*NOT EDITED*

Chapter 44

---

You know that feeling when you've just woken up and the whole room was cold, but you were snuggled and warm under your heavy comforter. You could hear the birds chirping in the morning. It was early in the morning, or it wasn't, you still didn't know that. There was this blissful moment where you didn't know who you were or what was going on with your life.

And then you heard pots and pans banging in the kitchen and everything came back.

My hearted dropped as everything came rushing back. I groaned and turned in my bed.

Today was New Year's Eve.

Everyone was going to parties and having their New Year's Eve kiss whereas I felt like staying and sulking in my bed all day. It sounded like a good plan.

Apparently, Cameron, Sarah, Elyse, and Emma didn't think so.

They all came barging in my room after an hour of staying in my bed and watching old episodes of How To Get Away With Murder on Netflix.

"Get your lazy a** out of bed, it's New Year's Eve," Sarah yelled as she yanked the warm comforter off my body causing goosebumps to rise on my arms.

"I'm not in the mood, can you guys just leave?" I asked, hugging my knees in hopes of returning some of the warmth.

"No," they all said, deadpan.

"I'm serious this time. I don't feel like doing anything but staying in the bed."

"You sound feeble," Cameron said, "are you really going to let that punk ruin the fun that we're supposed to have before I deliver the sucker in my stomach? Then I'll be yelling 24/7. You were stupid enough to fall for him and now you can't get up again. Show him that you don't need him. Show him that you can do six times better than him. Show him what he lost."

"Cameron, I loved him," I said softly. My voice cracked and I felt like there was a ball of cotton stuck in my throats that I couldn't swallow or talk past it.

"I know, Ashie. But you will love again. You have to let him go like I did to Warren."

I looked at her as the words were slowly being processed in my head. She seemed noticeably happier after Warren left—her face brighter, her attitude positive.

"I don't think I can."

"To hell, you can't," Emma said, stepping out of the closet with an outfit in her hand. "If you don't put this on in 10 minutes, I will put it on for you myself."

"Where's Damon?" I asked.

"Soccer practice."

"I forgot all about that," I groaned, "does he know?"

"No, I thought it would've been better if you told him," Elyse answered.

I nodded and watched as they all piled out. I considered locking the door and going back to watching Netflix, but they were all women I didn't want to deal with. If it got to the point where they had to break down the door, no hesitation would be made.

The clothes Emma had picked out for me were all party clothes that discouraged me even more. Nevertheless, I still put them on.

The outfit consisted of black ripped jeans, a white, tight tank top, and a black leather jacket. She topped off the outfit with long dangling necklaces and a pair of black half boots.

The only problem was that it was freezing cold outside.

"The club we're going to isn't cold. You'll just spend a half minute before entering the car and another half minute when leaving the car and entering the club. You'll be fine," Emma said when I told her.

Cameron was coming with Emma and me, but Sarah and Elyse couldn't come.

I got my purse and walked down the stairs to where the girls were waiting for me. They smiled when they saw me and I gave a halfhearted smile back.

"I'm glad you tried," Cameron as we quickly walked to the car.

"Me too," I said.

I was able to apply mascara, matte lipstick, and concealer to hide the dark bags under my eyes. If I was going to leave my woman cave, then I may as well try even the slightest to look presentable.

Emma stopped the car in front of the supposed club. It was a chic, contemporary building that had neon lights everywhere on the exterior. Club Figaro, the bright red, neon title read.

We stepped out of the car and walked to the bouncer. It was then when I remembered that we needed fake ID's to enter and the panic set in. It was too late to say that to Emma and Cameron; the buff bouncer was looking at us expectantly with his muscular arms crossed.

"ID's please," he grumbled.

I looked at Emma in panic and was confused when I saw the calm expression on her face.

"Give him your ID from your purse," she said, her tone sending a secret message that I couldn't interpret.

There was nothing else that I could do but pretend that I had forgotten it in the house. I unzipped the purse and looked through it and was surprised to find a rectangular card—an ID.

