Dedicated to adesewa_x, Ash's biggest fan. Thank you.

Ash walked out into the cold outdoors, paper bag in hand. She leaned on a random car as she waited.

The girl had returned soon after with her order and whispered in her ear that she would meet her outside in a few moments.

Ash glanced at her phone as she waited, more out of habit than actual necessity.

She smiled at the wallpaper, a picture of her and her mother, smiling as wide as was possible.

She pressed the power button and the screen went dark, then she returned it to her pocket just as the sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears.

Turning, she slammed into another soft body, the scent of jasmine she had detected earlier reaching her nose.

Before she could pull away, the girl put her lips on hers and a hand at the back of her head, gently tugging her ears.

Ash breathed in her scent as she deepened the kiss, cupping the girl's chin.

The girl pulled away slowly looking flustered as she tucked her hair, now let down and fallen around her face, behind her ears.

"I'm sorry, that was too forward of me." she said.

"Not at all. Just the pace I'm looking for."

"Oh. Good," she said, still sounding out of breath, "Because I've been thinking about this since I laid eyes on you."

"I get that a lot," Ash replied with a laugh, smug as ever, "You have a ride?"

"Yeah," She pointed at a beat up muscle car that looked like it had seen several generations of whatever her family name was, "It's not much but it gets me where I need to be."

"Oh don't be modest. I like what I see. It just needs a little body work and it's a real beauty." Ash said.

"Fat chance of that, considering what I'm paid. Never mind that, your place or mine?"

Ash replied without hesitation,

"Mine."

"Lead the way then."

*****

Ash woke up to find an arm stretched over her waist and stiffened instantly.

Sex was one thing but she didn't do otherwise romantic gestures with one night stands. She barely managed with Maddie.

Without waking the girl she pushed the hand off her, her eyes sweeping past the alarm clock by her bed in the process. Then her eyes made a return trip to the clock.

It was quarter past seven!

"Shit!" she cursed, waking the girl in the process.

"What-?" the girl muttered as she blinked in an attempt to get rid of the sleep.

"Oh good, you're awake. You have to leave. Now." she said.

She jumped out of bed, only then realizing she had gone to bed completely naked.

The events of the previous night came rushing back to her but she had no time to dwell.

She threw a shirt on as she tried to make the girl move faster.

"What is it? Why are you in such a hurry?" the girl asked as she got dressed, "Is this about a girlfriend?"

"Nothing like that. I have school. I am gonna be late and you need to leave. I mean you have work or something, right?" Ash continued to ramble, helping the girl gather her clothes.

And she did not want to have to explain to Caleb. That part she did not mention.

"Oh," the girl said, "But do you have a girlfriend?"

Ash rolled her eyes.

"Don't get any ideas, that's not a road you want to go down."

She inspected the girl's outfit to make sure she didn't forget anything before she all but shoved her out the door.

She escorted her down to the living room and right into the path of Caleb who mug in one hand and tablet in the other, of course, was already dressed for school.

"Oh hello. I don't think we've met." he said, looking at the girl.

"Caleb, meet-" It was at that exact point she realized she hadn't bothered to inquire her name.

"Bianca." the girl filled in as if Ash's silence was a cue in.

"Yes and Bianca meet my brother Caleb. Now that that's over with, bye bye now."

She herded the girl; Bianca to the door and waited for her to get into her car and vamoose.

Instead Bianca drew her in for a parting kiss. Not that she objected.

"Last night was..." she paused as she tried to find the words.

Yes yes, I was amazing. I touched you like no one else has ever done. It's what I do.

"Oh I know." Ash replied with a patronizing smile.

"Call me?" she asked hopefully.

"I won't." Ash answered honestly with a show head shake.

Bianca's expression fell for a second before she forced a smile and opened the door.

"Well see you around."

Ash waited till the car was out the gate before she shut the door and went back in.

"So Heartbreaker Ash is at it again." Caleb said from the couch he had found comfort in.

"It is not like that."

"You literally slept with a girl without knowing her name, Ash."

"I know. And I made her sing like a canary too. Mama's still got game!"

"Be down in ten minutes or I'm leaving you."

His tone was not harsh but she caught a hint of displeasure.

Still, twenty minutes later she came downstairs and Caleb was still waiting for her.

*****

"So explain to me what you meant when you said you kissed her."

"Jesus Christ, Cait! What? Do you want me to spell it out for you?" Hailey asked.

"That would help." Cait said with a shrug.

She ignored her best friend as she made her way to her corner seat in the cafeteria, at that moment wishing she could trade Cait for a slice of pizza.

Cait was not so easily deterred. The girl was in many ways a social butterfly which meant she could sit at almost any table she wanted and be allowed. Instead she followed Hailey as she did when she wasn't looking for a new boyfriend for the week.

"Talk, bitch."

"Fine." Hailey said, dropping her tray with enough force to rattle its content before she took her seat.

"Oh there she is." Cait said, looking over Hailey's shoulders.

Ash could not not make an entrance even when she didn't know she was doing it.

Arm around her brother's shoulders, she strutted through the doors.

Their outfits were matching: grey tee, black leather jacket and matching black pants.

They weren't even paying attention to the staring eyes which Hailey noticed, for the brief period she managed to tear her gaze off of Ash, comprised everyone except the soccer guys and girls. They probably saw enough of them anyways.

She followed him to the soccer guys table, sitting beside him as she eased in on conversation with the boys.

Moments later they were all laughing.

That was when Hailey noticed that while people were staring, there were those that were not doing so out of interest. They were the cheerleaders.

The bad blood between the cheerleaders and the soccer girls had existed as long as Hailey had been in Green Valley High.

It was jealousy. Always had been.

Hailey guessed it had something to do with the fact that while the cheerleaders had boyfriends on the team, the soccer girls connected with the boys on a level the cheerleaders could not.

At least that was one part of it.

It was unfortunate for them that they feared Ash as much as they hated her. There was nothing they could do.

Ash still paid no attention to the cheerleaders who were the last to look away (beside Hailey of course). She was trying to make Caleb laugh as she pulled his cheek then poked his ribs with her free hand. Caleb on the other hand was trying not to.

Then she leaned in and whispered something in his ears that made him laugh

"Hailey, you've been staring for three days now." Cait said, almost bringing her attention back to their table.

Just before she looked away, Ash looked up, still in the middle of laughing, and found Hailey's eyes on her.

The laugh dissolved into a smile and she gave a little wave, then mouthed,

"Hi."

Hailey blushed hard as she waved back, then she turned to Cait with the most serious face she could muster and said the stupidest thing she'd said all day.

"I'm going to ask her out."

*****