Ashley
Three months ago…
“Oh, my goodness! I swear every single time I drink those Bahama Breeze’s I get drunk! They are so fruity and delicious and I always forget they are filled with alcohol. It just sneaks up on me.”
I plop down onto my couch and Kaden sits down next to me. He takes my feet into his lap and after throwing my heels onto the floor, begins massaging one foot and then the other.
“Ohh that feels so good. Between working at Double D’s and teaching all day, my feet are taking a beating.”
I close my eyes for a second and when I open them, Kaden is staring at me like he wants to devour me whole. The way he looks at me gives me the confidence to do what I am about to do. Moving my feet out of his hold, I straddle him putting my thighs on either side of him. His hands move to my hips to hold me in place as my hands run through his messy hair.
“Ashley… what are you doing?”
The truth is I’m not sure. I know it’s the alcohol talking and if I wasn’t drunk, I wouldn’t have the courage to make my move. But I also know that if I was sober I would still want this man. He’s my best friend and I love him. I know he doesn’t do commitment and I know I don’t do one-night stands but what I feel for him is so strong maybe it would be worth it to have even one night with Kaden, even if that means I would be left broken in the morning.
“I want you.”
Kaden slowly shakes his head no and I can’t handle the rejection right now. I grab his hands and bring them to my chest.
“Please.”
I let go of his hands and for a second I think he is going to move them from my breasts but he doesn’t. Instead he not only keeps them there but he begins to massage them.
I let out a small moan at his touch and it gets him riled up. He grabs my shirt and throws it over my head. Then he pulls his up and over his head.
His mouth goes to my left breast as he pulls my bra cup down and takes my pebbled nipple in between his lips and sucks. Then he moves to the other one and does the same thing. His touch causes my legs to tense up and tighten around him.
And then my phone rings.
Kaden’s hands go to my ass, pulling me in closer to him. I can feel his erection through his jeans.
And my damn phone rings again!
This time Kaden removes his mouth and hands from my body, setting me down on the couch next to him. He gets up and grabs my phone from my purse.
“It says it’s Giovanni and he’s calling you Bellissima. Who’s that and what the fuck does Bellissima mean?”
Fuck! How do I explain who Giovanni is without telling him I owe a loan shark thirty grand?
“He’s just a friend of mine. Bellissima is just an Italian word.”
Kaden grabs his phone. “Siri, what does Bellissima mean in Italian?”
Oh geez! “Hmm... According to Siri, it means gorgeous. Why the hell is some guy texting you saying you are gorgeous?”
“You’re my friend! You don’t think I’m gorgeous?”
“I didn’t say that…”
“It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it, Kaden.”
“Are you trying to change the subject?”
He looks down at the phone when another text message comes through.
“He wants to know if you are coming by tomorrow?”
I snatch the phone out of his hand. “Thanks, I will text him back later.”
“Ashley, are you seeing someone?”
I know it’s a legitimate question but it’s one I can’t explain so I get defensive instead. “No, I’m not. It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
He gives me a questioning look and then walks up to me closing the distance between us. It’s then I notice the small tattoo on his left pec. I’ve seen it before but not close enough to read the words.
Gabrielle y bebe,
mi mundo
While I don’t know what it says since it’s not written in English, I do see the name Gabrielle.
“Who’s Gabrielle?”
Kaden looks down at his chest, but instead of answering my question, walks to the couch to grab his shirt.
“Who’s Gabrielle?” I repeat.
“Who’s Giovanni?” he counters.
“Nobody.”
“Ditto.”
I grab my shirt from the floor and throw it on. “I’m tired. I’m going to bed. Are you staying over or grabbing a cab?”
“It’s after three in the morning. I’ll stay over if that’s ok.”
“You know it is.”
“Look, Ash…”
“You don’t have to say anything. I get it.”
“You’re my best friend. I don’t want to ever lose you. If there’s a guy, I will understand. But I just don’t get why you would be meeting him somewhere and be so adamant about hiding it from me.”
“Do you want to explain who Gabrielle is?”
“No.”
“Then let’s drop this and pretend tonight never happened.”
I walk down the hall to my bedroom without waiting for his response.
“Ash! Your phone is going off,” Kaden says handing me a huge plate of food. My stomach growls in anticipation. The last few months have been rough to say the least moneywise. Tristan is always fed but sometimes if I am short on money, which seems to be more often than not lately, I will skip a meal to ensure he will get fed.
“Thanks.”
I check my phone and see it’s an email from work.
From: Wilcox, Margaret
To: Myers, Ashley
Subject: Meeting requested
Good evening,
Please plan to meet me tomorrow morning before school at 7:30 am. I have a matter that needs to be discussed with you.
Thank you,
Margaret Wilcox
Principal
Old Creak Elementary
A lump forms in my throat and I pray this email is not about what I think it’s about. I email her back confirming I will meet her in the morning. The rest of the evening goes by like a blur. I can’t remember anything anybody says. My only thoughts are on my upcoming meeting tomorrow morning.
“Morning little man,” I say turning the light on in Tristan’s room. “It’s the last week of school. Are you excited?”
“Yeah, I can’t wait to spend the summer practicing at the gym. I don’t know why I even have to go to school. I’m going to be in the UFC one day anyway.”
“The same reason football and basketball players stay in school. You need an education. Plus, if they get hurt, they will still be ok because they went to school.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he pouts throwing his covers off him.
“Get ready for school, please. We need to leave early this morning. I have a meeting before school.”
“Ok.”
When we get to the school I have Tristan hangout with Megan, a teacher friend of mine, while I go to speak with Mrs. Wilcox.
“Ashley, please have a seat. I know we already met earlier this month for your evaluation. Unfortunately, a situation has been brought to my attention. Before I go any further, I will ask you if what I have heard is true. Do you work at a strip club?”
I could lie but there’s no point. She already knows I do, and she could easily find out if I am lying.
“Yes, I do. I am a waitress there.”
“And if that were the truth, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“I did do a private party one time, but it won’t be happening again. I was just filling in for someone.”
“Ashley, as an educator you agree to uphold yourself to certain standards. I am sorry but at this time, after this week of school is over, I will not be able to rehire you.”
“Can I get a job at another school?”
“I suppose you could but due to the notes on your record I would suggest you wait a few years for it to blow over. I don’t believe you will be hired in this state.”
“Ok.”
“I am sorry Ashley.”
“I understand.”
After grabbing Tristan from Megan, I bring him back to my classroom while I finish grading some papers I wanted to give back before school lets out. I look around and realize after this week I will not only no longer be a teacher, which was my dream since I was a little girl, but I will be short a huge chunk of money since I will not be teaching summer school. Everything is spiraling completely out of control and I have no idea how to fix any of it.