Surprised and confused, I picked up the card and showed it to the bouncer. He quickly skimmed the fake ID's with his eyes before grunting and stepping aside.

We walked into the club and I looked around, noticing that it wasn't that crowded.

Finally; a party place where everyone wasn't breathing the same air.

"I put the ID in your purse when you were changing and Cameron volunteered to be the designated driver. I got everything covered."

"Thank you," I said with a grateful smile. She squeezed my hand in return as we walked deeper into the crowd.

We took our seats by the bar and got the bartender's attention. Weirdly, he looked to be about a year or two older than me.

"Hello," he said with a smile, "what can I get a pretty girl like you?"

"A martini, please," Emma answered for me.

"I don't feel like drinking today," I said, tucking my hair behind my ear.

She hesitated before saying, "Okay. I'll take that for me, then."

The bartender nodded. "And you?"

"A berry mojito will do fine."

"Coming right up," he said before turning around and doing his skilled tricks with the cups and alcohol.

Two minutes later, he slid the drinks towards us, giving mine last. "So, you go to school here?"

I nodded and took a sip from my cold drink, not eager in engaging into conversation with him. I felt his eyes on me while I did so and tried to ignore them.

"You don't want to be here," he said it, as a statement than a question.

"Yes."

"Then why are you?"

I jerked my head to Emma and Cameron when they weren't looking. A look of understanding played on his face and I turned around in my seat, giving him my back as I watched everyone dance.

"Do you want to dance?"

I looked to my right to see a guy in front of Cameron with his hand outstretched to her. She looked to us excitedly, asking for permission and we enthusiastically nodded. Cameron stood up and took his hand, disappearing into the crowd.

"I need the bathroom, I'll be back in a second," Emma said as she stood up.

"I can see that you don't particularly enjoy my company," the bartender leaned in from behind and said in my ear, "but I'm a nice guy and I can find a way to get you out of here."

I smiled and turned around to face him. "It's not that I don't enjoy your company, I'm just not ready to start a new relationship. And as much as I'd love to escape, I have to stay. The girls tried hard and did a lot to get me here; I can't leave now."

He nodded with a chuckle. "Did he cheat?"

"Yes—no—well, I actually don't know," I said, "I kind of left without waiting for an explanation."

"You seem like a nice girl for deciding not to ditch the girls, says a lot about you. He must've been stupid to do anything that can risk his relationship with a gorgeous girl like you."

I narrowed my eyes at him jokingly. "You're not going to stop flirting, aren't you?"

He smirked and shrugged in return. A guy slid in the seat next to me, and the bartender—I realized I didn't catch his name yet—turned to get his order.

I spun in my seat to face the dance floor again when the guy next to me touched my shoulder.

I turned to see Ryder sitting next to me.

"W-what are you doing here?" I asked in surprise.

"I was looking for you everywhere. I needed to explain, but I see you moved on quite fast." His chocolate brown eyes that I fell in love with sent an expression that seemed to be pained or hurt.

"And so did you. Except you did it faster than me when I was in California."

He was about to say something when two girls stepped between us.

One of them turned and I saw that it was Chloe.

Fricking great.

The other girl turned around with a smirk. Her face was so similar, it was eerie. I had to put my drink down because it felt like I might've dropped it any second. She had shoulder-length blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Ash, you're back," she said.

I looked closer and widened my eyes when I realized who it was.

"Bex."

---------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Note:

Hey, guys! I have a lot to say here 😂.

So, I've read the comments in the previous chapters and I wanted to inform you that this is not the end of the book. There are a lot of loose ends that need to be tied. Like if Ryder cheated, who's Chloe, why'd she leave Maviston High, what's up with Bex, and if Ryder and Ash will come back together.

Is it true that Ryder doesn't love her back, what's the truth? What's the story?

We may be close to the end, but the end has not come yet. There's a lot more.

Also, try not to be confused about Bex and her new look or why she was with Chloe. Everything will be revealed and you will get all of your answers soon enough.

Don't forget to VOTE, COMMENT, SHARE, and FOLLOW!