The weekend finally ended, Ash and Larry had not mentioned anything about the party or the stressful events after, at all.

It seemed like it never happened...

Throughout the course of the week, the stressful daily events like school and homework seemed to make the days roll slower.

I had finally felt at peace, as I laid on my bed, and hummed the tune of my favorite song.

I had finished all of my homework for the week and while it felt like the week had flown by, it was barely Wednesday afternoon.

Sal and I had texted each other quite a few, we hadn't seen each other voluntarily apart from class. We ate lunch together at the university but Ash never joined us.

I opened my eyes, I hadn't seen Ash at all... I sat up and my mind started racing, I hadn't heard from them since Saturday night.

I quickly put on my shoes and started to make my way out of my apartment, I had been so busy with school I hadn't checked up on her or Larry.

As I took the elevator towards Larry's floor, I pulled my phone out to text Ash.

(Y/N): heyyy, are you home?

As the elevator halted, I stepped out and checked my phone to see if she had responded.

No answer.

I furrowed my eyebrows, locked my phone and knocked at Larry's door.

The cold air of the basement made me tremble a little bit. I was glad I had changed into my warm pajamas before coming down. I always forgot how cold the apartments could get.

I knocked again since there was no answer the first time. I was ready to go back to my room if neither Ash or Larry responded but I heard quick rummaging on the other side.

I took a step back when I heard loud footsteps coming towards the door.

A soft smile started to creep up on my face, expecting Larry to be half asleep on the other side. But my smile dropped when an upset Ash threw the door open.

"What (y/n)"

My eyebrows raised in surprise, "he-hey ash, how are you doing?"

Ash looked behind her and back at me, and shook her head while she was thinking, "I'm fine, what do you need?"

As I tried to come up with a quick response I noticed she was in one of Larry's shirts, it was long enough to cover her knees and her makeup and hair were messy.

She raised an eyebrow waiting for my answer.

"I just wanted to check up on you guys! Sal and I haven't heard from you since the weekend, we just wanted to make sure you guys were alright"

She nodded, "yes, we're kinda busy right now. I'll text you when we're free"

I nodded and bit my lip, embarrassed. "Yes! I'll see you later Ash"

I turned on my heel and heard the sound of the door slam behind me. As I stepped back into the elevator, a feeling of dread came over me.

What the fuck was that.

I immediately dialed Sal's number as I pressed the elevator number of his floor.

"Hello?"

"Sal, are you busy?"

"Not at all, what's up?"

"Where can I meet you?"

As the elevator door opened, my desperation grew stronger, I needed to talk to someone about my thoughts at the moment. I felt ashamed... I didn't want to say I felt betrayed because there was no betrayal. But I felt left out from my best friend's life.

"We can meet at the park, is that okay?"

As tears threatened to fall from my eyes, I took a deep breath and pressed the button to the first floor, "Yes, I'm on my way"

I hung up as the elevator doors closed before me. Ash owed me nothing. I sighed, was I being selfish?

I felt like we had grown extremely close in the past few weeks for her to shut me out and be upset at us. Or at least at me.

As I made my way towards the nearby park, my thoughts kept flooding my mind. Maybe I shouldn't tell Sal anything.

At the end of the day, Sal was closer to them than he was to me and I did not want him to think wrong of me for talking about his friends.

As the park came into view, a feeling of dread began to fill my senses. My mouth started salivating as if I was about to projectile vomit.

I tried to calm myself down as I approached Sal, who was sitting in one of the wooden benches.

He turned to look at me and waved. He stood up and waited for me to reach him before he pulled me into a hug.

I closed my eyes and melted into his embrace, his vanilla and musk scent engulfed my body. I took a deep breath and tightened the hug.

As we broke the embrace, he led me to the bench and sat next to me. "How are you?" Sal asked me, tilting his head.

I met his gaze and tears filled my eyes, "I don't know Sal" I groaned as I covered my face with my eyes.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He embraced me again and I rolled my eyes to stop the tears from spilling.

"I have to tell you something" I said as I broke the touch and made eye contact. "But you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone" He nodded "and you can't get upset at me either"

He nodded once again and took my hands. Sal's thumbs caressed my wrists and my fingers as I took my time to gather my thoughts.

"I paid Larry a visit" I broke eye contact to take a deep breath, I could feel Sal tense from how his touch stiffened. "Ash was there"

I looked into his eyes once again and I could tell the wheels of his brain started to turn, "She was not happy to see me at all"

Sal's postured straightened, "what do you mean?"

