Ashlyn Point of View

First day of my last year, were the words I chanted inside my mind for the thousandth time that morning. After this year, it’ll be over. And I’ll finally be free.

I pulled my car into the first open spot in the quickly filling parking lot and headed into Joplin High School. I made my way through the mass of kids that was already forming, slipping my way in between the many different groups and hearing snatches of conversation:

“Oh my God! How are you?”

“And THEN he told me-”

“Can you believe he would even think-”

I blocked the voices out of my head and pulled my schedule out of my backpack. Locker 925, upper A hall. I rolled my eyes. Great. That means I have to face the student lounge area and push my way towards the stairs. I pushed my way along, completely ignoring the looks people kept throwing at me.

“Hey, watch it!” A girl yelled as I pushed past her. I glared and she quickly backed down. Stupid freshman.

I quickly walked up the stairs and almost let out a sigh of relief as I reached the top. Silence. Thank god.

I quickly opened my locked and threw my jacket inside, I wouldn’t need it anyway.

“My sister said she used to be really popular.” I heard a girl whisper a little too loudly. “Then something happened. She was in the hospital and after that, she’s never talked to anyone again.”

“And that’s her?” Another girl whispered.

I slammed my locked shut and turned to glare at the girls. Then I groaned inwardly. Why did there have to be so many goddamn freshman? I threw then one last glare, then headed down the hallway. Why cant people learn to keep their mouths shut? Things would be so much easier that way.

I stepped into my first class , college English. I glanced around the room quickly, then stepped to the seat in the back of the room. That way people couldn’t stare.

Slowly, the room began filling up. A girl with thick glasses and frizzy hair came in, shortly followed by a tall boy with braces. They talked to one another quietly and chose the seats up front. Then a group of football kids came in and sat in the back corner- then one away from me of course. The other people started to file in. I didn’t pay attention, just started looking at the things on the walls. Then I heard a laugh. It was really high and airy. I glanced up sharply.

Holly Smith, Braden Adams, and Jess Michaels all filed in. I saw Jess give me a small smile, and Braden glanced at me from the corner of his eye, then look away quickly. They took the seats about four seats ahead of me. Holly didn’t even look at me.

When I started high school, Holly Smith was my best friend. We had a close group of friends, including Jess, and two other girls, Calli and Laura. Not even a week into my freshman year, I started dating the boy I had had a crush on all through middle school, Braden. That led to my group hanging out with his, which included his friends Josh, Carter, and Logan.

Anyway, Braden and I dated for a year and three months. Then IT happened over Christmas break. After IT happened, I stopped talking. Braden ended up breaking up with me, Holly stopped speaking to me and ignored me completely, followed by Laura. The only one who stood by me was Calli, who is now my best, and only, friend, Jess says hi in the hallways, but that’s all I get.

The bell rang and a tall woman with a lot of make-up on walked into the classroom. She didn’t even talk to us, just went straight into role. “Braden Adams?”

“Here.” Braden said in his deep voice. I swallowed hard. Braden was gorgeous, with shaggy, midnight black hair, and sapphire blue eyes. He was tall, at 6 ‘4”, and had broad shoulders. Yet at the same time, his build was slim, but very strong.

“Amy Carmichael?”

“here.”

“Megan Holloway?”

“Here.”

“Morgan Holloway?”

“Here.”

“Chris Hutchinson?”

“Here.”

“Adelina James?”

“Here.” I glanced over quickly. Adelina was a really strange girl. She lived with a older woman in an old house on the edge of town, along with five other kids. They weren’t related, so nobody really knew what that was about.

“Josh Jacobs?”

“Here.”

The list continued until she finally called, “Ashlyn Tucker?”

Silence. I raised my hand.

“Ashlyn Tucker?” She called yet again. I rolled my eyes and raised my hand higher. Look up.

“She’s here.” A voice called. Braden.

Finally, she looked up and rolled her eyes when she saw me. Ah, what a great teacher. “Oh, they told me about you.” She held my eyes. “I’m giving you a warning, it’s almost impossible to pass this class if you don’t talk.”

I held her eyes. We stared at each other for a moment, then she went back to role.

My next class was almost as bad. I hate numbers. Math is not fun.

And, to make matters even more…”fun”, Braden was also in this class, along with Laura, Josh, and Carter.

When I walked into the class, Tyler hooted. “Ashlyn! Hey babe how you been? Still with the no talking thing?”

