Ashley

The room was hotter than I could remember. It was lighter too which could only mean I wasn't alone and it was morning. As I turned to see Sam resting peacefully I remembered last night's events and adrenaline so strong it forced us together like magnets. I decided if that was how adrenaline could make you feel, I was to become an adrenaline junkie, but maybe it was the blonde that made it that more surreal. 

As surreal as it was, I felt no different. Sure I was proud and at the same time traumatised but I was still ready to kick vampire ass, save my brother and find the rest of Santa Carla. 

My legs swung over the couch bare but the rest of me embraced in Sam's date shirt, still smelling of the perfect pizza but slightly wrapped in the red paint. I sighed, putting on my skirt feeling a sense of pride seeing clothing draped on the floor. My logic was if we were to leave Santa Carla we'd leave with a bang. 

I levelled with Sam, literally, stroked his bare shoulder that was still heated with passion. His grumble signalled his awakening and his blue eyes opened so sharply, they could've scared someone that didn't care so much as I. 

His smile as my eyes met his would be a picture to capture forever if I could, a memory to last the ages even if it didn't work out, which was at the back of my mind. 

"Is that my shirt?" His voice still groggy and an arm dragged over his squinted eyes. 

"No I just went rummaging through the garbage to see what I could find" I smirked, stroking the buttons. 

"You went through the trash naked?" He questions attempting to catch me out. 

Sweat beaded everywhere as I searched for an answer like my imaginary shirt story. 

"W-well n-not necessarily...I-I-" I stuttered, but the more I stuttered the more I filled his pot of ego. 

"No? Not necssarily?" He teased sitting up exhibiting more of his titillating chest. 

He came closer and closer and my stuttering persisted. An answer still didn't come to mind. 

"N-not my fault you dress trashy" I pouted crossing my arms, eyes closed not facing the humiliation. 

"Oh I dress trashy?" his voice drenched with playfulness but he still crept closer. 

Before my snarky comment could be delivered and received, I was pulled back down onto the couch. Sam shifted pinning his legs by my waist, sending flashbacks of the previous night. My mind filled with panic and laughter as his hands tickled every single part of my waist sending me into fits of laughter. I would've done anything to have seized the moment but also to stop him from tickling. 

"Who's the best dresser here?" He chuckled, continuing my torture. 

"Me!" I yelled, still laughing, tears escaping my eyes. 

"Who?" he taunted, moving to my underarms and neck. 

I remained strong, mentally composing myself but physically I was being pushed off the edge. Tension prevailed as he tickled me faster, his ears desperate for revenge and satisfaction in that one answer. 

"YOU GOD!" I exclaimed, breathing heavily as his fingers retreated. 

Instead of tickling he stroked my sides, leaning down. Our chests pressed together, he leaned in to kiss me slowly. 

"I'm glad we could come to an agreement" he smirked. 

"If that's what you wanna call it" I chuckled. 

Leaning. 

"ASHLEY!" 

-----

After bolting towards the sound, expecting a dead body or a dead ex-person. I came around the corner into the kitchen to see Lucy with a pan, frying eggs and bacon half-heartedly. Star and Michael bent down by a whitened figure, groaning and frosting more by the second. Jason. 

His withdrawals were getting out of hand. 

"Jase, are you alright?" I asked the obvious question out of panic and without thinking. Everyone shot me an 'are-you-kidding-me?' look and my cheeks changed colour. 

"I'm fine I don't know what everyone's worried about!" 

He attempted to stand but slunk with a sharp pain in his gut, his hand attempting to soothe it. 

"Michael, Star what did you do?" I asked them, they shared a look. 

"I just waited for it to pass" Michael shrugged. 

"Yeah me too, there's nothing you can do."

I thought for a moment, trying to remember anytime Star might've done anything. Sleep, that was it!

"Sleep is the best thing! ANyone have any sleeping pills?" I demanded frantically, slightly proud I remembered the answer. 

A shake of the head from everyone. 

He needed to relax, what could we do? 

Then it came to me, the only useful thing about me staying in the cave so long was my hobbies. One of them just so happened to be the answer to my prayers. 

"Give me a second!" I dashed out of the kitchen, dodging boxes and jumping over shelves like a not so well thought out action movie that's also low on budget. 

I rummaged through my bedside table finding a box, inside it a herbal essence that could be used for more than just smell. I journeyed back to the drama room, feeling the aura of hope and anticipation and smelling the fear. 

I held up the ball of green. 

"Pot? Really Ash?" 

"Wow of course."

"How the hell is that supposed to help?"

"I can't believe this! Nevermind I can!" 

"Is that sensible?"

"You trying to get us all high is that it?!"

What did I expect? I did just burst into the room with marijuana for a vampire cure. It was crazy but wasn't the whole concept crazy? 

"It relaxes the muscles and soothes you. It won't be as painful" I spoke directly to Jason ignoring the rest.

"You in."

The beads of sweat on his forehead answered for him, he was ready for anything right now even if it worked 45%. 

"That's the stupidest question I've ever heard but besides that, I'm not totally against it" he grinned. 

The rest were still playing mom's and dad's in the corner of the kitchen. 

"Whatever" Edgar muttered. 

"Don't pretend you're innocent Ed!" I snapped, then covered my mouth noticing his parents in the corner still by the TV. 

"It's alright, they can't hear you" he shrugged, Alan looked down sadly. The floor never looked so interesting. 

----

Jason chuckled next to me, smoke puffing everywhere and the rest pretending to be disgusted. I knew though that they were secretly gasping for a break, Lucy and all! This, of course, included me. 

"So are we sticking to the original plan or what?" 

My ears spiked looking away from the joint, as hard as it was.

"Right, we'll split up into two groups. Who are our strongest members?" I asked clueless faces with a little determination stood in front of me. 

"You, Jason, Michael" Sam stepped forward, the rest agreed even Ed and Al though the disappointment was evident. 

"Right uh so if Michael takes Star and Lucy, I'll take Sam, Ed, Al and Jason. The Frog parents can just..." 

I stopped. 

I remembered something or someone. 

A ponytail. 

A bandana. 

A climactic fight ending. 

"Sam...Where's your grandpa?"