u/Ivy_So_Savvy

[Chapter 1]

[Previous Chapter]

[The Road Ahead]

You are Andrew.

Andrew had been waiting for Ashley to show up at their usual meetup right by the school’s exit doors when he heard Principal White’s voice over the intercom, summoning him to his office.

He immediately felt his heart sink, Those fucking cops snitched on us after all, didn’t they?

Of course, he had absolutely no intention of going to the principal’s office, but given the fact that Ashley still hadn’t shown up yet, he soon realized that she was probably already there. Alone and unprotected ...

“Fuck me,” he muttered under his breath as he started race walking to White’s office.

He arrived shortly thereafter and knocked on the principal’s closed door several times before White opened it. Andrew felt a wave of relief; no cops in sight.

That relief immediately vanished, however, the moment his eyes landed on Ashley, her face flushed and eyes puffy from crying. Principal White nodded once and gestured for him to step in, but he didn’t even wait for the cue as he immediately kneeled in front of Ashley’s chair and took both of her hands into his own, resting them in her lap, “Hey, what happened? What’s wrong?”

She just shook her head, squeezing his hands tightly as her face crumpled further, and Andrew stood back up and turned his attention to Principal White, “Can we have a minute?”

White blinked, probably not expecting to be kicked out of his own office, but he simply nodded once more, “I’ll be outside whenever you’re ready.” With that, he closed the door behind himself, leaving the siblings alone in the principal’s office.

Andrew let go of Ashley’s hands just long enough to pull another chair directly in front of her, taking a seat himself and immediately reclaiming them once more. “Ashley,” he said softly but urgently, “I need to know what’s going on here.”

“I fucked up, Andy,” she muttered, her voice hoarse from sobbing. “I fucked up bad.”

Andrew swallowed hard, “What do you mean? What happened?”

“The principal wants to meet with Mom and Dad to talk about me,” she responded. “B-but they can’t! They’re gonna find out about you signing off on all my detention records. S-so I told him that … that Mom and Dad are abusive. I didn’t know what else to say!”

Andrew was speechless. How the hell was he going to get them out of this mess now?

Ashley looked up at him with watery eyes, “I’m rotten, Andy. I’m rotten to the core. But you can’t stop loving me. Please. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Andy. Please don’t hate me. Please please please!”

Andrew couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Ashley this broken, if ever. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Say something, Andrew. Fuck, think! Think!

Andrew gently placed a hand on the back of Ashley’s head, slowly pulling her closer until their foreheads touched. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before meeting her gaze once more, “I don’t hate you. I will never hate you. We’ll get through this just like everything else. I promise.”

Fresh tears began to fall down Ashley’s face as she leaned in and planted a single kiss on his lips, “I need you, Andrew. I need you so bad it hurts. I hate everyone and everything in this fucked up world, but I can’t stand being away from you. I … I’m nothing without you.”

Nothing without you. At the utterance of those three words, Andrew could feel everything else around them fade into obscurity. At that moment, he forgot all about their newfound problem. He forgot about Principal White waiting outside, about his unknowingly soon-to-be ex-girlfriend Julia, about their parents who had no idea of what was coming their way. He swore he even forgot his own name as his thumb slowly wiped away Ashley’s tears and his lips claimed hers.

The kiss was soft and delicate, but the sheer amount of love behind it was unquantifiable. He gently pulled away and rested his forehead against hers once again.

“Then let’s be something. Together.”

Andrew could hear Ashley’s breath catch in her throat, and he continued, “I wanna spend the rest of my life with you, Ashley. I’ve never been more sure of that than I am right here, right now. I can’t stand being away from you, either.” He brought up a hand to cup her cheek, “I don’t care if you’re nothing without me, because you’ll never be without me. Not for as long as I live.”

Ashley immediately clung to his hand with her own as she leaned into his touch, “Even though I’m the most vile girl on the planet?”

Andrew couldn’t help but smile at that, “No; because of it. You’re perfect for a freak like me.”

Ashley smiled back, and she kissed him one last time before pulling away fully and averting her gaze, “I still messed up really bad, though …”

Andrew sighed, “Yeah, I don’t think there’s any easy way outta this. We either tell White that you lied, in which case he’ll call Mom and Dad and all hell will break loose; not only will they find out you tried to frame them for child abuse, they’ll also know I’ve been forging Mom’s signature on all of your detention records.” He then bit the second knuckle of his index finger, something he often did subconsciously when he was stressed. “Or … we stick to the lie, and who knows what happens next.”

Ashley wiped away any remaining tears, “I mean, the school will call the police on them, right? They’ll probably take us away from them. I say they deserve it.”

Andrew couldn’t exactly deny that last part, but he shook his head, “No. We can’t. What’s gonna happen next? We’ll be put into foster care or something? What if we get separated in the process? I’ll be turning 18 soon enough, but … what if I can’t find you by then?”

Ashley stayed quiet, and Andrew looked away, “We need to face the consequences of our actions.”

After several moments of silence, she nodded, “Alright.”

Andrew’s eyes immediately flitted back up to her in shock. For as long as she had been alive, he had never once seen her take responsibility for anything she did.

Is she … is she actually growing up?

