*slowly walks back into your life like I haven't been MIA for a couple of months and hope you don't notice*

Sup everyone! I hope you all had a happy holidays and a great start to the new year. I deeeeply apologize for the disappearing act. The holidays kicked my butt, and I decided it would be a good idea to add the stress of proposing to my girlfriend (don't worry she said yes). Anyway, although I haven't posted, I have been writing, so I have a few chapters under my belt.

Enjoy! and please R&R! :)

I am mentally drained from today. I have seriously had enough of Kyla's shit. It's like it never stops with her. I try with her, I swear I do, but it just seems like it's never enough. She wants me to be her little puppet, and that's never going to happen. I just wish she would mind her own business.

When I pulled up to my house, I saw that Kyla's car was already there. I let out a huge sigh. Internally, I am debating if I should go in or go somewhere else. You know what? This is my house too. I'm tired and I'm not going to allow her to chase me away. I get my book bag and get out of the car. When I reach the front door, I hear a car pulling into the driveway. I don't think too much of it because it's probably just Aiden and Ashton, their practice probably ran late. I leave the door wide open and walk into the house and see Kyla watching TV. I just roll my eyes and keep walking, she's not even worth my time.

I throw my stuff on the floor in my room. I have some calculus homework but I'll do it another day. All I want to do is listen to music and relax. Oh and probably go watch funny videos on Twitter. It is a mindless task and mindless is exactly I need right now. I'm glad that today is Friday but tomorrow is going to be a long, torturing day. We have to play big happy family for one of Mike's work event things. Ugh! Please kill me now!

Mike Thomson is my mom's husband. They got married 5 years ago. He's a doctor and he is getting an award for something great that he did. They met through one of my mom's friends that he was treating for a botched boob job. Five dates later, he was being introduced to us as her new boyfriend. I like him and think he is a great guy and he makes mom happy. That's all that really matters. Especially with all of the heartache and headaches my father put her through, I am glad she finally has someone that can love her and appreciate her the way she deserves.

I change into shorts and a tank top and grab my iPad and headphones. Once I find the right playlist, I lay down.

Music has always been an escape for me. There are so many different types and there are songs about everything you could possibly think of. It allows me to transform into a different me and express how I feel. Whether I'm sad and wanna listen to slow, soft songs or I'm happy and wanna hear fast, upbeat music as loud as possible.

When I was about 4, my father and uncle opened a music store. I remember I would go and listen to the different artists. They ranged from rock stars to country singers to rappers to pop stars, and each one made me feel something powerful. Yet each feeling was different. And music quickly found a place in my heart. Of course it's nowhere as important as basketball, but it's pretty high up there.

I'm drawn from my thoughts when my bed dips. Turning over I see my mom motioning for me to take out my headphones.

"Hey mom. I didn't even know that you were home." Maybe I should be more observant as to what's going on around me.

"Yeah I was in my office downstairs." My mother is a well known divorce lawyer. She represents many celebrities. Ever wonder how Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes got a divorce so fast? That was all mom.

"Anyway," she says standing up "we ordered pizza. I got you barbecue chicken." That brings a smile to my face. You haven't lived until you've had barbecue chicken pizza. I'm pretty sure it comes straight from heaven.

"Thanks mom!" I jump up and give her a kiss on the cheek before running out of my room.

When I walk into the kitchen, there are about 10 cheerleaders sitting around the island in the middle of the kitchen. For some odd reason, they all stop their conversation to turn and look at me.

"Umm hi ladies." I say a smile and small wave. That's when I see the Spencer. The blonde beauty is sitting next to my sister eating pizza.

"Hey Ash. We were just talking about you." Brittany Tolliver says with a little smirk. Now I'm intrigued. This girl is seriously hot. She has long black hair with green eyes and her body is to die for. I noticed that earlier while I was watching them practice.

Grabbing a plate, I sit down across from Brittany and next to Spencer but not next to Kyla. "Oh really?" She nods. "About what? All good I hope." I question while opening the box of heaven and grabbing a slice.

"Well... we were discussing which basketball players were the hottest. I, of course, chose you." I swear at the moment I actually heard Kyla roll her eyes. That only gives me motivation to continue because I know it will only piss her off.

I smirk. "Really now?" She nods. "Cool. So what about the rest of you guys?" They all give me a blank look.

Finally Jessica Dixon spoke up, "how about we make a deal?"

"Like?"

"If you tell us the hottest cheerleaders, we'll tell you our answers..." Hmm maybe it wasn't a good idea to start this conversation. I don't want to have any of these girls feeling some way if I don't say them. But hey where is the fun in that.

"Uhhh sure. But you guys gotta go first."

