Long chapter!

Will Callie finish the kiss list?

Find out...

Thanks amiva0402, brightyeolie, and jueka1 for your comments last chapter.

____

I wasn't finished with my revenge plan at Ray though. In fact, the next week I was more determined to cross the next person off my list, hoping that midway through this term I could see myself finished with the list, with Lexi having no reason to talk to me ever again.

So, as I exited maths the following Thursday just before second break, I quickly trailed after the two familiar boys.

"Jackson," I called out after him.

Jackson and Zac came to a halt, glancing back at me, both with warm smiles on their faces, tainted by an ounce of pity—like they knew who all three of us were missing in our lives, and potentially me more than them.

"What's up, Callie?" Jackson asked when I finally caught up with them.

"Um... er..." But now that he was in front of me, smiling expectantly, patiently waiting, my heart began to hammer in my chest as I felt my nerve slowly slipping away.

"What is it?" he pressed.

"I, ah..." But then my gaze flickered to Zac who also had a curious brow cocked, intrigued to hear what I had to say.

But looking at Zac made me feel awkward about asking Jackson to kiss me... because I had kissed his friend. And had briefly dated his other friend.

And looking at Zac also made me feel guilty... because did he know about the girl he liked and Luke hooking up in the cubby over the school holidays? Had anyone told him yet? Did he find out? Were Luke and that girl even a thing or was it a one off?

"Yes?" Jackson tried again, dragging me from my spiralling thoughts.

"Could I, um," I said, glancing between him and Zac, wary of both boys staring at me, "Talk to you in private?"

"Sure," he said, dragging out the vowel noises before sharing a confused look with Zac. Nonetheless, he slowly trailed behind me as we rounded the corner back towards our maths class, now hidden from eavesdropping peers. "What's up?" he finally asked when we were alone.

Unsure how to even smoothly ask this and despite having questioned since he broke up with me how much of what Flynn said was a truth and a lie, I decided to trust my once-best-friend-slash-ex-boyfriend a final time as I blurted, "I'm doing this stupid kiss list bet with my sister and basically whoever finishes the bet first wins something and I'm desperate to win it and it's a stupid list we made when we were kids but you're on it as was Zac and some other people and I was kind of wondering if you'd let me kiss you so I can tick you off as I only have one more person after that." Once I got the whole almost nonsensical sentence out of my mouth I took a giant breath, relishing in the feeling of air in my lungs once more.

"A kiss list, hey?" Jackson smirked. "Isn't your sister... gay though?"

Lips pressing together, his question confirmed my suspicions—Sara and Lexi keeping their distance in front of me was all for show. Their guilt was to trick me. Meanwhile, behind my back, they were happy and in love. Nonetheless, I shrugged, "That part is irrelevant."

He smiled slightly at me as his eyes searched my face. "I'll do it under one condition."

"What's that?" I asked.

"You tell me how I ended up on this list?" Humour sparked in his eyes as he realised there would certainly be quite the embarrassing story there.

"I heard you made out with Jackson by the portracks," Lexi said as we walked in the door that afternoon.

"What of it?" I mumbled back, putting my bag on the floor as I sat in my chair, popping my leg off.

"Does that mean you have only one left?"

"Indeed. Just Luke to go and then I'm finished the list."

"Do you... have to finish it?"

"Of course I do," I said with a roll of my eyes before wheeling into the kitchen to fetch an afternoon snack.

"But—"

"Lexi... I will finish the list and I will make it so you can't talk to me again, okay?"

She heaved a sigh as she continued to follow me through the house. "Aren't you overreacting?"

I came to a stop, hands gripping the wheels suddenly causing Lexi to almost topple over me. "That's funny. I could swear you've been trying to convince me to like you again, but here we are, me being insulted once more. It's amazing how I can just never seem to find it in myself to forgive the heinous, rude, lying bitch you are."

"Heinous?" she almost screeched, but caught herself in the end. Eyes slamming shut, she took in a couple of deep breaths before blinking her eyes open, blue eyes meeting mine as she rounded my chair to face me. "I'm trying, Callie."

"And I'm trying to remove every toxic person from my life."

She began to retort again, but instead of sticking around to listen, I pushed past her, running over her foot in the process before I wheeled into my room and slammed the door shut behind me, locking it for good measure.

"Hey," I said as I pulled out the chair second session on Thursday.

I could almost feel the venomous stares behind me from Sara and Lexi as Ashton's eyes blew wide as he stuttered an awkward, "H-h-hi."

"Is it okay if I sit here?" I asked.

"O-of course," he replied, picking up his pen and suddenly becoming grossly interested in it.

But as I set my books out without explaining my presence, the very question seemed to niggle at his mind.

Once I clicked my pen and began to scribble the date in my margin, all the while Miss Brooks marked the roll, Ashton finally braved, "Not that I'm complaining at all but... how come you're sitting with me?"

Giving a slight shrug, I said, "I guess I'm finally ready to make amends... as you wanted to."

