Picturing Different

by Nikki Kwiatkowski

  Eric: I hope you weren’t lying.

  Ashlyn: About what?

  Eric: There not being someone else. Anyway, I’ll see you at school.

  Just like that, he was back in her head. She didn’t know what kind of games he was playing, but his text was far too ominous. She didn’t expect for him to clarify on text.

  Ashlyn had to wonder, if he hated Emory so much to do that to the car she shared with her brother, what would he do if she did start dating someone?

  Chapter 23

  “I didn’t see you with your friends at lunch today,” Eric said, announcing his presence at Ashlyn’s locker.

  She had successfully both avoided him and Tripp for the entire day. She still had Tripp in science, but thankfully there was a test.

  “I had to meet with a senior for an interview for the paper,” Ashlyn responded.

  “Oh, a senior. Anyone I know?”

  Ashlyn shut her locker and glared at Eric. “Yeah. Kyler West.”

  She saw Eric’s eyes widen in surprise. It’s not like she stood a chance with the star quarterback. Not only was he a year ahead of her, but he was also head over heels with the valedictorian. An atomic bomb wouldn’t separate the two of them. She didn’t know if Eric knew that, but what she did know was that if Kyler had been her new love interest, Eric wouldn’t dare touch him.

  “What’s so special about him,” Eric asked, trying to play off his jealousy.

  “He got a full ride to Cartwright University.”

  “Whatever. We still sucked last season,” Eric said with a shrug.

  Ashlyn was just about to mention how they’d be unstoppable in the fall when Ellis would be quarterback and Deacon would be wide receiver. As best friends, they read each other like a book and were a force to be reckoned with on the field.

  Then Ashlyn remembered who she was talking to.

  Changing the subject, “What do you want, Eric. We’re broken up. Or did you forget that?”

  He chuckled and leaned into the lockers. “I see the Parkers got some new wheels.”

  “Did you just come here to gloat? Don’t worry, they have more important things than trying to sue you for damages.”

  “I actually came here to reinforce a point.” His voice turned deep and quiet. “I know Emory filled your head with garbage, so I wanted to teach her a lesson.”

  Ashlyn had to refrain from rolling her eyes, knowing it would only make him angrier.

  “So, you can imagine what I’d do if I see you with someone else.”

  “You’re saying I’m not allowed to move on,” she hesitated.

  Now he laughed, a dark and irritating laugh. “I just think it would be a little ironic if you break up with me and in a matter of days or weeks start seeing someone else. Especially if that someone else has already been in the picture.”

  Ashlyn wondered if he knew about Tripp. He couldn’t. The only public place where she and Tripp had ever shown affection was the library, but there’s no way Eric knew about that.

  He pushed off the lockers. “Trust me, slashed tires would be the least of your worries.”

  Ashlyn didn’t say anything. She needed him to have the last word and walk away. She understood exactly what he was saying. He had insinuated it in his messages, but she never thought he’d come out and directly say it like that.

  Without a doubt, she knew she had to stay away from Tripp, at least until Eric found someone else to torture.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Tripp watched Ashlyn carefully at lunch. Though they had conversations through text since Saturday, he had yet to say more than a few words to her in person.

  “Can’t wait for the game tonight. I am so pumped,” Byron exclaimed, slamming his fist on the table, startling Ashlyn, who had been in a daze.

  Ellis nodded toward Tripp. “How many hits, or should I say, home runs do you think you’ll get tonight?”

  Tripp only laughed and shook his head.

  “Don’t be modest. You’ve gotten a home run at least once in every game,” June chimed in.

  “How about a bet,” Ellis began. “Lunch tomorrow if you get a home run tonight.”

  Tripp laughed. “Sure. Deal.”

  “Great. So, if you get a home run, you buy me lunch.”

  Tripp shook his head and let the others go about their conversations. He was a little disappointed to be so far from Ashlyn. She had flanked herself with Emory and Kayla and was farther down the table from him. The few times they did make eye contact, something seemed off.