His expression must have been pretty readable, because Ashley’s cheeks turned pink, “We’ll be okay as long as we’re together … right?”

Andrew snapped out of it and nodded firmly, “Yes. We will.”

It was at that moment that there was a knock on the door. “Everything alright in there?” Principal White called out from the other side.

Andrew looked to his little sister, and she nodded solemnly. He cleared his throat and addressed their principal, “Yes. You can come back in.”

White opened the door and stepped back inside, a concerned look on his face.

Andrew looked him in the eyes, “We have something we need to tell you.”

[Chapter 1]

[Previous Chapter]

You are Andrew.

Andrew felt his stomach twist in panic as the two policemen stared at him and Ashley suspiciously. He swallowed hard, “Uh, hey there, officers! Funny you mention school, heh heh … We were actually just on our way back after a quick snack!”

What the fuck kinda answer was that, Andrew? You stupid fuck!

The officer who had called them out in the first place raised a brow, “Okay ..? That doesn’t explain what you two are doing out of school to begin with.”

Andrew cast Ashley a sideways glance in a silent plea for help, but of course, she just stared back at him with an expectant look on her face. He knew that look all too well; that was the “Figure it out, Andy” look.

Andrew sighed, “Alright … we skipped class, but … I mean, come on, officers. Didn’t you ever skip class when you were kids like us?”

The policemen traded glances for a moment before the same officer softened, “Look, kid: we’re on our break right now. Just hang around here and enjoy your meal. When all of us are finished, we’ll be taking you back to school, and no one else needs to know about this. Deal?”

Andrew blinked in shock, Wait … that actually fucking worked???

He quickly snapped out of it, “Y-yeah, yes! Deal! Thank you!”

The officer nodded curtly before turning to his buddy, “I gotta use the can. Get me the regular, will ya? And keep an eye on these two.” With that, he was off to the restroom.

Andrew faced Ashley with a plastered smile, “Why don’t you find us a table, babe?”

Ashley’s cheeks turned crimson in an instant, and Andrew prayed to all that was good and holy that she would just play along. Ashley gave him a quick, flustered nod and scampered off to a table in the corner of the cafe, leaving just Andrew and the officer who hadn’t spoken a word yet by the counter.

Andrew flashed Marie the barista an embarrassed wince, “S-so, um, how much was it?”

Marie simply smiled at him empathetically, “One hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and a turkey and cheese croissant. That’ll be $8.42.” She then lowered her voice, “Don’t feel bad; I used to play hooky all the time.”

Andrew just laughed nervously as he paid for what he’d ordered and headed over to the pickup area. It wasn’t long before he was joined by the officer who hadn’t spoken, the tag on his chest now clearly visible with the surname “Davies” printed on it. Davies leaned in closer towards Andrew and tilted his head towards Ashley, “So, is she your girlfriend?”

Andrew almost choked on his own spit, but he somehow managed to keep it together, “U-uh, yeah. We actually just started dating … today ..?”

Davies snorted, “You don’t sound so sure. Let me guess: it’s complicated?”

You have no idea.

“Y-yeah,” Andrew answered, “a little.”

“God knows we’ve all been there before,” Davies chuckled. “Just make sure you treat her right. By the way, I’m gonna do us all a favor and not question the marks on her neck.”

FUCK!

“Th-that’s, uh,” Andrew stuttered frantically.

Davies smiled warmly and put a hand up, “No need to worry. Young love really is a magical thing. You two known each other long?”

“Practically my entire life,” Andrew responded, not even realizing how that sounded until it was too late. He quickly backtracked, “I-I mean, it feels like I’ve known her my whole life, heh heh …”

Davies beamed, “Well isn’t that just adorable? I’m rootin’ for ya, kiddo!”

Andrew smiled anxiously, “Uh, th-thanks?”

Fortunately, Marie had arrived with Andrew’s order, and he quickly took it from her and cleared his throat, “Well, uh, we’ll just be over here.”

Davies nodded, a smile still on his face, as Andrew scurried over to the table Ashley had chosen.

Andrew slid into the booth right next to her and let out a massive sigh of relief. “What the fuck was he asking you?” Ashley asked as she immediately grabbed her hot chocolate and started licking the whipped cream.

“You don’t even wanna know,” Andrew muttered as he undid the wrapping of his turkey and cheese croissant, “but before we leave here, I’m giving you my overshirt, and you will wear it with the collar up. Got it?”

Her brow furrowed, “What? Why?” Less than two seconds later, she blinked, “Oh … right.”

Andrew stared at his food. He’d been starving for over an hour at this point, but after what had just happened, his appetite was all but nonexistent. Ashley, on the other hand, continued sipping on her hot chocolate, “Do you really think they’re just gonna drop us off at school and not make a big stink out of it?”

Andrew finally took a timid bite of his sandwich, “I mean, I feel like if they weren’t, they would’ve already thrown us back there by now. The fact that they’re letting us be here at all must be a good sign … I hope.”

Ashley shrugged nonchalantly, “Guess we’ll just have to wait and see, babe.”

Andrew blushed but did his best to stay calm as he continued taking small bites until his appetite finally returned. The two finished their meal quietly, and after Ashley had slipped on Andrew’s overshirt, the two officers approached their table. The first officer (who Andrew could now see was named Vanderbilt), put his hands on his hips, “Ready to head back to school now?”

