Author: Lintels
Challenge: #1 Faith (Creamsicle)
Word Count: 337
Rating: PG (language)
Story: Lost Cause
Summary: I’m not sure when in the time line this takes place yet. But it definitely has to do with more of Ashley’s past.
Notes: I feel like I’ve established enough to just write short pieces that I can put together later on. Which is so good because now I’ll probably update more.
“God, I just feel like I fucked up here.”
“You didn’t, though, this is all him.” Natalie sat on the couch next to Ashley, with concern in her eyes as they widened at her friend who was beating herself up.
“I’m the one who started shutting him out.”
“But you only did that because he started cheating on you!” Ashley had been staring into the wall up until this point. She looked at her friend who was at wit’s end trying to reason with her.
“Well, it wasn’t cheating at first.”
“Why does that matter? I think he had intent.”
“Did he commit a crime?” Ashley’s eyebrows furrowed as the sarcasm over came her feelings of sadness.
“Adultery?”
Ashley’s first instinct was to ask “what?”, but she couldn’t at the moment. Even if he had just been her boyfriend and they had never been anything more, it was lies. Lies piled on top of more lies.
“You can’t call it that. He just cheated on me. I think ‘cheated’ is enough. We don’t need to make this sound worse than it already is.”
“Why aren’t you more upset with him? I am. I liked you with him! It was like you guys were perfect.” Natalie slumped over.
“Are you kidding me?” Ashley reached out to the coffee table for a cigarette.
“Whoa, are you gonna start smoking again? I thought you just bought those in like, some kind of revenge impulse?”
“I did. But your talking is making me want to actually smoke one.” Ashley quickly unraveled the pack and pulled one out. She hurriedly put it in her mouth as Natalie began to giggle. “You know you’re my best friend, right?”
“What about Terra?” Natalie snapped back into serious mode. Ashley took the cigarette from her mouth without ever lighting it.
“Terra’s just... she’s not like you.” Natalie smiled, picked up a lighter and helped Ashley start her bad habits all over again.