  Since they had the same class after lunch, Tripp made it a point to wait around for Ashlyn to say goodbye to her friends and walk alongside her.

  “I have an idea for a bet,” Tripp stated, surprising Ashlyn in the busy hall.

  She didn’t want to come off as cold and rude. After all, she could still be friends with Tripp, that is, until he softly whispered his next words.

  “A kiss if I get a home run. Deal?”

  Ashlyn’s face lost all expression and she stopped in the middle of the hallway. Students continued to flow around them as they stood, staring at each other.

  Tripp didn’t give her the chance to say anything. “I know that look. Let me guess, we need to talk?”

  “Can you meet me after school somewhere?”

  Tripp shook his head. “Just say what you need to say now.”

  Ashlyn glanced around the hall. To unsuspecting eyes, it would look like they were having a lover’s quarrel if their conversation continued.

  “Tripp…”

  “Fine. Back of the library, after school.”

  Tripp hated that his gut told him that Ashlyn probably wanted to put a screeching halt on whatever was happening between them. After her party, he couldn’t imagine why. Things had escalated between the two of them, and above all, she gave Eric the necklace back and broke up with him for good. At least, as of Saturday, they were broken up. Maybe he had missed something in the last few days.

  Needless to say, the rest of the day sucked for Tripp.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Tripp quickly showered at the end of eighth period so that he could be at the library right away, both dreading and anticipating what in the world Ashlyn would have to say.

  Obviously, she had still managed to beat him to the far reaches of the library. It was secluded enough so that no one else would be privy to whatever heartbreak Ashlyn was sure to deal out.

  “Hey,” she spoke just as Tripp came into view.

  She was leaning against a shelf skimming through a book that didn’t hold her interest.

  “Hi,” was all that Tripp could manage. He suddenly felt lightheaded and sick.

  Ashlyn tried her best to hide the forlorn expression plastered across her face; however, Tripp saw right through it. He had watched her enough to know how much she tried to fake her emotions, covering what were her true thoughts.

  “I’ll make this quick. I’m sure you have–”

  “Take your time,” Tripp insisted.

  Ashlyn wanted to throw up just from looking at his face. He looked so sweet and innocent…and hurt. She really didn’t want to hurt him. She gripped on to the shelf behind her, needing to find something to do with her trembling hands.

  Breaking up with Eric had been easier than she thought, but he deserved it, and she knew what to expect from him. Breaking up with Tripp, or whatever this was, that was going to be something else entirely, especially because it was hurting her more than she’d ever admit.

  “Is everything okay,” Tripp asked. He drew himself opposite Ashlyn and leaned into the shelf behind him, matching her. He shook his head. “That was stupid. Obviously, we wouldn’t be here if everything was okay.”

  “Tripp, you’re a great guy and all,” Ashlyn began.

  “Whoa.” Tripp couldn’t help but chuckle a little, although the situation was far from humorous. “Don’t do that. I know I’m a great guy.”

  Ashlyn’s eyes widened. She didn’t know what kind of reaction she expected
from Tripp, but his cockiness wasn’t it.

  “Just tell me point blank what the problem is. You’re not going to crush my ego,” he continued.

  “I think we should be friends,” Ashlyn finally replied. Tripp had somehow managed to catch her off guard, and everything she had planned to say suddenly floated away.

  He gave her the most melting grin. “We are friends.”

  “You know what I mean. I think we should stay just that. Just friends.” As hard as it was to say, she felt relieved that she had managed to do so, especially with looking into his glowing eyes.

  “Why?”

  Crap. She had prepared herself for the why with Eric, but with Tripp standing right there in front of her, what was her why? Oh, right. Eric was crazy and she didn’t want Tripp to end up like Ellis and Emory’s car. That, however, could not be her response.

  Tripp laughed when Ashlyn took more than a few seconds to answer him. “For this conversation being your idea, you’re having a really hard time navigating through it.”