They both nodded silently and got on their feet, following the policemen out of the cafe and getting into the back of the patrol car parked right outside. As Vanderbilt backed out of the establishment, he spoke once more, “You kids should really be careful being out alone these days. We got reports just this morning about two juvenile delinquents right around your age who assaulted some guy in the middle of the street and vandalized his motorcycle before leaving him on the side of the road, his leg crushed under the weight of his own bike.”

The siblings traded panicked glances, and Vanderbilt hummed, “Now that I think about it … Davies, what were the physical descriptions of the suspects again?”

Davies yawned, “One male and one female. Teenagers. Both had black hair with pale skin. I’m pretty sure they said the male had pink eyes and the female had green eyes ..? Or was it the male with green eyes and the female with pink eyes ..?”

Vanderbilt looked at the two of them through the rearview mirror for a few moments before shrugging, “Crazy world we live in, huh? You two better stay out of trouble from now on. The last thing we’d want is for you to turn out like those two brats, whoever they are.”

“W-we won’t,” Andrew gulped. “Promise.”

The short drive had already come to an end. They were back at school.

Vanderbilt pulled into the cul de sac right in front of the main entrance and turned to face the two of them directly, “Let this be the first and last time I ever have either one of you in the back of my car, because if it happens again, I can assure you it’s not gonna be nearly as pleasant.”

Neither Andrew nor Ashley said a word, and Davies shook his head, “You’re scaring ‘em, V. Just let the poor kids go already.”

Vanderbilt grunted as he unlocked the doors, and the Graves siblings couldn’t have exited the vehicle any faster. Davies pulled down his window and saluted coolly, “Take care now!”

And with that, the officers were off, leaving Andrew and Ashley standing in front of their school like kindergarteners on their first day.

Andrew turned to his sister, both his mind and his nerves completely fried, “You know what? I think we just used up all the luck we’ll ever have for the rest of our lives.”

Ashley scoffed “Ya think? I’d say that’s enough playing hooky for a looong time.”

Without another word, the two siblings reentered their school and begrudgingly went their separate ways.

[Chapter 1]

[Previous Chapter]

You are Ashley.

Ashley gasped as Andrew’s teeth nipped at her neck, her nails instinctively digging into his shoulders. Her entire body tingled, and a pool of heat was beginning to form at the bottom of her stomach.

Is this supposed to feel this good ..?

She had no clue, but she did know that whatever she was feeling, she needed more. Much more.

Her thighs clenched involuntarily against Andrew’s lap, and she let out a strange noise that was somewhere between a whimper and a moan as he started licking the fresh bite marks.

One of her hands flew up to grip the back of Andrew’s mane of shaggy black hair, and her back arched towards him as his tongue continued its ministrations on her skin.

She wasn’t the only one getting handsy, either.

Ashley shivered as Andrew’s hands moved along her body, one settling on the small of her back and the other right on her rear.

God, it felt good. Too good.

“W-wait, Andrew,” Ashley tapped his shoulder frantically. “Stop for a sec. Please.”

Andrew did so and pulled back to look at her, “Everything okay?”

Was everything okay? For as long as she could remember, the mere thought of doing anything even remotely close to what they were doing was utterly repulsive, but now …

Andrew’s brow furrowed, “Ashley, talk to me.”

Ashley looked away, “I … I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m doing. I …”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Andrew said softly, placing a finger under her chin and turning her face so that their eyes met, “it’s okay. Calm down. I’m here with you.”

Ashley looked into his emerald green eyes before her face crumpled, “You’re disappointed …”

He instantly shook his head vigorously, “What? Not at all. Why would you say that?”

“Because,” Ashley sniffled, “I can tell you’ve been waiting for this, and now I’m ruining it. God, I’m fucking awful at this!”

“Stop,” Andrew cut her off firmly. “You’re not ruining anything. You think I know what I'm doing? I’ve never done any of this stuff before …”

Ashley couldn’t believe her ears, “B-but … what about you and her?”

“Julia?” he asked incredulously. “Oh please. I can’t even hold her hand for too long or else it’ll become ‘sinful’.”

Ashley blinked tears away, “S-so this is the first time you’ve ever done this … ever?”

“That’s right,” he nodded reassuringly. He then smirked, “I’m as clean and pure as an angel.”

Despite her mood, Ashley couldn’t help but giggle at that, “Yeah, maybe an angel from hell.”

They both laughed at that for a moment, and Andrew smiled at her warmly, “Feeling better?”

Ashley stayed quiet. Knowing that Andrew wasn’t completely gross yet did indeed make her feel better, but there was something else that was still eating at her core, and she couldn’t even figure out what it was herself.

Her inner conflict must have been pretty noticeable, because Andrew immediately got serious, “Let’s stop. I don’t wanna continue if—“

“No!” Ashley blurted out before she could even think. “Er, I mean … Goddamnit, I don’t even know what I want anymore.”

Andrew studied her quietly for a moment before sighing, “There’s something else you’re not telling me, isn’t there? This isn’t just you being insecure about your performance.”