I sighed and groaned once again, I couldn't get the words out of me. It felt like I was doing something really wrong, "She was upset, she seemed annoyed. Like if I was bothering them or her. I didn't see Larry but she was in one of his t-shirts, hair and makeup messy"

Sal nodded and sat in silence. His thumbs were still caressing my hands and wrists. He let out a breath, but no response followed.

I tried to analyze his body language but I could not figure out what he was thinking.

"I'm sorry Sal, I shouldn't have told you" I said, removing my hands from his. I stood up and gave him my back as I looked around.

I heard Sal stand next to me, "you don't have to be sorry. Thank you for telling me. Larry had been weird these past few days." I turned to look at him, my eyebrows furrowed. I could see the sadness in Sal's gaze. "You just confirmed what I already wondered" He finished his thought, shrugging.

"What were you wondering?"

His blue eyes finally met mine, "I knew that they have been sneaking around since after the party. Every time I would text him or call him, he would never answer."

I nodded, "did you try contacting Ash?"

He shook his head and laughed, "nah. I don't really talk to her anymore."

I tilted my head, confused, "I thought you guys were best friends."

Sal hummed and grabbed my hand, leading me towards the swings. As we both started to swing slowly, he started to speak again.

"Larry and I are best friends. Ash... Well" Sal stopped. As if he was trying to find the right words to say, "We have always been super close to her, don't get me wrong. But, Larry always had a crush on her. At some point I did too... I came to terms with the fact that I would never date so, I opened the floor for Larry."

I looked away from Sal, "so you never stopped liking her, you just gave up trying to get her to like you." I wasn't asking, I just wanted confirmation.

My stomach was in knots.

I wanted to go home.

As soon as possible.

Sal shook his head, "I don't think I ever liked her enough. I just found her attractive."

I hummed, my fingers were gripping the swing chains, making my knuckles almost turn white.

"What made you think you would never date?"

"Well, for starters, my prosthetic. I'm scary underneath, no girl wants a scary boyfriend"

I whipped my head to look at him and I shook my head, "I don't believe that Sal"

He shrugged, "You'll see"

"When?"

"Whenever I feel ready to show you"

I nodded and looked away. "I'm sorry, I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable Sal" I stared into the sky, the sun was starting to set. The beautiful combination of pink and orange painted the sky. "Looks aren't everything either way" I mumbled to myself, but not so quiet so Sal could hear.

I heard him chuckle, "Let's go."

He stood in front of me and offered his hand so I could get off the swing. I almost hesitated but I took his hand either way.

The warm feeling in my stomach and the small blush that crept up my cheeks were another confirmation that I liked Sal.

As we walked towards the apartment complex, we walked in silence. Our hands stayed intertwined and the feeling of nervousness never went away.

I really wondered how Sal felt when only the two of us were together. I always felt so jittery and nervous. Almost to the point where I felt dumb.

How was it that a boy could make me feel like this?!

As we approached the apartment complex, Sal spoke.

"I think I'm going to pay Larry a visit"

"Do you want me to go with you?"

He shook his head, "No, it's okay. I'll take you to your apartment and then I'll see if he responds"

The elevator opened and we both stepped inside. The ride up the floors was quiet, but not an uncomfortable quiet. It was a welcoming one, warm, and serene.

We reached my apartment and I turned to hug Sal, "let me know how it goes. If you want to come over after you can"

Sal tightened the hug once again and broke the contact, "I'll come over to debrief as soon as I'm done"

I nodded and gave him a kiss on his cheek. I waved goodbye and closed the door as he walked away.

I locked the door behind me and pulled my phone out, I had some missed messages from Ash.

Ash: hey

Ash: can we talk?

A new feeling of doom filled my stomach, I wanted to throw up. Why was this situation making me so emotional? and why did I allow myself to get so involved.

But I couldn't say no.

Sal would debrief what Larry told him and I would debrief what Ash told me.

(Y/N): yes.

(Y/N): I'm here at my room. I'll leave the door unlocked.

As if on cue, there was a knocking at my door. I turned to open the door and a second wave of knocks were heard.

I opened the door to Ash. Her expression was... expressionless?

I stepped aside to let her in and she walked inside.

"What's up?" I said, still giving her my back as I closed the door and locked it.

I heard her sigh and I finally turned to meet her eyes.

"I know you know what's going on"

I tried my best to not roll my eyes and I succeeded, "what do you mean Ash?"

I walked past her towards my sofa and sat down, the sunset gleaming through the window of my balcony, making it the only light source in my dark apartment.

She followed behind me and sat in the sofa next to me, "I know you know what is going on between Larry and I"

I hummed and pursed my lips, "and what exactly is going on? You haven't told me anything so"

Ash's face showed no emotion so I really didn't know what she was trying to get at.

