for the shadows the night offered. At least he wouldn’t see the drop of water she wasn’t able to stop from falling. “Its fine Coop,” she rolled her lips together and picked at the petals of the flower. “I mean, you want to stop seeing each other. I knew eventually this day would come, so I…” she stopped when his hand cupped her face gently.
“That’s what you think is going on,” he asked incredulously. Coop lifted her head toward his and lowered his lips to hers. The kiss was so soft and sweet that she thought she would die from the touch. He placed his forehead against hers and sighed. His warm breath puffed against her closed eyelids. She was confused by the kiss but was also so happy to be in his arms. “Ashlee,” he whispered to her. “I want nothing more than to be with you for as long as you can stand me. I don’t want to break up with you. That’s not what is going on.”
She opened her eyes and stared into his. His cologne was making her mind swim and his warm body pressed into hers was causing her to feel weak. Licking her lips, she spoke just as softly as he did. “Then what’s happening Coop? Why have you been pulling away from me?”
He took her hand and led her back to the steps. Sitting down side by side, he took her hand that was in his and brought it to his lips. She leaned her head against his shoulder while she waited for him to speak. Finally he sighed, “I can’t take you to the prom, Ashlee.” She moved her head so that she could see his profile. Coop stared straight ahead, embarrassment was written across his features. “I can’t afford to buy the tickets, rent a tux and buy you the romantic dinner you deserve. I just…” He stopped, looking down at the ground between his feet.
Ashlee turned his face toward hers and kissed him hard, pushing all of her love for him into the movement of her lips against his. They pulled back, both breathless and she smiled at him. “Coop,” she shook her head. “I don’t need to go to the prom. I just need to be with you. I love you,” he placed his head on hers. “Besides, ‘Starlight Dreams’ is a lame theme anyway.” He laughed. The feeling rumbled through him in deep waves and made her grin.
Coop looked down at her and she looked up at him. His lips pulled into a brilliant smile. “I love you, Ashlee.” He brushed her bangs back again. “But I want to take you to Prom. I want to see you dressed up and looking even more beautiful just for me.”
“Well then,” they turned toward a voice in the distance. Lizzie stood there with Bill, Rafe, and Daisy. “We’ll just make our own prom. With a better theme…” Their friends walked toward them. “I think we should do an alternative prom for a quarter of the price of the school prom.” She tilted her head, her long blonde hair swung over her shoulder and she grinned. “What do you say?”
Ashlee glanced at Coop and shrugged. He cupped her cheek, kissing her gently and turned to Lizzie. “I say we have a prom to plan…”
The friends spent the rest of the night planning the perfect prom. Ashlee grinned, laughing as ideas flew between them. Maybe perfect and Ashlee Wolfe could coexist after all. Coop kissed her forehead and she sighed. It sure felt that way right now.
Well what do you think? *nervously waits for comments*