  Ashlyn let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding in. “It’s just for the best.” Then it clicked, and she couldn’t believe how stupid she was. “I just got out of a very long relationship, and I’m not ready to get involved with anyone.”

  Tripp’s eyes were skeptically narrowed, intensely watching her. Her statement was partially true, but she had to wonder if he could see more.

  “Fine. That I believe.”

  More relief flooded over Ashlyn. “Great, so we’re just friends.”

  “No.”

  Ashlyn fell farther into the shelf as Tripp pushed off his and stood inches in front of her.

  His voice was low and deep, far too sexy for a seventeen-year-old. “I can be friends with you, but it will never be just friends for me. After what happened in your bedroom, I know you feel the same way.”

  “It was just a kiss,” Ashlyn interrupted.

  Tripp raised a brow. “Nothing about that was just a kiss.”

  Ashlyn could feel her cheeks heating. Now that the kiss had been mentioned, all she could think of was trying that again.

  “Meet me after the game tonight.”

  Ashlyn’s eyes widened in horror. “I came here to end things.”

  Tripp shook his head and a bigger smile came to his face. Ashlyn couldn’t stand how much he smiled. It was a coup de grâce for all girls.

  “Look, Ash. If you would have yelled at me, told me what a horrible person I am, how repulsed you were by me, how you couldn’t bear the thought of so much as touching me...” He reached for her hand when he said that, and not to his surprise, she didn’t pull away. “Then I would have believed that you wanted to just be friends.”

  “Can I start over,” Ashlyn huffed.

  Tripp shook his head. With his closeness, Ashlyn could smell whatever masculine and invigorating shampoo he had just used. It was only one more thing that made trying to walk away from him so difficult.

  “I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me, and that’s fine for now, but don’t lie to me.”

  “I’m not lying about anything,” Ashlyn insisted.

  Tripp suddenly turned dark, not in the way that Eric turned when he got angry, but in a serious and passionate way. “Fine. Tell me you don’t have any feelings for me, whatsoever…or meet me tonight after the game.”

  Ashlyn felt like a boulder just landed on her chest. This wasn’t supposed to be how the conversation went. She was supposed to tell Tripp that they needed to stay strictly friends, and while he might be a little bummed, he would eventually agree. This, however, this was too intense for her. Everything he was saying made her feel like the heroine in some ridiculously romantic high school drama.

  She knew what she needed to say. She needed to lie. More than ever, she needed to lie. She hadn’t realized it until that moment just how much her feelings had grown for Tripp.

  Tripp wouldn’t allow himself to take his eyes from her. He watched as hers fell from his and darted from side to side. He desperately wanted to know what she was struggling with. He wanted to put her on the spot, but the truth was, if she told him the worst thing in the world right now, he knew she’d be lying.

  Ashlyn swallowed heavily. “I’m sorry, Tripp.”

  Tripp immediately dropped her hand and she felt like her heart might have just dropped along with it.

  “All I feel for you is friendship.” That was the best way she could say it. She was certain that Tripp would know that she was lying, however, when she looked up, she wasn’t prepared for the hurt plastered across his face.

  Tripp expected her to fumble, but he never thought that the end result would be that. Now he knew how the losers of swordfights felt.

  He so desperately wanted to call her out on it, but he couldn’t argue with her. Every fiber in his body told him that it wasn’t the truth, but that’s something she’d have to come to terms with. For whatever reason she was telling him that, she’d have to deal with it. He couldn’t push her. It wasn’t fair to either of them.

  Chapter 24

  “Oh, don’t you look cute,” Poppy squealed as Ashlyn hit the bottom of the stairs.

  She was in a blue dress with black leggings and dainty combat boots. She told herself that it was because those were the school colors. The truth of it, she had been bawling her eyes out on her bed ever since she got home after her conversation with Tripp, and she really wanted to look like she wasn’t just smashed into with a garbage truck. She even had more makeup on than usual, not to impress anyone, but because her skin was so blotchy and her eyes so swollen.