We stayed quiet for a few minutes until I decided to break the uncomfortable silence, "I am very hurt Ash. You pushed me away and Larry pushed away Sal."

I looked up to met her gaze, "I helped you when you needed me the most with this whole Larry situation and you're leaving me in the dark."

She opened her mouth to speak but I interrupted her, "you don't owe me an explanation. But don't push us away as if we are doing something wrong. You and Larry are the one's sneaking around"

Her gaze seemed to turn into anger, "so you and Sal are not sneaking around?" Her question came at me like a sharp knife.

"What about Sal and I?"

"I see you guys hanging out, eating lunch together" I could hear the mocking tone of her voice and that was upsetting me.

"So?"

"You haven't confessed either"

"To?"

"Your feelings for Sal"

I stalled. How did Ash manage to make this about me.

"Sal and I are friends."

"Larry and I are friends" Ash said, standing up and shrugging her shoulders. As if she had won this conversation.

"Yeah well, Sal and I are actually friends and are not sneaking around to have sex behind our best friend's backs" I said, picking at my nails. I was not going to let her win this conversation when Sal and I had done nothing wrong.

That stopped Ash in her tracks. She was giving her back to me, but I could see the way her breathing picked up.

She turned to me, her eyes filled with tears. "Larry and I are not sneaking around, we are trying to build a relationship without the public's opinion"

I furrowed my eyebrows, "what public opinion Ash? It's only Sal and I" I stood up, my body and mind were heating up. "You think I care about what you do with your relationships?"

I waited for an answer but I never got one, "No Ash. What you do with Larry or with any other guy, is not my business. I will support whatever you do as long as it is healthy. This is not healthy."

Tears finally spilled from her eyes, "You haven't come to terms with your feelings for Larry and you are pushing everybody away instead of letting us help you"

I hugged her and she hugged me back. Ash buried her face in the crook of my neck and I let out a deep breath. "I love you Ash. I love Larry as well. I want to see you guys happy and this is not the way"

"I missed you" Ash mumbled in between sobs.

"I missed you more"

As we broke the embrace, Ash laid down on the couch. She closed her eyes and took deep breathes, trying to regulate her breathing.

"I'm really sorry (y/n)" She looked up at me and reached for my hand. As she intertwined our fingers, I closed my eyes and nodded. "It was immature of me to act that way. I just didn't know what to do. I'm so impulsive some times"

My phone vibrated in my pocket several times. I let go of Ash's hand to reach for it.

"is that Sal?"

"I don't know, let me check" I said as I pulled it out of my pocket. I knew it was Sal but I didn't know what news he was bearing.

Sal: I'm done. Can I come over?

(Y/N): Ash is here. Do you still want to come?

The text bubble appeared and disappeared a few times. I was growing desperate, I needed Sal to hurry up before Ash asked once again.

Sal: On my way.

"Yeah, it's Sal. He's coming over"

Ash nodded, "I need to apologize to him as well"

After a few minutes, the knock in the door was heard softly. I rushed towards the door and let Sal in.

Ash stood up and tears fell from her eyes, "Sal, I'm so sorry for my actions. I never meant to push you guys away"

Sal looked at me and looked back at Ash, "I understand Ash"

Ash took a step closer towards Sal and pulled him into a hug. As they had their moment, I turned on a few of my lamps and night lights. The sun had hidden and we were in complete darkness.

I walked into my room, letting Ash and Sal talk things out. Meanwhile, I prepared myself for bed. It had been a long day and an exhausting half week. I still had to wake up early tomorrow for class.

After I finished showering and my night time routine. I heard a knock on my bedroom door.

I opened it to Ash, "I'm leaving, Larry is waiting for me. I'll text you tomorrow, okay?"

I nodded and hugged her, "I'm so sorry (y/n)"

"It's okay Ash, I'll see you tomorrow"

She broke the embrace and walked out of my apartment. I looked at Sal, who was sitting on my couch.

I walked over and sat next to him, laying my head against the couch and looking up to the ceiling. "It's been a long day" I whispered.

Sal chuckled, "it's been a long day"

We both fell into a comfortable silence. Our knees touching and Sal holding my hand. I closed my eyes and released a deep breath.

At least everything was going back to normal.

-

Lots of hugs, huh???

I wonder what's next :p

A few more chapters will be coming out these days.

I apologize, ONCE AGAIN, for being MIA. Grad school is kicking my ass.

I'm taking summer classes rn and I am so stressed.

Also this is 2.9K words... and I'm still leaving some things out.

So, y'all tell me. Do you want longer chapters or short and sweet?

Love you, mwah mwah.