LIFE IN HILLS ACADEMY

Chapter 9

Ashley intentionally stayed out late because she was still angry with her Mom. She wanted to be out of her sight, at least for a few days. It was around seven in the evening before she finally decided to go home.

She quietly opened the front door, hoping to sneak into her room. The nice smell of cake wafted in, and she couldn't help but follow the aroma. Her legs moved towards the kitchen even before she could compose herself.

She stood in the kitchen entrance with her body resting on the door frame as she watched her Mom do her magic in the kitchen. She wished things hadn't been complicated between them. She wished her Mom would be considerate of her, even for once, then there wouldn't be any fight or argument. She missed the Mom she knew when she was much younger. The Mom who cuddled her every night, the one who asked for her opinions before doing anything, even if they were silly.

"What's the occasion?" She finally spoke, announcing her presence.

"You are back? You are a bit late today. Why?" Her Mom asked as she turned to look at Ashley.

"I was at Isabella's, listening to her day's event." She lied about going to their neighbor's place, when in fact she had not even been there in weeks.

"You two got along pretty well, huh?"

"Not so well. We are just cool" She made a brief pause. "Do I get to eat one of those?" She asked, pointing at the cupcakes.

"A peace offering to you," her Mom said.

"Peace offering?" She asked because she didn't understand what her Mom was trying to say.

"Yeah, to you," her Mom said and made eye contact with her. "I'm sorry for everything that has happened before and since we moved. I was selfish and inconsiderate. It was very silly of me to think every decision made is the best for you. Sweetheart", her Mom apologized, and Ashley could see she meant every word that came out by just staring at her in the eyes. She didn't know about other people, but to her, her Mom was an open book.

Ashley just rolled her eyes.

"And trust me, it's going to be a new dispensation. I promise". Her mom smiled at her. She picked up a cake and walked towards Ashley.

"It means we are cool, and you are willing to give me a chance to be a better Mom to you if you take a bite of this cake right here."

"I'm very hungry," Ashley said, and took a bite. She was happy everything was about to go back to how it used to be between them.

"Oh my goodness! I didn't even realize how much I have missed your baking until now". She smiled at her Mom. She took the rest of the cake from her Mom.

"I did this a lot when you were little. Remember?" Her Mom took her down the memory lane.

"Of course"

Her Mom smiled as she watched her eat.

"I want to hug you right now"

"Eww! That's not happening."

"I'm hurt!" Her Mom placed a hand on her chest.

"That used to work when I was much younger."

The two of them laughed loudly.

Ashley had forgotten about David until the next day at school, when she noticed he wasn't in any of the classes they had before lunch break. She wondered where he could have been or what could be happening to him, that he couldn't come to classes.

"David is cool," She told James during their lunch break.

"Is he?" James asked.

"Yes. He was the one that told Amelia to send the video to Mrs Johnson" she smiled. "He is nothing compared to what I had expected," she added.

"I'm familiar with those words. That's what the ordinary girl says when the popular guy comes to her rescue in the movies. Then boom! She will start thinking about him all day", he scoffed.

"You said in movies," she said, emphasizing the word. "This is reality. We might just end up as friends. Don't overthink it."

"Just saying," he said and shrugged his shoulders.

"By the way, Sharon called me"

"Sharon? How did she get your number?"

"I don't know, probably from you. She wants me to watch Cinderella with her this weekend"

"No, you are not going to", James kicked against the idea." She keeps stealing my friends away from me, and she has watched Cinderella a million times and everyone except her at home is tired of seeing it".

"Jamie!" She called him by the nickname she had been using since they became best friends. "Are you protecting your best friend from your sister?" Ashley asked and laughed at James' childish attitude.

"Yes!" He exclaimed without being ashamed to admit it. "And if you ever come to my house, it will be by my invitation, not hers!" He made his point clear while Ashley just nodded like she had been commanded.

Ashley was walking alone back to the classroom because James needed to use the restroom. She heard the voice she had come to recognize call her name. She turned around to look at the person, and she was right, it was David.

"It's so hard to find you," he said as soon as he was beside her. They both continued walking.

"Probably because you don't come for classes often," she pointed out.

"Wait!" David said and stopped walking. "Have you been looking around for me? How did you notice I wasn't in class?" He asked and covered his face like he was shy. Ashley was caught off guard by his words.

"You wish!" Ashley snapped him out of whatever he was thinking. "I wasn't even thinking about you at all, and right now, I also can't wait to get away from you"

"I'm seriously hurt by your words. I thought we agreed to become friends yesterday?"

"It was meant to hurt you," she said coldly. "I know, but you are getting ahead of yourself."

"You are not even making eye contact with me. Looks like my act of kindness melted your heart so much, but you are too embarrassed to admit to it. It's fine. You will soon get used to it", he smiled at her before walking away.

"I'm supposed to walk away, not him!" She yelled. She hated the fact that he walked away first because she planned to do it. "He is a jerk!" She said as she tried to calm down her heart that started racing the moment he called her name.