chapter twenty eight
(not edited)

I DIDN'T EXPECT TO RUN INTO Mason at the grocery store, but I did. I was reaching for a bag of Nestle chocolate chips only to turn around to see him standing a few feet away from me. My eyes widened and my heart started pounding. I haven't seen him since we broke up - he was really good avoiding me at school.

"Hi, Ashley." He wrapped his hands tighter around his basket handle and awkwardly smiled.

"Hi, Mason." I took a deep breath before I dropped the bag of chocolate chips into my basket. May was coming over to my house for a sleepover and I was planning on making my world famous chocolate chip cookies. "How are you?"

     "I'm okay." He swished his lips to the side and shrugged. He focused his attention into my basket. "Are you making those amazing cookies tonight?" He questioned. I awkwardly laughed and nodded my head.

     "Yeah, I am." I said. "My friend is coming over for a sleepover tonight."

     "Oh, cool." He nodded.

     "Actually," I took a deep breath, "I should probably let you know that I have a girlfriend now." I cleared my throat as I watched his eyebrows raise, "her name is May Parker."

     "Oh, um, that's great, Ashley." He pressed his lips together. I nodded my head and looked down at my feet.

     "Excuse me." A middle-aged woman said from behind Mason. He stepped aside to make room for her. She smiled at him as she walked past us in the aisle.

We stood in silence.

     "Um..." Mason rocked back and forth on his heels for a few seconds before he finally came to a stop. "Julia told me that she told you that we, you know, had sex."

     "Right." I tightened my grip on my basket. "She did."

     "Well, I - uh, I'm really sorry." He stepped forward and stared right into my eyes. It made me a bit uncomfortable, but I didn't look away. "I didn't think she would go off telling people-"

"Look, Mason, it's okay." I shook my head and smiled at him. "We're not together anymore; I don't care what you do anymore."

"Yeah, I understand that, but I just want to explain what happened that night." He stepped forward yet again. I retracted back in just the slightest and he seemed to notice. He stepped back and scratched the nape of his neck. "Look," he looked up from the ground and dropped his arm, "it was a couple days after we broke up. I was feeling lonely and, I don't know, I just ended up at Julia's house." He said.

People started to walk by and I felt really self cautious that they were listening to our conversation. I grabbed my left elbow with my right hand and shrugged my shoulders up as a way to hide myself.

"Um..." He licked his lips and looked down. "I just can't believe I went to Julia out of all people."

I sighed and discreetly looked around to see if anyone was near us. No one was. They were all at the other end of the aisle.

"What do you mean?" I silently spoke.

"Well, I don't know." He sighed and looked up as his hand flew up and then smacked down onto his thigh. "Julia caused hell for you." My heart sunk an inch. "I would've hoped that I had gone to someone that didn't torture my girlfriend for months, but no. I just had to be an asshole."

I smiled at him and slowly started to shake my head. He wiped his face with his hands and then stopped to see me smiling in front of him. His eyebrows were furrowed and his lips were pouted (it was his signature face).

"Thank you." I said. Before any other words were exchanged between us, I dropped my basket beside me and stepped forward as my arms wrapped around him. This touch was so familiar to me, but it didn't feel anything like May. It was friendly. Warm, even. We pulled away and just stared at each other. "I really appreciate that."

I remember when Julia confessed to me on the phone, I wasn't upset with anyone but Mason. He was the one that knew I had problems with her but he still found himself in her pants. I was so incredibly relived and thankful that he came clean to me.

"Oh, okay." He chuckled into a grin. "I'm glad."

"Yeah." I smiled. "And I'm glad that we're talking right now. I was starting to miss you at school."

"Does that mean you're not a lesbian anymore?" His entire face lit up.

"No!" I laughed as I rolled my eyes. He playfully pouted and slumped his shoulders downwards. My laughter faded out as I stared at Mason for a little while longer. "It just means I miss you."

"Well," he paused and stood up straighter, "I missed you, too, Ash."

I beamed at the boy.

"Alright, so, is tonight's sleepover going to require chocolate milk, soda, or ice cream with those famous cookies of yours?"

I looked down at my basket for a few moments before tilting my chin up to him.

"All three would be fantastic."

"Awesome, I'll help you pick them out." He led me down the aisle. I couldn't stop smiling as I trailed behind him - I was so incredibly happy. Even though I didn't miss Mason as a boyfriend, I definitely missed him as a person and his wonderful company.

After all, he knows about me more than I do.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

"I'll get it!" I ran to the front door after I heard the doorbell chime throughout the house. I opened it up to reveal a very beautiful May Parker. "Hi." I smiled.

"Hi." She repeated and stepped inside before I invited her to. I shut the door behind her and told her to take off her shoes. She did. "Where should I put my stuff?" She asked.

"I'll take it." I grabbed her pillow and tote bag before I practically sprinted into my room to put it down before I dropped it all over the place.

I came back to find my mom chatting up a storm with May in the kitchen. I smiled and sat down in the chair at the island as I tried to pick up on their conversation.