And that was all it took with him. Goofy smile taking hold of his cheeks, he rested his elbow on his table as his eyes danced around my face.

Though before he could get too cocky, I added, "I thought maybe we could be friends or something."

My sentence was surely too open-ended. Lip snagging between his teeth, he said, "Or something?"

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Or nothing. Friends or nothing."

Face falling slightly, his smile eventually turned warm, eyes glowing with a hint of sadness clouding them. "I'd like that, Callie."

Hook, line, and sinker.

It didn't take much time of hanging out with Ashton and his friends to score myself an invite to the party that weekend. With all my cards seemingly in the right place, at this rate I will have completed the kiss list by the weekend, meaning the last half of the list will have only taken me two weeks to complete compared to the first part taking several months.

Who needed Flynn, I bitterly thought as I fixed my own makeup in the mirror.

In a pair of tight shorts and a low-cut shirt, dad immediately leapt off the couch as I headed to the door after receiving a text from Ashton that he was waiting outside.

But while dad tried to tell me how he 'wouldn't allow me out dressed like that', I ignored his arguments and stormed past him anyway.

Dad continued to shout after me as I walked down the driveway, making no actual attempt to physically stop me though, but threatening all sorts of consequences as I continued to not respond.

But as I opened Ashton's passenger door, I turned to my father and said, "Stop being such a hypocrite about where I can go and what I can do with my body when you've got a history much worse than mine, dad."

And as I watched his mouth fall open in shock, I climbed into Ashton's car before I could see the rage colour his face.

As I walked into the party, Ashton right by my side as we stood in the hallway, the courage I had when storming out of the house began to exit my body.

Masses were already crowding in the living room, chatting and bopping along to the music. Several had cups of some form of liquid in their hand—the stench of alcohol already burning my nose.

Nonetheless, Ashton placed a reassuring hand on my upper back. "Let's get in there, Callie," he urged, pushing me inside.

Swallowing the nervous lump that had formed in my throat, I let him lead me further into the party.

But as Ashton left to get drinks, I found myself slowly taking small steps away from the people. Next I knew I was backed against a wall, in a corner of the room, scared of the eyes. Scared of somehow trying to convince Luke—who might even now be dating someone—to kiss me.

Because with Ray, I forced it upon him.

With Jackson, I simply asked him.

But how would I ask Luke?

How could I convince him?

I've never really spoken to him.

Ashton was really my only connection.

And with his crowd... Flynn was my rock in getting in and figuring out a way to kiss them. What was I going to do without him?

But then my heart panged as I thought about Flynn and his smile.

As I remembered the distant look in his eyes the last time I saw him.

As his last words about 'not having thought about me' echoed in my head.

He was gone.

I was left here alone. Broken. Demolished. Crushed. With no one to put me back together again except myself.

And it was all my stupid sister's fault.

If I never had let her convince me to do the kiss list, I never would have gone to that first party. And if I never would have gone to that party, I wouldn't have ended up in the cubby. And if I wasn't in that cubby, then Flynn and I never would have—

"There you are," Ashton said, two drinks in his hand, his blue eyes concerningly searching my face. "I thought you legged it." But as the words left his mouth, his brows shot up in horror as his gaze trailed down to my prosthetic.

Seeing the mortification take hold of his face as he stupidly began to evidently ponder if he had offended me, I burst out a laugh. "Legged it. Good one," I said, hoping to ease his worries.

He gave me a hesitant grin before eventually his shoulders relaxed and he passed the drink over to me.

"So.... what happened with him?" Ashton then asked me.

"Happened with who?" I responded, cocking a brow before taking a sip of my drink... which was suprisingly not alcohol.

Though he rolled his eyes before saying, "Flynn."

"Oh... he's dealing with—"

"I know why he is out of school. But... what happened between you two."

Pressing my lips together, I felt my shoulders fall as I turned my gaze to the ground. "Nothing did. We were just friends."

"No you weren't."

Eyes narrowing, I glanced up at him, ready to retort, but then he said—

"I know it was him who you were seeing over the holidays... the one who left the hickey on your neck when I asked. I saw it on Flynn's Insta. He may have unfollowed me but..."

I opened and closed my mouth a few times as I searched for a response, but ended up coming out blank, too aware instead of the aching constriction in my chest and stinging behind my eyes. "I wasn't... we weren't—"

"Callie," he said softly, hand coming onto my arm reassuringly as he lowered his height slightly to look into my eyes. "I know you and I had a thing for a little bit, but I'm honestly coming from a place of worry about you. You haven't been quite the same over the past few weeks and if you need someone to talk to—"

But he never finished his sentence. Eyes going wide as he watched that crack split in the wall I had built, he was quick to wrap his arms around me and pull me to his chest before the tears came out.

And without knowing much of how he got me out of there, he slowly ushered me out of the living space, keeping me hidden from everyone along the way.