He was right, and after several more moments of silence between them, Ashley finally figured out what it was, “I just … I don’t want this to become all we do now. I’ll admit it definitely feels a whole lot better than I was ever expecting, but … I don’t want you to see me as just another slut you can fuck whenever you feel like it.”

Andrew looked almost offended, “Ashley, what kinda person do you think I am? If sex was all I wanted, don’t you think I’d be doing it with someone who—oh, I don’t know—wasn’t my sister?”

Ashley let out a defensive huff, “B-beats me! For all I know, that could be the only reason you even started going out with that hussy in the first place. You still have to break up with her, by the way.”

Andrew scoffed, “Pointless reminder, but okay? And for your information, I’m not exactly proud of the fact that I have these feelings for you, but sexual interest is only a small part of it.”

“Only a small part, huh?” she raised a brow skeptically. “Why? Am I too ugly to fuck all of a sudden?”

Andrew’s face twisted in annoyance and confusion, “Alright, what the fuck are you talking about? You tell me you don’t want us fucking 24/7, but after trying to assure you that that isn’t what I want either, you get offended? You’re not making any sense.”

Once again, Ashley knew he was right, but she was way too frustrated trying to figure out what point she was even trying to make anymore to admit it. Instead, she chose to say nothing.

Andrew sighed, “I love you, Ashley. I always have, and I always will. In fact, I’m probably the only one who can. Do you really not believe me?”

Ashley finally deflated, “I do … and I love you, too. More than you’ll ever be able to appreciate.”

Andrew snorted, “We’ll see about that.” He then wrapped both arms around her and pulled her into a hug, “Look … today’s been pretty crazy for both of us. Aside from the fact that you almost got fucking abducted this morning, I think we’ve been more open with one another in the past hour than at any other point in our entire lives thus far. And as much as I’d love to know what the future has in store for us after everything that’s happened today, I don’t. You don’t either. So … let’s just take our time with this, okay?”

Ashley looked up at him vulnerably, and he smiled at her, “I’m not going anywhere. Andy and Leyley forever and ever, right?”

Ashley felt her eyes water again, but she buried her face in his chest and hugged him back tightly, “You better fucking mean that.”

The Graves siblings continued to embrace in comforting silence for quite some time, the peaceful sounds of the woods around them slowly fading away as Ashley focused on the sound of Andrew’s beating heart.

Eventually, he started to shift under her and cleared his throat, “So … we still have quite a bit of time before we should head back to school.”

Ashley looked up at him, “Yeah?”

He nodded with a shy smile, “And I was thinking about maybe taking my little sister to the cafe down the street and buying her some hot chocolate.”

Ashley chuckled, “You’re just trying to butter me up now.”

Andrew raised a brow, “Is that a no?”

She groaned, “Ugh, fine.” She slid off his lap and got on her feet, extending a hand down to him.

Andrew took it and got up, brushing grass off his pants, and Ashley immediately clung to his arm, “Do you even know how to get outta here? I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Of course you weren’t,” he huffed. “We only walked like 50 steps from the edge of the parking lot, but we’re definitely not going back that way.” He then looked around and pointed in another direction, “If I’m not mistaken, the cafe should be somewhere over there.”

The two made their way back into the forest, and, after trudging along for some time, they found themselves standing directly behind the cafe in question.

“Wow,” Ashley blinked. “You were actually right.”

“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence,” Andrew shook his head lightheartedly. “C’mon; I’m getting you that hot chocolate and something for me to eat. I’m still fucking starving.”

Ashley followed Andrew around to the front of the store and stuck her tongue out at him as he opened the door for her.

She was immediately blasted in the face by the smell of coffee and pastries, and Andrew’s stomach growled as he entered behind her. The establishment was relatively empty, and there was a single barista working behind the counter. She smiled as the two approached her, her blonde ponytail bobbing through her baseball cap, “Hi there! Welcome to Buckstar! My name’s Marie! We’ve got a promotional offer for the newest ToxiSoda flavor: Apple Cider Vinegar!”

Andrew scrunched his nose, “Apple Cider Vinegar? What’s next? Hydrochloric acid flavor?”

Marie giggled, “Yeah, sorry about that. I’m contractually obligated to advertise anything and everything related to ToxiSoda. What can I actually get for you guys?”

“A hot chocolate with extra whipped cream for her and a turkey and cheese croissant for me,” Andrew answered, pulling out his wallet.

Just as Marie started ringing them up, a man's voice called out sternly from behind them, “Hey!”

Both Andrew and Ashley turned to see two policemen who had just entered the cafe.

“Shouldn’t you kids be in school?”

[Chapter 1]

[Previous Chapter]

You are Andrew.

After collecting their things from their lockers, Andrew met Ashley outside the boys’ restroom on the school’s first floor, the only place he was sure they could squeeze through the window without getting injured or, more importantly, caught.

Andrew approached Ashley and looked over her shoulder down the hall, “Nobody saw you, right?”

Ashley raised a brow, “If they had, do you really think I’d be standing here right now?”

He rolled his eyes, “Just do the thing already.”

Ashley opened the bathroom door and called out, “Um, janitor incoming. Anybody there?”

Crickets.

“Good,” Andrew said as he pushed the door open all the way and gestured for Ashley to enter.

Ashley looked him up and down with a smirk before waltzing in, “Wow, such a gentleman.”

