Bestfriends Shouldn’t Know How You Taste Chapter 68


    Alone. That’s how I felt as I sat on the swing. My feet had  brought me to the park, not wanting to go


    home yet.


    I knew that I had been skipping school a lot more  frequently now and was afraid that dad would find


    out.  He’d throw a fit and I would want to avoid that.


    I sighed softly, looking around the empty park. The gra*s  was a luscious green with tiny wildflowers


    that  asionally got stomped on by animals and people  walking around.


    It has been so long since I’ve been here. The quietness  and the soft breeze as it pushed back my


    tresses rxed  me.


    My bag rests atop my thighs as my fingers wrap around  the rope of the swing. I wanted to bask in the


    quietness.  I needed it.


    I lift my head and closed my eyes as a tiny smile reced  the frown. The sun beat down on my face


    rea*suring me  that everything would be okay.


    The more time flew the more I began to feel regret for  treating ke the way I did. I should’ve listened


    to him  and let him exin. I knew Stacy was a conniving bitch  to begin with and I fell right into her


    trap.


    I needed to go and apologize to ke for embarra*sing  him in the cafeteria. It was wrong of me and


    uncalled for.


    Damn it, I love the fool and would not want to lose him. I  overreacted and went too far. He must think


    that I broke  things off.


    I don’t know how long I’ve been here but it must’ve been  hours. The park was already starting to fill up


    with  people. Their curious gazes flickering to me asionally.


    They must be thinking that I was crazy. My hair a mess  from being tugged at and eyes red from crying.


    I chew my bottom lip as I fumble with the zipper of the  bag. Grasping my phone I checked the time.The


    first  thing I notice is the many missed calls I had received  from ke and Ryan.


    I frowned. I must’ve put it on silent without even  knowing. I read the time. Two thirty. Maybe I should


    start walking home now. It is a little bit of a distance  from here, probably twenty minutes on foot.


    I breathed out a sigh and pushed the phone back in my  bag.I will call them when I get home, they must


    be  worried.


    I gnawed on my lips in thought of speaking to ke. I  was embarra*sed of the way I acted. I needed to


    speak to  him in person.


    Rising to my feet I pull the bag straps over my shoulders  and amble away from the pack. An elderly


    couple seated  on a crafty wooden bench sees me and their brows pinch  in worry.


    I tear my eyes away from them, quickening my footsteps.  “Hey dearie are you alright?”


    The questiones from the woman whose hands were  clutched tenderly by the man who seemed to


    be her  husband, judging by the glittering gold ring on their  fingers.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Immediately my mind flickers to ke. I wanted that  with him. Just by looking at the couple one could


    tell  how much they loved eachother. The tenderness was  there, you could not mistake it. I smiled at


    her as best as


    I could to ease her worries.


    “I’m fine thank you.” I said politely, wanting to coo when  her husband pulls her closer to his chest. The


    way they  acted made me ache for ke even more. I need to get  home soon so I could call him over.


    He doesn’t look convinced at my deration. And  neither did I. “Are you sure?” He asked.


    I nodded. “Yes I am, don’t worry just needed to clear my  head of studies. I’m in my final year, you know


    how  tough school can be around this time.” I joked and  waved them goodbye when they seemed


    convinced  enough.


    Now the walk home. I prayed I reach before Arden. I  don’t want him bbering to dad and mom about


    me


    skipping school again. I would have to give him a twenty  to keep shut.


    My fingers gripped the straps of my bag tightly as I  walked along the sidewalk. School had just


    dismissed for  the younger one’s. Their parentsing to pick them up  hastily. I would want to avoid


    getting in their way.


    I turn the corner, my converse smacking against the hot  pavement. The sound of a car slowing down


    beside me  has me stiffening. I prayed it wasn’t Ryan. I didn’t want  to speak to anyone as yet.


    The car is now going the same pace as I am. From my  peripheral vision I noted that the car was a


    sandy blue.


    It was not Ryan’s.I leave my head faced front, not  wanting to look at who was obviously trying to get


    my  attention.


    “Hey!” It’s a woman’s voice. I stop and turn to stare at  her.


    The *s is down as the woman peers at me. She is  familiar, her blue eyes and dark hair messily


    around her  shoulders.