These girls have spent 20 minutes drooling over the guy's team. Yuck! I seriously forgot that they are all hetero. I have noticed that Spencer has been really quite.

"Hey Carlin, why so quiet?" I question loud enough to get everyone's attention. She immediately turns red.

"I-um-well-" Suddenly I feel guilty for even bringing it up.

"Whoa relax. I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that. I'm sorry." Great Davies now she probably thinks that you are some kind of inconsiderate asshole.

"It's fine." She says softly.

There's a moment of silence before Brittany decides to say something. "I know what you are trying to do Ashley, and it's not going to work. It's your turn."

"Well I think number 5 on the girl's team is pretty sexy." Yup that is me. I know that's not what we agreed on but I'm not sure how comfortable I am with the agreement anymore. This whole thing is suddenly seeming super juvenile to me.

"Wow way to be completely full of yourself, Ash. But that's not what we agreed on." Oh I know it isn't Destiny but it was worth a try.

"Well that is my answer. Plus I am not wrong in what I said." I know I'm probably not going to get out of this but stalling never hurts.

"Stop being such a chicken and just tell us." Jessica decides to blurt out.

I think she really wants me to say her. But it's not me feeding my ego. When we were younger, her and Kyla used to be BBFs and she would always hang around us. Then once we got to high school she stopped. It was really weird for someone to be there every minute of every day, then have them suddenly stop. It also kinda sucked because she was like another sibling to me (like I need more of those). Anyway, sometime last year I started to hear that she's had the crazy crush on me since like 8th grade, and by the look on her face I have a good feeling if I don't say her she will be deeply hurt or offended... so her! That's one.

Umm I'll stick with the safe choice: Brittany. Hopefully that'll be enough and I'll make it out of this unscathed.

"Uhh Tolliver and Dixon." I rush out and hope that it's over because I really wanna go back upstairs now.

"What was that? I've seemed to have missed what you said. Would you mind speaking a little louder?" Samantha Westwood said.

Seriously, what is it with these girls? I know they really don't care about my opinion, so why are they pushing for it so hard?

I sigh, "I said Tolliver and Dixon." Everyone seems to be confused. It's like they were expecting me to say something else.

I get up to wash my plate off and put it in the dishwasher. "Well I'll see you ladies at school Monday. Have a nice weekend." With that I walk out. On the way out I hear some whispers. What is with those girls?

When I reach the top of the stairs, I notice Ashton's door is open. He is sitting at his desk sketching something on his pad. He is a great artist. I asked him to make a memorial piece for my dad that I can get tattooed.

I walk in and sit on the bed,"what's up little bro?" My brother jumps at the sound of my voice. I guess he was really focused on whatever he was doing and didn't hear me.

"Shit. You scared me. I didn't hear you come in." He says. Throwing a crumpled piece of paper at me.

"Sorry. I didn't know you were that focused." I shrug and lay down.

"Yeah well I was. Now what do you want?"

"Nothing. Just came to see how you were. I feel like we don't talk as much."

Ashton and I are the closest of all of us. I don't know if it's how close our names are or what but I found that he is the easiest to talk to and the most like me in our family. Aiden is the typical jock. Most of the time he is hanging out with the guys on the team or he is at the gym. He rarely pays attention to what is going on around here. Kyla and I are opposites as you know. Most of the time we stay out of each other's way. But Ashton, he and I click. It's as simple as that. I tell him everything and I'm pretty sure he tells me everything. He is definitely one of my best friends.

"Oh I saw you downstairs with the cheerleaders." I nod. "And sitting next to Spencer." Another nod. "So are you going to ever to ask her out?"

"You know I can't do that I have ru-"

" Ashley we all know about your rules. And to be honest they kinda are stupid. I get that you are trying to protect yourself but if you never take that risk you'll never know. Plus maybe you should start by at least being her friend and getting to know her." He finishes.

"I'll think about it." I stand up and walk out of the room.

This kid is off his rocker. He has no clue what the hell he is talking about. Why would I break the rules I've spent so long putting in place. Being friends and not acquaintances with her does sort of sound nice but what makes him think we even have anything in common to be friends.

When I make it to my room, I face plant on my bed. After I don't know how long, grab my phone and text my best friend, Taylor.

Taylor has been my best friend since birth. We were actually born in the same hospital on the same day and our moms became friends after being roommates in the hospital. They thought it would be cute for us to be friends. So we had playdates and joint birthday parties since before I can remember. She is more like a sister to my than a friend and I know I can trust her with my life. She has always been there to give me great advice.

I spend the rest of the night texting Taylor about my conversation with Ashton. She seems to agree with me. There's no way I should try to become friends with Spencer because that would only make me attached. And if I got attached, it could only escalate from a crush to more. And that would not end well for me.