Andrew closed the door behind them, and Ashley immediately pinched her nostrils shut, “Holy … God, it fucking reeks in here!”

“Are you really that surprised?” Andrew asked amusedly as he made his way over the window on the opposite wall. He got down on one knee and cupped his hands in front of him, “C’mon, I’ll boost you up.”

Ashley put one foot in his hands, and Andrew stood up. After fiddling with the latch for a couple seconds, she successfully opened the window and started to climb through. Andrew continued pushing her up until she had made it all the way and landed with a soft thud, “Oof!”

“Are you okay?” Andrew asked, trying to hide just how concerned he was.

“Mhm!” Ashley answered cheerily from outside. “Hurry up, Andy!”

Andrew let out a subconscious sigh of relief as he grabbed the windowsill with both hands and pulled himself up with a grunt. He, too, squeezed through the window and landed as gracefully as he could (that is, without breaking his own neck). Ashley turned to Andrew as he got up off the ground, “So, what now?”

Andrew dusted himself off and looked around, “Uh, good question.”

As it was right now, they were heavily exposed in the parking lot, but Andrew’s eyes were immediately drawn to the small forest on the school’s southern edge. “Let’s hide out there while I think,” he said, already making his way over.

Ashley scoffed as she walked by his side, “Seriously? We do all that and you don’t even know where we’re gonna go?”

Andrew scowled, “Do I need to remind you that playing hooky was your idea? I’m not the only one with a functioning brain here … or am I?”

Ashley grumbled but didn’t say anything else as they made their way into the woods.

The foliage was relatively light, but even after a few dozen or so paces, the school was no longer visible. Andrew stopped once they had reached a small clearing with a single large tree in the center. He leaned against its trunk and looked up at the overcast sky, a gentle breeze carrying the scent of earth and wood to his nostrils. Ashley took one his hands into her own and looked up at him expectantly, “Well? Got any ideas yet?”

He looked down at his little sister and shrugged, “I mean, it’s pretty nice here, isn’t it? I wouldn’t mind just chilling out for a while. Whaddaya say?”

Ashley shrugged back, “Sure. Honestly, I don’t even care that much. As long as I’m with you.”

Andrew felt his heart skip a beat, and he grinned, “Y’know, it’s funny you say that, cuz I was thinking the exact same thing.” Andrew lowered himself down against the tree, slowly pulling Ashley by the hand until the two were seated next to each other.

Ashley giggled, immediately scooting even closer and resting her head on his shoulder. She craned her neck to look up at him, “What’s that goofy smile for?”

I’ve been smiling ..?

Andrew tried to play it off with a nonchalant huff, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, “I dunno. Maybe I actually like hearing your little gremlin laugh and feeling your big ass head resting on me.”

Ashley pouted and buried her face into the crook of his neck, “Shut up …”

And shut up he did.

The two siblings sat under the tree for quite some time without saying a word, simply enjoying the nature around them and, much more importantly, each other’s company.

Eventually, Ashley looked up at him once more, the affection in her gaze painfully evident, “You’ve changed, Andrew.”

Andrew blinked, “Huh?”

She looked away with a shy smile, “You never used to admit these kinds of things. For as long as I can remember, it was almost like … you were afraid to love me.”

Was it really that obvious?

Andrew cleared his throat, “Y-yeah, well, uh …” His gaze fell upon the grass directly in front of them.

How the hell was he going to explain this to her? Of course, he’d always loved her as a sister, as much as he’d hate to admit it at times. But recently, those feelings had certainly … evolved (or devolved, as Andrew might’ve put it). He knew it was wrong to feel the way he felt about her, but seeing her sitting right next to him, looking surprisingly vulnerable, was enough for him to finally admit the truth.

“I was afraid,” Andrew confessed quietly, tears beginning to creep into the corners of his eyes.

Ashley looked at him in shock, and he quickly realized he couldn’t even remember the last time he had cried in front of her. Her gaze then softened completely, “Why? Why were you afraid?”

“Because,” Andrew responded, voice cracking, “the kind of love I have for you … It goes beyond just being your brother, Ashley. It … it’s abnormal.”

Ashley gently cupped his cheek with her hand and smiled warmly, “And since when were Andy and Leyley ever normal? It’s always been us against the world, hasn’t it? Hell, even when it’s been us against each other, we still got one another when no one else ever could.”

Andrew sniffled, “Can’t argue with that. It’s not often that we’re good, but when we are, it’s like nothing else, huh?”

“Exactly,” she nodded eagerly, “and now that you’ve told me this … well, I think we’re gonna be ‘good’ for a while, wouldn’t you agree?”

Andrew swallowed hard, “You’re … you’re really not weirded out by any of this?”

Ashley snorted, “Why would I be?” She then wrapped an arm around his neck and rested her forehead against his, a teasing smirk plastered on her face, “I always knew you were a little freak anyway.”

They both burst into laughter, but it was cut short by Andrew’s stomach rumbling loudly.

“Oh yeah,” Ashley frowned, “you didn’t get to eat before we ditched school.”

Andrew looked into Ashley’s rosy eyes, a coy grin spreading across his lips, “Guess I’ll just have to eat whatever I can get my hands on.” Without any warning, he pinched her nose with his fingers, “Chomp!”

