Ashley - 11:50pm, October 31st

I look up from my phone where I had been texting Josh and see Chad, texting on his own phone. I lean over slowly and whisper in his ear, "Who are you texting?" I ask, trying to look over his shoulder right before he smiles at me and rolls over so that he's on top of me. He kisses me softly before getting back up.

"I'll be right back." He says as he exits my room and goes into the bathroom. Smiling, I sit up and push hair out of my face. Maybe this relationship will actually work out. Just then, his phone rings and I pick it up, answering with a smile on my face.

"Chad's phone, Ash speaking."

"Yeah, hey. Where's Chad?" I hear a girl's voice through the phone speaker. His sister maybe? He did mention that he has one.

"In the bathroom."

"Of course he is. Well, can you tell him that Melissa called and that he needs to get his ass over here?"

"Sure thing. You his sister?"

"What? No, I'm his girlfriend." I frown, confused. I hear the door open and see Chad smiling at me before he sees my expression.

"Girlfriend?" I ask, angry as hell.

"Oh, shit." He says as I hang up the phone and get up, closing the door.

"You have a girlfriend?!" I lash out at him after having the worst day of my life.

"Well, I mean it's not like we're super serious or anything, Ash."

"Okay, sure but I can't believe you left out this detail!"

"It never came up?"

"Oh, really? So when I asked about you and what you do and your friends and stuff you didn't think to say, 'oh, by the way, I have a girlfriend'? What the hell is wrong with you? You told me not to hang out with Chris because he has a crush on me, and you have a girlfriend?! Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with you?" I pull my hand back and slap him across the face and he, without even flinching, smacks me right back, hard, knocking me onto the bed. I scream and lunge forward, about to punch him right in the face when I feel arms around my waist, pulling me back and hear Sam's voice.

"Ash! What are you doing? Calm down!"

"I don't know! She just started going crazy!" Chad yells, backing up towards the door.

"Get out! Get the fuck out of my house!" I scream at him, tears rolling down my face.

"Chad, leave." Sam says to him, calmly. "I'll try to figure this out."

"Um, can I have my phone?" He says, gesturing to my hand which is still clutching it tightly.

"Oh, this? Yeah sure." I say, chucking it out my open window. "Go get it, bitch!"

He runs out quickly. As soon as we hear the front door slam shut, Sam let go of my arms. "Okay," She says, walking around to face me. "Tell me what happened. I was talking to someone on the phone."

"He has a girlfriend." I whisper, sitting down on my bed.

"Oh, god. I'm so sorry." She sits down next to me and puts her arm around me, pulling me close and letting me cry.

"I think Halloween is now my least favourite holiday."

- 2:15am, November 1st

I hover my finger over the send button on the text to Chris, finally getting up the nerve to send it before putting on my coat and hat and stepping outside, stepping quietly as to not wake up Sam.

- 2:30am, November 1st

My boots crunch the snow down as I walk up to Chris's house, stopping at the front door. As I reach my hand up to the door to knock, the door opens wide and I see Chris trying to zip up his coat. "Oh, gosh. Ash, it seems you have caught me at an awkward time." He says, breaking the zipper.

I gasp, "Chris, your hand!" I pick up his broken hand in both of mine and the sudden stress causes me to break down again. Tears start to stream down my face and I lean into his chest, clinging onto and crying into his shirt.

"Ash? My hand's really not that bad."

"It's not you. It's… Chad. He has a girlfriend."

"Oh jeez. Come on." He picks me up awkwardly, by my waist while I cling to his shirt, causing me to giggle. "Gah!" He groans, tossing me onto his couch, "You're heavier than you were last time I picked you up."

"Just what every girl wants to hear." I say, wiping the tears from my eyes.

"I know it. I'm such a smooth talker." He says, sitting down on the couch next to me and stretching his arms over the back of the couch. "So, um, Ash. Why did you come back? You said you didn't want to see me."

"I know I did. I just… Well I… "

He looks at me, confused. "You what?"

"I… I just want to do this." I lean forward and grab his face, pulling it close to mine. My eyes close as our lips touch and I become weak, my stomach feeling like it's filled with butterflies. I pull back and look him in the eyes. "I'm sorry."

He laughs, taking off his glasses before speaking, "Don't be." He says, pinning me on the couch and kissing me back softly.

I smile and close my eyes and for the first time in a while, I don't feel alone.