“Leave her alone Carter.” Josh muttered.

I rolled my eyes. The only reason Josh stood up for me was because he started dating Calli a month ago. Laura carefully avoided looking in my direction. I made my way towards the back of the classroom. Bitch.

“Okay class, don’t get too comfortable.” My teacher Mr. Mattson announced, “I’m having you sit by last name.”

Shit, that puts me in between Laura and Josh. Fun.

I really would like to know which God I pissed off. When I walked into my third hour class, guess who was sitting there? You guessed it, Braden.

“Ashlyn!” A voice called. I glanced at the seat next to Braden and saw Cali. Thank god. She jumped from her chair and gave me a big hug. “Hey! How were your first two hours?”

I shrugged. She laughed. “That bad huh?” She pulled me down in the seat behind her. “Let me see your schedule.”

I handed over the folded piece of paper. She skimmed it. “We only have this class and lunch.” She sounded disappointed.

I figured we wouldn’t have much together. Cali was in drama and show choir, two things I was in, before.

Psychology actually seemed like it was going to be an interesting class. I enjoyed listening to Miss Jones, until some kid had to ask a question.

“Miss Jones?” The kid asked.

“Yes?”

“What exactly is the problem with a girl who refuses to talk?” The kid asked, eyeing me. “Is she just retarded? Or wanting attention?”

Calli quickly jumped from her chair. “Shut up!”

The kid glared at her. “I was just asking a question. And everyone wants to know what her problem is anyway.”

Calli’s hands curled into fists. “She isn’t DEAF!” she snapped. “She can hear you! And it isn’t any of your business!”

“Sit down Cali.” Miss Jones said quietly. Cali sat. Miss Jones turned to the kid. “There could be many different reasons for why Ashlyn doesn’t speak.” She smiled at me. “Maybe she just doesn’t have anything to say. But when she’s ready, she will.”

My next two classes went by slowly. Luckily, none of my old crowd were in either of them.

I made my way to the lunch room and sat down next to Calli, in the spot where just the two of us have sat since IT happened. The others had abandoned us, now sitting on the other side of the cafeteria.

“That kid made me so mad!” Calli declared, stabbing her fork into what looked to be some sort of meat. “What was his problem anyway?”

“Who’s problem?”

We turned and saw Josh standing there uncomfortably, a tray in his hands. Cali smiled at him., then kissed his cheek. “Never mind. Are you going to eat with us?”

Josh nodded slowly, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. “If that’s okay.”

I nodded. Josh sighed and sat beside Calli.

Not a minute later, Carter plopped down across from Josh. “School blows.”

“I know!” Jess agreed, sitting beside him and giving him a peck on his lips. Her shoulder length red hair bounced, and her hazel eyes smiled at me.

Calli and I glanced at each other. What the hell…

“I’m starving!” Logan announced, putting down his tray next to Carter’s and stuffing food into his mouth.

Laura, who I heard was dating Logan, ruffled his hair fondly when she sat next to him. If all of them are here, that means…

Holly walked over, flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder as she sat next to Jess. “Hey, Calli. Haven’t talked to you in awhile.” Her dark brown eyes passed over me like I wasn’t even there.

Calli glared with her own light brown eyes, “Yeah, there’s a reason for that.”

Braden walked over slowly, then sat next to Holly. That put him across from me. They had started dating a month after Braden and I broke up. There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment, then THEY came over.

“Oh look! The groups together again!” Their leader, Ben said with fake enthusiasm. He stared at me with golden brown eyes. “Is Miss Perfect talking again?”

“Fuck off, Ben.” Calli snapped. Ben chuckled.

“I’ll take that as a no.”

Alex, the second member in the group, had dark skin, hair, and eyes. He smirked at Ben, “Nah, didn’t you hear? Calli’s dating Josh. Bought time he got laid.”

“Shut up.” Josh snapped, glaring at them.

“Ah.” Ben said, still staring at me. “So Miss Perfect still doesn’t fit in.”

The third member, Evan, had light brown hair and grey eyes. He walked up behind me, a smirk on his face. “Ah, she can have a place with us.”

My face flushed. “Just go away!” Calli snapped, standing up for me.

I looked up and saw Braden staring at me. I dropped my eyes once again. “We don’t feel like it.” Ben stated.

Everyone’s eyes were looking at Ben. That’s when Evan took the opportunity to pull up the back of my shirt and press his hand to my skin. I gasped. Then stood and ran out of the cafeteria.