Ashley squeaked and playfully swatted at his hand, “H-hey!”

Andrew then leaned in and lightly bit her cheek, “Chomp!” That got a full-fledged laugh out of her, but he wasn’t done yet. He went further down, sinking his teeth into her slender neck.

Ashley inhaled sharply, “Andrew!”

He pulled away just enough to see her face, and she gave him a look that was equal parts bewildered and … something else.

Suddenly, Andrew had the feeling that he wasn’t the only one who was hungry anymore.

“What’s the matter, Leyley?” he asked playfully. “Did I do something abnormal~?”

She didn’t even answer him. Instead, she grabbed his shoulders and turned to face him head-on, straddling his lap and claiming his lips with her own before he could even react.

Too much teeth, Andrew thought, but quite frankly, he literally could not care less at the moment as Ashley continued kissing him in a way that could only be described as borderline desperate.

The two eventually pulled away to catch their breath, and Andrew couldn’t help but laugh, “Y’know, you’ve changed, too.”

“Oh really?” Ashley panted. “How so?”

“Well, less than 24 hours ago, you were going off about how gross this kinda shit is,” Andrew smirked.

Ashley squinted at him, “Oh, so you were awake for all of that. I fucking knew it!” She leaned in again for yet another kiss before pulling back to continue, “So then I’m sure you also heard what I said immediately after that.”

Andrew rolled his eyes, “Yeah, yeah. If we get married, then maybe it’s different. Although this looks like a lot more than just a ‘maybe’ to me.”

Ashley’s cheeks turned almost as pink as her eyes, and she groaned, “God, you talk too much. Just shut up and fucking eat me like you said you would.”

Andrew’s smirk turned downright devious at that, “You have no idea what you’re asking for, do you~?”

[Chapter 1]

[Previous Chapter]

You are Ashley.

As usual, the first half of the school day went by in a blur for Ashley, who spent most of it either doodling in her spare notebook or throwing scraps of paper at the backs of her classmates’ heads when no one was watching. The bell finally rang for lunch, and Ashley quickly packed her things and made her way to the cafeteria. She was one of the first people to arrive, and after being served, she made a beeline for her secluded table in the corner. She sighed contently as she took a seat, the isolation from the rest of her peers already commonplace for her. No one would ever be caught dead sitting with her, after all.

No one, except for Julia.

The yellow-eyed girl smiled at her timidly as she took a seat across from her, “H-hi, Ashley.”

“Hi,” Ashley said flatly.

Julia swallowed, “S-so, um … how are you today ..?”

“Good.”

Ashley was in absolutely no mood to entertain Julia at the moment. She merely tolerated her existence so that she wouldn’t have to sit alone every single day, but Ashley knew all too well that the only reason Julia even bothered sitting here at all was to try and get in her good graces after Andrew spilled the beans about the two of them dating.

Julia shifted awkwardly in her seat, “H-hey, so, um … Jane and I were going to go to the movies this weekend with a few of her friends. Would you like to come, too ..?”

Ashley raised a brow, “Let me guess: you invited Andrew already, and you thought that me tagging along would somehow make things better between us?”

Julia blinked, “Wh-what? No, not at all! It’s just supposed to be a … girls’ night out kinda thing, o-or whatever.”

Ashley didn’t buy that for a second, and she scoffed, “Why would I ever wanna do that? You’re probably just gonna watch some stupid rom-com or something. No thanks.”

Julia’s shoulders sagged as she looked down at the floor, “O-oh, okay …”

God, what the fuck does Andrew see in this bitch that makes her so special? Ashley gritted her teeth. She’s got the willpower of a fucking leaf in a stream.

Ashley had half the mind to tell her exactly what happened between her and Andrew last night right here and now, just to see the look on Julia’s face as her entire world would crumble to pieces.

But then, a better, more insidious idea wormed itself into Ashley’s brain, and she smirked.

I’m not going to tell her. No, I’ll make Andrew tell her. Right in front of me.

Julia, ever so oblivious to Ashley’s scheming, cleared her throat, “Y’know, it really is a shame that the seniors don’t get to eat for another hour. Er, I mean … I’d love to be able to have lunch with Andrew every day.”

“Yeah,” Ashley mumbled bitterly, “I bet you’d love that.”

Julia then averted her gaze and muttered under her breath, “Clearly not as much as you would.”

Ashley’s eye twitched, “What was that ..?”

“N-nothing!” Julia laughed nervously. “I-it’s just that … Well, I know how close you two are, so … I’m sure it’s tough being apart for most of the day and all.”

I’m going to kill you, you fucking hussy. I’m going to kill you just like I killed your little friend what’s-her-name.

“You don’t know anything,” Ashley squinted at Julia. “You know what? Why don’t you go sit at that table over there?” She then pointed to the table all the way on the opposite end of the cafeteria. “Make someone else suffer through your blabbering, because I’ve had enough.”

Julia stared at Ashley in stunned silence for a few moments before getting up and leaving without a word. Ashley watched her shuffle over to the farthest table away and sighed.

Welp, there goes my only friend.

