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I HATE YOU
::  viii. | round one

It was the Friday before the dance. Rachel had her whole plan cooked up. Though it was to make ashely jealous, she was also looking for a little fun as well.

Since the game, Ashely has been spending lots of time with Jake. She didn't know what it was, she just found him fascinating and he was obviously a lot different from Lucas. She was always able to move on pretty quickly but Rachel, she just couldn't. Maybe it was because she didn't love Lucas, she didn't— that's why it was so easy to go on to the next.

She still deeply cares for Lucas, she doesn't regret the last couple of months she spent with him but she changed since the coma. Being with Lucas would just remind her that change is not possible. She didn't want to be tethered to her past, she was looking in the future — the present and right now, for her, that's Jake.

Rachel had gotten back into school so it was no surprise that she was walking alongside Brooke, heading to the entrance. As they walked, she saw Lucas talking with some of his buddies. She left Brooke's side and began to head over to Lucas. Just in time, Ashely was walking from the parking lot with Jake.

"Lucas, hello." The redhead stood in front of him with a slight smirk, too easily missed to see.

"What do you want, Rachel?" He wasn't too pleased to see her.

"I might've heard Ashely broke up with you and perhaps I can help." Her shoulders did a slight shrug.

"With what?" He still looked very unamused.

Rachel leaned in and whispered in his hear, "To make her jealous." As she was coming back into his sight, she quickly gave him a small peck on his neck. She didn't even have to assume Ashely was looking because she knew she was. It always did come easy for her to catch Ashely's eye.

Ashely was staring at the two— wondering why her exes are getting cozy with each other. So yeah, in that fleeting moment, she began to see Lucas for what he really is . . . a fuck boy. She wouldn't care if it were some girl she didn't know, but the girl who broke her heart? That's a whole other problem.

"She was looking wasn't she?" Lucas glanced at Ashely and Jake who were now past them.

"That's how this game works." Rachel simply shrugged.

"You're doing this because you want her back." The blonde boy began piecing the pieces together, "But so do I . . so i don't get it."

"Trust me puppy boy, she's not going to want you back after this." And with that, Rachel began to head into the building— leaving Lucas to figure it out himself.

• • •

Ashely was at her locker now. She and Jake had parted ways because he had to head to basketball practice. Rachel saw this as her opportunity to try and sweet talk ashely if she could. So Rachel walked up to the blonde and leaned on the locker next to Ashely's as she casually looked ashely up and down.

"What do you want?" Ashely kept a straight face, not even giving Rachel the time of day.

"What's it going to take for you to forgive me?" Rachel ask out of the blue.

Ashely slammed her locker shut, "Funny. I don't remember you apologizing." The blonde began to walk away but Rachel followed, trailing behind.

Rachel rolled her eyes and grabbed Ashely's arm, pulling her into the nearest girl's bathroom. In the process, Ashely's things slipped out her hands onto the bathroom floor. As she attempted to pick them up, Rachel blocked her.

"I'm sorry, ok? I should've just left. I should've never told you I loved you. It would've spared you a lot of pain." Rachel stood in front of Ashely as the blonde was against the wall.

Ashely scoffed, "You really believe that?"

"What?" It was like Rachel was acting dumb in that moment.

"You regret telling me you love me? Did you really mean it? Or was that something you just said to keep me?" Ashely's head kept coming up with new questions that needed answers.

Rachel stepped closer to her, "I mean every word."

"Mean? As in present?" Ashely spoke softly.

"Every . . . " Rachel walked a little closer. Their faces were only inches apart now and Ashely couldn't breathe properly. "Word." Rachel practically whispered.

Just before things could go any further, someone had entered the bathroom. That gave Ashely an open to slip by Rachel and pick up her things before leaving herself then heading to class.

Rachel was confident. She knew exactly what she was doing and it was working. It was only a matter of time before Ashely came to her senses.

• • •

Just when Ashely thought everything would be calm now, Chad walked into class . . a tad late. By the look on his face, Ashely could tell her brother was pissed about something. He angrily sat behind her as the teacher continued to speak.

They were supposed to be taking a test today. . . let's just hope everything goes smoothly.

The teacher went down each row and handed out a test. As the teacher was just finishing the last row, Ashely quickly scribbled down something and passed it to Chad. It was a note asking him of why he's so pissed.

Chad quickly read it, then wrote something on it as well before tapping her shoulder and giving it back to her. That's around the time, the teacher put the timer on and told the students to began the thirty question test.

The note read, don't worry about it.

Ashely just rolled her eyes and shoved it her pocket. Chad noticed the teacher wasn't looking, so he leaned forward and whispered in Ashely's ear.

"Go to the bathroom."

She didn't understand but did as she was told anyway. She raised her hand and waited till the teacher called on her, then headed to the bathroom.

Chad didn't want to make it seem suspicious, so he waited a good five minutes until he asked the teacher to use the bathroom as well.

"You got to talk to Luke." Chad was just now approaching his sister.

"About?" Ashely crossed her arms over her chest.

Chad was clearly annoyed. You could easily tell by his behavior, "Tell him to lay off. Anna and I didn't work out. Just tell him to leave me alone about it."

Ashely walked closer to her brother, "Are you sure that's it? You're acting weird Chad."

Chad immediately came to defense, "So are you. What's up with you and Jake?"

"That's none of your business." Ashely shook her head.

"Neither is mine. I'm glad we have an understanding." He just turned around and headed back to class as if that didn't seem less weird at all.

Ashely watched as he opened the door and walked in. She turned on her heels and just walked into the bathroom. She hoped she would be alone, but there was a particular redhead standing by the sink.

• • •

Ashely rolled her eyes, "I thought I got rid of you."

Rachel snickered, "You can never get rid of me."

Ashely didn't comment. She just walked into a stall and shut it. It annoyed her that Rachel just was standing there with nothing to do. Not only that, it was awkward. . . at least to Ashely. The quietness was too awful. Like honestly, what was she suppose to say?

Rachel walked up to the closed stall, "Ash?" She called out but no response. Ashely didn't really care much to talk anymore anyway. "Fine. Just listen then. I don't know if you'll ever give us another chance but I hope you do. I know I hurt you and you have every right to not open up to me again but I want you to know that I won't hurt you ever again. Ever." And with that, Rachel exited the bathroom.

Ashely didn't know what she was suppose to do with that. She was currently working Jake, then there's Rachel who's trying to get her back. It was clear to say she was confused. Her mind told her Jake but her heart told her Rachel.

People say it's best to listen to your heart but in this case . , . she had every right not too.

a/n:
and there's the tea ☕️

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