Next when he pulled away and the tears had slowed enough for my vision to become clear again, I realised he had found us a quiet room. Seated on the floor of a bedroom, we were resting our backs against the foot of the bed.

"It's okay," he smiled at me. "It will hurt for a while but—"

"I just don't know what I did wrong."

Ashton's brows shot up before he shook his head. "I'm sure it's nothing. I heard someone close to him died?"

I nodded, confirming his assumption.

"Look, Flynn has always been a distant person from us. He never really let anyone... who wasn't his kind—"

Though I started to feel my brows knot together in anger at his word choice, and Ashton seemed to notice this.

"I mean, like, his community, or whatever the correct term is. I don't know much of this stuff, okay?"

That took me by surprise. "How come you—"

Ashton heaved a sigh. "I got called into the Community Counsellor's office at the end of last term after someone reported some things I was posting online. And you could say she really... schooled me on my wrongdoings. I mostly regurgitate what I hear my dad say, and I know he's not the best moral compass. I saw how he used to treat me mum when she was around... and how he treats his current girlfriends." Ashton shook his head before slumping against the bed. "I'm going to take a while to get all my terms right but... I'm trying."

"Okay," I breathed, starting to feel a little guilt in that I had written him off so quickly instead of wondering if perhaps if I had just tried to educate him a little...

"But back to my point. He never really speaks to us... white people. So the fact that he was so close to you was crazy to see to be honest. You broke through to him in ways none of us ever really did and he let you in so... I doubt you did anything wrong when he was that vulnerable and close to you."

Head turning to my lap, I muttered a, "You don't know that."

To which Ashton replied, "No, I don't. But I can assume. However, I can imagine losing someone is difficult enough for the regular person. Though when it has such cultural implications, and all the kids in his community who are affected by it..."

As he trailed off, these very words somehow coming out of Ashton's mouth had my eyebrows raising once more in shock.

"What?" he asked me as I continued to stare at him in disbelief.

"You've... changed a lot from when we last spoke."

"I've been..." this time he averted his eyes before rubbing an awkward hand over his neck, "I've been trying. I took quite a blow to my ego when you ditched me, Cal, after stealing my heart like that."

I winced at his acknowledgement that I had had such an effect on him. To me, he was just always part of some bigger game. And as much of a jerk as I thought he was... I still played with his feelings. Now on the other side, I knew just how much being heartbroken sucks. So I mumbled, "I'm sorry."

Ashton shook his head. "All water under the bridge now. But after your sister went off at me after she split us up—"

My heart tightened with guilt at the thought he didn't know the bigger game we had been playing.

"—I ended up confronting Fraser, and—"

"Fraser?" I asked, crease forming between my brows.

"Your sister said he inappropriately touched you."

"Oh..." I said, that night now coming back... Flynn's hand lifting Fraser's off my thigh.

Flynn's face was so close when I had turned to look at him.

His presence so warm.

I felt my eyes begin to water again as I realised how much of a hole he had left in me.

Finally, I said back to Ashton, "Yeah he did. But F... Someone stopped him."

Ashton nodded. "Well... I confronted Fraser in the end." He looked away from me, a blush almost seemingly tinting his cheeks.

"You... did?"

"Yup."

"And how did... that go?"

"He called me a liar. And you a liar. And your sister and Flynn a liar."

"Flynn?" I asked, his name sending more pangs through my heart as it exited his mouth and then mine.

"I asked Flynn after your sister told me..."

"Oh..." Flynn never mentioned that. "So... when Fraser denied it, what did you—"

"I punched him."

"Punched?" I exclaimed, moving back from him.

"I couldn't stand his bullshit anymore."

"I guess, but you can't just... where did you—"

"At school. Did you not notice I was gone for a whole week at the end of last term? I was suspended for it."

Brows coming together, I tried to remember last term... but I came out blank. And Ashton saw it on my face.

Heaving a sigh, he said, "Too in love I guess. But basically... Luke and I are no longer talking to Fraser."

"I'm sorr—"

"No. Don't, Callie. The guy deserves to be friendless until he changes his ways."

I turned my head to my lap in response, not sure what to say back to that.

But then Ashton let out a slight whistle before saying, "We got quite off track there. I was trying to help you get everything off your chest and—"

"You certainly distracted me," I quickly cut him off, giving him a small smile of appreciation.

And Ashton was quick to return it. "Glad to hear it. So... You're heartbroken," he stated, not letting us leave the original topic in the end.

"That's an understatement."

"But you're also going around... kissing Ray and Jackson?"

My eyes blew wide at the fact he knew. "How did you—"

"Ray won't shut up about it. He sits behind me in maths. And Jackson... well... I may have heard you ask him."

I slowly began to nod, feeling mortified at the fact that he knew about my latest kisses.

But then the final shoe dropped.

"Wait... You heard me—"

"You have a kiss list bet?" he asked, confirming my deepest fears.

So...

Thoughts on Ashton? >.>

Do we still hate him?