  It wasn’t until she thought she might die from a dry throat that she came to a horrific realization. Eric still had control over her.

  “Thanks, mom.”

  “Going to the game with Emory and Ellis?”

  “Yes.” Ashlyn hesitated. “I might go out to eat with them.”

  Her mother smiled sweetly. For some reason she looked more tired than usual, but Ashlyn refrained from pointing that out. “I’ll put a plate in the refrigerator just in case. Is your homework done?”

  “Yes, mom.”

  Poppy laughed. “Then be home by eleven. Lights out by 11:30.”

  Ashlyn gave her mom a hug and headed out to the front steps to wait for the Parker twins.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  He wouldn’t say it was the worst game of his life, after all, once he lied to his coach and played with a sprained wrist.

  Maybe he was being dramatic. Suddenly everything felt like the worst.

  He had managed to get a couple hits, but after they finished two more innings, it would be the first game in a long time when he wasn’t able to get a home run.

  The team still won the game, so everyone was in high spirits; however, the last thing Tripp felt like doing was going out to eat or hanging out with anyone really.

  Just as he, Deacon, and a couple other guys made their way out from the locker room and into the parking lot, Tripp felt his chest tighten and he forgot how to breathe.

  He knew she’d probably be there to take pictures, but he didn’t imagine seeing her standing beside Ellis and Emory. She couldn’t possibly think of going out to eat with the team, especially after everything that happened only a few hours prior.

  Though a guy of few words, “Sorry, man.” Deacon slowed his steps beside Tripp. “I didn’t know that she’d stick around.”

  Tripp didn’t gossip much, but after the first couple innings, Deacon had sensed that something was off. Rather than lie about it, Tripp ripped it off like a bandage and confided in him.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Tripp grumbled. He shuffled his bag around over his shoulder. “I plan on going straight home.”

  Rather than say something to change his mind on the matter, all Deacon did was grunt in acknowledgement. Tripp liked him. He was someone that was completely drama free.

  Tripp didn’t intend to hang around in the parking lot making plans and deciding who went where an
d which car who was going in. So instead, he gave a quick goodbye to the guys around him and headed to his vehicle. He intentionally parked it in a less populated area so as to avoid idiot teenagers.

  He threw his bag into the backseat and slammed the door in frustration.

  “Hey,” a soft voice called from behind.

  Tripp instantly spun around.

  Ashlyn appeared to be slightly out of breath, like she had debated whether or not to follow him and decided to right before he could leave.

  “Hi.” When Ashlyn attempted to say something but closed her mouth to think it over, Tripp spoke. “What do you need?”

  He saw the surprise and hurt look on her face, and he couldn’t help but feel satisfied and sickeningly guilty at the same time. Despite what she did to him earlier, he really didn’t want to intentionally hurt her. That didn’t mean that he wasn’t a little irritated.

  He never expected her next words. They were so quiet that he couldn’t help but give her a look, suggesting that she repeat herself.

  Ashlyn’s eyes fell to the ground and she cleared her throat. “You told me to meet you after the game.”

  Tripp had to tell himself to close his mouth because he was pretty sure he was gawking at her like she was a made-up monster from a childhood nightmare.

  When Tripp didn’t answer, Ashlyn turned back around. Sure enough, Emory stood at her car, arms crossed, and only pretending to be involved in a conversation with some of the guys.

  “It’s okay if you changed your mind. Emory said they’d wait to–”

  “I didn’t,” Tripp quickly interrupted. It was only then that he wanted to kick himself for sounding so eager. She basically stomped on his heart. He couldn’t make it that easy. “I just thought after this afternoon, that was out of the question.”

  Ashlyn shuffled on her feet uncomfortably. “I thought about it.”

  “And?”

  “And, I was curious.” Redness slowly crept to her cheeks.

  Though eager to spend time with her, Tripp still remembered how he felt in the library. “Should we replay the rest of that conversation?”

  “I know what I said,” Ashlyn answered coldly. Tripp wasn’t making it easy. “Everything I said, I meant.”