"Wow, that's incredible!" My mom beamed at my girlfriend. "I've always wanted to go to Japan."

"Wait, what?" I tilted my head to the side and stared at the two of them. May opened her mouth to respond, but my mom cut her off immediately.

"May was born in Japan." She smiled. I furrowed my eyebrows as my mouth dropped from its original resting position.

"What?" I asked, "how come I didn't know that?"

"Probably because you never asked." May smirked and shrugged her shoulders. I narrowed my eyes at her before I just shook my head.

"Whatever." I smiled. "You've never asked where I was born, either."

"Was it here?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Yes." I murmured under my breath and cursed the boring California city I've been stuck in since birth. We all just laughed before it settled into a comfortable silence. "Hey, mom?" I sat up in my chair. "Can May and I watch a movie in the living room and then bake cookies?"

"Cookies?" May's entire face lit up like a light bulb.

My mom chuckled at May's response before nodding her head and grabbing a dishcloth to wipe the kitchen counters.

"Sure, honey, go ahead. I don't want you two to stay up too late, okay? We've got that road trip tomorrow morning."

"We can just sleep in the car." I suggested and shrugged my shoulders. My mom looked at me with such a response that I didn't even have to ask if she was saying no. She was, and it was all hidden under one look. "Okay, okay, okay." I chuckled and hopped off the chair. May followed me into the living room and we both plopped down onto the couch.

I scrolled for a movie on Netflix for a few minutes before May cleared her throat to get my attention.

     "Is your dad here?" She asked with concern written all over her face. I looked over at her and slanted my lips into a thin line. I cleared my throat and nodded my head.

     "He'll be here soon." I said before adding, "but don't worry." I smiled. "He'll love and respect you."

     May took a deep breath and nodded her head before she sank back into the couch and stared at the screen. We finally settled with You've Got Mail because she's never seen it. 

     "We're going to have to start a movie trade-off every week." I smiled over at her when the movie began to start up. "We have to show each other movies the other hasn't seen."

     "Ooh, that's a great idea!" She smiled. "Next week I get to choose."

     "Mhmm, and then the week after that I choose."

     "Yep." May smiled before she erupted into a fit of giggles. I stared at her with amusement - what on earth was so funny? I began to laugh, as well. Just because her laughter was so adorable and contagious.

     "Everything alright in there?" My mom said from the kitchen. I tried to reply with a yes, but I couldn't seem to make out any words. I glanced over at the television screen and saw that the movie was starting.

     "Shh!" I leaned forward and tapped into May's arm. "It's starting, be quiet!"

     "Okay, okay, okay." May's giggles faded as she wiped underneath her eyes and looked at the TV with a smile on her face. "I'll pay attention now."

     I stared at her for a few moments after that. She wasn't wearing any makeup but I didn't mind it all that much. She looks different, sure, but a good different. Almost as if I can breath just because her face can breath, as well.

     God, my girlfriend is so beautiful.

     "I thought you liked this movie?" May smirked and looked over at me.

     "I do." I retorted and furrowed my eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

     "Then I suggest you watch the movie instead of me." She smiled. My heart did a somersault and then told my stomach to do the same thing.

     "Whatever, May Parker." I smiled and turned my head dramatically towards the screen. She giggled.

     "Whatever, Ashley James." She copied.

     I smirked at her out of the corner of my eye. Apparently, she was doing the same thing. We both laughed when we figured this out and eventually ignored the beginning of the movie. We were too invested in talking to each other. By the time we finally focused our attention back to the movie, May couldn't stop asking me questions.

     "Wait, so they're emailing each other but they hate each other?" May pursed her lips. "That doesn't make any sense."

     "Oh, my God." I chuckled and shook my head. "I've already explained this a million times."

     "Whatever, Ashley James, you kept distracting me." She tilted her head and stared at me as the tops of her cheeks turned pink. "It's really all your fault that I have no idea what this movie is about."

     "Oh, it's my fault?" I challenged. "I don't see how. I'd actually blame this all on you."

     "Oh." May's eyebrows raised as the corners of her lips lifted into a tight smile. "If that's what you think, then okay." She giggled. "I'll just say you're right, but really I'm the one that's right."

     "Sure." I narrowed my eyes.

     "Girls!" My mom called from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready!"

     May and I rushed off the couch quicker than you can say happy.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I almost didn't update today but then I was like "no, you're going to update today or else you wouldn't have updated for two weeks!" And here we are.

I'm so happy with how this chapter turned out! Ashley definitely needed the closure with Mason and I just LOVE that May is hanging out at Ashley's house.

Ah, isn't life wonderful?

(Lol, I usually update in the morning on Sunday but it's 10:30PM for me right now... Sorry, y'all).

I hope this chapter was worth the wait. If not, well... there's always next Sunday!

I can't wait to post my new book! You guys are going to love it, I just know it (I mean, I hope). Be on the lookout for That Damn Dog of Hers.

I love you all! See you next week!