Ashley finished the rest of her lunch quietly and pulled out her spare notebook to continue doodling with the time that remained. She was currently working on her latest magnum opus, which consisted of two stick figures—one green and the other pink—standing over a grey stick figure who had been crushed by a motorcycle. She had just added the finishing touches when the bell rang once more.

While on the way to her next class, she happened to run into Andrew, who was clearly on the way to class as well. He gave her a small smile, “Uh, hey.”

Ashley didn’t waste time with a greeting, “Did that slut invite you to the movies this weekend?”

Andrew’s brow furrowed, “What? No. Why?” His face then paled, “Wait a minute …”

Ashley scowled, “Ugh, don’t worry; I didn’t tell her anything. Well, except for a ‘go fuck yourself’ during lunch just now.”

Andrew facepalmed, “Great.”

Ashley put her hands on her hips, “I mean, I didn’t actually use those words!”

Andrew put a hand up in defeat, “Can’t wait to hear what she’s gonna have to say about this later.”

“I’m sorry, what ‘later’?” Ashley frowned. “I thought this was it between you and that bitch.”

Andrew looked away, “Well …”

She cut him off with an incredulous snort, “I can’t believe it. Are you seriously still going to go out with that hussy after kissing me last-”

Andrew immediately shoved his hand over her mouth, causing Ashely to fall back against a nearby locker. “Ashley,” he growled in a low voice, pinning her against the locker, “we are in public.”

Just then, two girls passed by them. “Hey look,” one of them sneered, “it’s the incesty-besties.” They both snickered before scampering off.

Andrew immediately released his hand from Ashley’s mouth and stepped back, a look of horror on his now beet-red face. Ashley wiped off her mouth with the back of her own hand and scoffed at him, “Nice job, genius. You’re really batting a thousand today. First you ditch me, then you pin me against the wall like I’m some kinda whore, and now you’re telling me you don’t even want me after you had your fun last night?”

“That’s not it at all!” Andrew snapped. “All I was trying to say before you decided to jump to fucking conclusions was that I can’t just stop talking to Julia out of nowhere. If I’m gonna break up with her, I need to tell her something, right?”

Ashley’s entire demeanor shifted as her heart soared at his words. “You really mean it?” she asked in a soft voice. “You’re gonna break up with her?”

Andrew swallowed hard, “Y-yes. I’ll break up with her. Happy now?”

Ashley just stared at her brother for a solid five seconds, her brain still trying to make sure she heard him correctly.

I FUCKING WON!!!

She felt tears prick the corners of her eyes, “Oh, Andy.” She instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek, “I knew you’d come to your senses eventually! I just knew it!”

Andrew reluctantly returned the hug, his face going red once more as she kissed him, “Wh-what the hell is that supposed to mean? 

“Never mind that,” she waved a hand dismissively before burying her head in his chest. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

Andrew said nothing, but Ashley smirked as she could hear just how fast his heart was beating.

It was at that moment that the bell rang yet again, and Andrew sighed, “Aaaand now we’re late to class.”

Ashley looked up at him and pouted, “Can’t we just skip? I want more huggies!”

Andrew chuckled lightly, “Fat chance. Unless you think I should just forge Mom’s signature on both of our detention records ..?”

Ashley bit her lip and batted her eyelashes in an exaggerated fashion, “Ooh, you’re so bad, Andrew~. Let’s do it!”

“You’re crazy,” he shook his head with a smirk before shrugging. “But … Meh, what the hell? Let’s ditch this place.”

Andrew leaned in and kissed her lightly on the forehead, and Ashley smiled from ear to ear, “You’re really taking this whole ‘eloping’ thing seriously, huh? You do realize you’re basically agreeing to run away with me, right?”

He let out an amused snort, “I wouldn’t call skipping two classes running away. Let’s just hurry up before I change my mind.”

And with that, the Graves siblings took the first step in planning their great escape.

[Chapter 1]

[Previous Chapter]

You are Andrew.

Andrew regretted abandoning Ashley the second he left the apartment, but it wasn’t until he was already out on the sidewalk on the way to school that the loneliness and panic caused him to turn back. He had always convinced himself that her presence was merely a good distraction from his own thoughts, but the truth was, his thoughts consisted mainly of her to begin with. In fact, the only time she ever wasn’t on his mind was when he was with Julia, but even then …

Andrew’s train of thought was quickly cut short at the sound of Ashley’s panicked screaming right around the corner of their apartment complex.

“LET GO OF ME!”

Andrew felt all of the blood in his body run cold in an instant. He didn’t think he had ever sprinted so fast in his life as he turned the corner to see a grown-ass man yanking his sister by the arm and trying to force her onto his motorcycle.

The man grunted, “Quit being such a fucking tease before I kick in those pretty little teeth of yours.”

Andrew didn’t even feel himself dash towards him and sucker punch him right in the jaw until it had already happened. The guy immediately let go of Ashley and reeled back, falling over and yelling in agony as the motorcycle crushed one of his legs.

Andrew was practically frothing at the mouth with rage as he glared down at the man, “Get your filthy fucking hands off of my sister.” Ashley had already wrapped both arms around one of his and clung to him like a child with their teddy bear.

The guy desperately tried to push the motorcycle off of him, but to no avail, “Fuck you, kid! You have no idea who you’re messing with. I’ll fucking kill both of you, you little shits!”