    “Do you need a ride?” She asked and smiled sweetly.  When I looked reluctant to answer her brows


    furrowed.


    “I don’t know if you remember me but I work at the  school, in the cafeteria?” She looked hopeful for a


    recognition. Instantly I remember her, the lunchdy.


    “I live a bit down that street but I’d happily give you a  ride.” She suggested.


    I contemte for a few seconds. Weighing my options. I  did need to reach home before Arden. And it


    was not  like she was a stranger. Though I never held a  conversation with her she seemed harmless


    enough to  trust.


    So I nodded and entered the car a secondter. I buckled  myself and gave her a tight smile. “Thank


    you. I live on  breach road street.”


    She smiles and nods. “Got yah.” Sheughs and starts  driving away. I turn my head to stare out of the


    window.


    “So what’s your name?” She asked, trying to make  conversation.


    I turn to stare at the front. “It’s Ashley.”


    She nods. “That’s a lovely name. Your parents have good  taste.” She giggles turning the corner.


    “Do you mind if I make a quick stop? I promised my  mom I’d drop her pills as soon as possible. My


    house is  just round the corner.” She turned her head to face me  for a second.


    Not wanting to keep her mom waiting, I nodded. She  smiles and as promised she stops at a small


    wooden  house a few minutester. The white paint was chipping  and the rustic gate screamed for


    repainting.


    The house is surrounded by dried patches of gra*s. The  scarce of neighbors on this street was


    rming. I had  never walked this path. Everyone avoided walking here  from the talk of bad men doing


    illegal things around  that area.


    “I’ll be quick.” She promised getting out and walking to  the boot of the car. I looked at her through the


    side-view  mirror. I quickly look away when she struts to my side.


    Bending down a little she smiles as she faces me. “Mind  helping me bring in some groceries inside?


    There are a  bit too much and I’m afraid it would take me some time.  My mom has not eaten the entire


    day.”


    I gnawed on my lip looking at the house then back at  her. The woman was doing me a favor to give me


    a ride  home, the least I could do was help bring in some  groceries.


    So with that thought I nodded and got out of the car  and followed her to the back. She was right, there


    were  plenty of grocery bags. I grasp onto three and followed  her to her house.


    The rustic gate creaks as she opens it. She turns to face  me.” Sorry about the house, I haven’t been


    taking care of  it since all my money had been going to pay my mom’s  hospital bills.”


    Instantly pity overtook me. I smiled softly following her  up the creaking wooden steps. “I don’t mind, it’s


    still  homey.” Iplimented her.


    She smiles and opens the door. “Mom I’m home!” She  shouts but there is no answer. She turns to


    stare at me. “I  swear she’s always sleeping. Come, the kitchen is here.”  She nudged her head to the


    tiny kitchen area.


    If I thought outside looked bad then I was wrong. Inside  reeked of alcohol and weed with a mix of


    something  unpleasant. Inside was barely furnished with an old worn  out brown couch in the living


    room.


    The cream walls were stained multiple ces with  something brown which made it look dirty. Inside


    was  tiny. I guess it was understandable that she lived this way  with having to take care of her sick


    mother.


    I followed her inside the kitchen and ced the bags on  the kitchen ind. “I’ll be back quick! I just


    need to give  this to my mom and we’d be on our way!” She rushes  out and pulling out something that


    looks like pills and  leaves.


    I sighed and turned to look around. How could she live  in this kind of ce? Some draws of the


    cupboards were  missing and the marine blue color painted on the wood  made the cream walls look


    even dirtier.


    “You know your boyfriend reminds me of Asher.” Her  voicees at the back of me.


    I didn’t have time to think before I felt a cloth press to  my nose and mouth. Surprise took over me and


    unknowingly I inhaled what was on the cloth.


    I struggled as she forces me to still. Her arms wrapping  tightly around me as my vision blurs. I pushed


    back with  her hold still on me. I feel her knocking into one of the  wooden draws harshly yet she


    doesn’t remove her hold  on me.


    “Sleep little Ash.” She soothed. The strong scent on the  cloth has my vision ckening to nothing as I


    feel my  body slump. Thest thing on my mind was ke and  my family.