The siblings simply stared at the man cursing them out for a few moments before Andrew muttered to Ashley, “What do you wanna do with him?”

Ashley, still clutching Andrew’s arm in a death grip, just glared at the guy for another second before shrugging, “Let’s just leave him here. He’s clearly not going anywhere, and someone’s bound to call the police or an ambulance at some point. But first …”

Ashley rummaged through her bag and pulled out the key to the apartment. She looked at Andrew with a mischievous grin, and he knew exactly what she was thinking. He gave her a nod of approval, and she immediately got to work carving a giant heart with the letters “A + L” right onto the side of the bike, all while the guy was screaming profanities helplessly.

Ashley took a step back, and they both admired her handiwork. “You’ve really outdone yourself this time,” Andrew said with a smirk, but she just turned away and started walking.

He hastily caught up with her, “Hey, I … I’m sorry for leaving without you, okay?”

She continued walking, not even bothering to look at him, “You’re a real asshole, Andrew. Why do you always hurt me like this?

Her words were like a punch to the gut, and Andrew scoffed, “I just saved your life!”

“You wouldn’t have had to if you’d stayed with me like you were supposed to!”

“You have no way of knowing that! That greasy fuck could’ve still come onto you even if I were around.”

Ashley stayed quiet at that, and Andrew sighed, “Besides, no one else would’ve even tried to help you like I just did.”

After a short pause, she let out a quiet huff, the corners of her lips curling into a small smile, “Oh yeah? Well, no one else would ever forgive you so quickly for ditching me like I will right now.”

She fell in step with him and wrapped an arm around his waist in a half-hug before pulling away but staying close. Andrew felt his face heat up against his will and looked away in an attempt to hide it. She either didn’t notice or didn’t want to bother him over it; instead, she let out a small chuckle, “So, I’m guessing we’re not saying a word of this to Mom and Dad?”

Andrew was almost surprised by how quickly she had recovered from the harrowing events that had just transpired, but that surprise didn’t last long. She had gotten over way more serious matters just as quickly, after all.

He cleared his throat, “I won’t say anything if you won’t.”

Ashley beamed, “Okie dokie!”

Things really were just that simple with her. Most of the time, Andrew found her easygoing, lackadaisical attitude annoying as hell, but every once in a while, he couldn’t help but love it. Just like he couldn’t help himself from loving her …

“You’re quiet,” Ashley remarked as she cast him a sideways glance. “Quieter than usual. What’s wrong?”

Andrew blinked, “U-uh, nothing.”

Of course, that was complete bullshit. The events of the night prior were still fresh in his mind, and it felt like all of his neurons were rapidly scrambling to comprehend what the repercussions would be: what this meant for his relationship with Julia, and, more importantly (though he’d never admit it), what this meant for his relationship with Ashley.

“Liar,” Ashley said flatly with a grin. “Don’t tell me you’re still thinking about last night.”

He furrowed his brow, “I think I’d be crazy not to still be thinking about last night.”

“I’m not thinking about it,” she shrugged casually.

“Of course you’re not,” he rolled his eyes. “You don’t think period.”

She scrunched her nose, “I literally just forgave you, Andy. Don’t make me regret it.”

“Sorry …”

The two continued walking side-by-side in relative silence until Ashley finally sighed, “What exactly are you so hung up about anyway? Nobody else has even the slightest idea of what we did.” She then flashed him a teasing smirk, “Unless you’re just worried that the rumors about us are finally coming true ..?”

Andrew’s eye twitched, “Ugh, no, stop! I don’t give a fuck about the goddamn rumors, I just … I just don’t know how doing what we did is going to change things … between us.”

Ashley tilted her head to the side, “And why should it change anything? I always knew you were all mine, and last night just helped to prove it.”

Andrew didn’t know whether he should’ve felt disgusted, concerned, or aroused by that comment, and that only made his heart sink further. “What exactly do you mean by that?” he asked.

She scoffed, “God, Andrew, for as much as you love to overthink everything, you can be so dense sometimes. I’ve told you a million times already; I just want to be with you. Always and forever. Isn’t that what you promised me?”

Of course she just had to bring up the promise.

Andrew cracked his neck uncomfortably, “Okay, but … be with me how? Like … in what way?”

“Jesus Christ,” Ashley muttered. “What are you even trying to ask me? What do I have to do or say to get it through your thick skull? Before we fell asleep last night, you were the one to bring up ‘eloping’, and what did I say to that?”

Andrew huffed, “Well, first you laughed in my face like I was speaking another language, and then … You agreed to it.”

“Exactly,” she said, “so what is it that you can’t seem to understand?”

“I …” his voice trailed off.

What don’t I understand? Nothing. No, everything! This is fucking crazy!

Time was up. They made it to school.

“Ugh, you’re hopeless,” Ashley rolled her eyes as they walked through the doors. “Try not to drown in your own head without me, dummy.”

She broke off from him to head to her homeroom class before turning around and smiling wickedly, “And you’d better be on your best behavior from now on. Otherwise … I might just have a little lunchtime chat with Julia about what happened last night.”

With that, she skipped off down the hallway, leaving Andrew standing there as other students brushed past him.

I’m completely fucked.

[Chapter 4]