Natural Disaster

Secret Life of the American Teenager

By: Amon Kashino

Chapter I

How did she end up in this situation? It wasn't exactly bad, just she didn't have much to say to the boy sitting next to her. She knew why she was stuck here though, her sidekick and partner in crime forgot her. Griffin was supposed to give her a ride when his parents came to pick him up... but it seemed he forgot and everyone else she knew left while she waited for Griffin.

Now she was sitting next to Ricky Underwood, and although she didn't exactly dislike him she never really knew what to say around him. He had sat next to her when he saw her and she asked for a ride only to find out his car's battery was dead.

So here they sat on the curb in front of school waiting for Ricky's foster mom to show up with the new battery.

"So..." Ricky said trying to start some small talk.

"So what?" Ashley replied.

"Well i can give you a ride once Margaret gets here."

Ashley just nodded, but it seemed Ricky didn't seem to give up so easily "I was gonna go to the mall to get a few things for John did you wanna come?"

"why?" she said looking towards him.

He shrugged "you got something better to do?"

Ashley was about to say yes when she realized if she went straight home only Amy would be there right now, and she didn't feel like calling Griffin to hang out so she sighed "sure whatever."

Ricky nodded to himself and looked to the ground sitting in silence, after about five minutes he sighed "you don't talk much do you?"

Ashley shook her head "i don't see a reason to."

"oh come on" Ricky said looking at her "are you really this dull?"

Ashley was slightly taken aback by his statement "What do you mean?"

He stood up and leaned against his car "i mean if you act like this all the time you're just gonna miss out on a lot of things."

"like getting pregnant?" she asked smirking.

"ooh low blow" he replied "the ref takes a point away... but seriously what do you do besides mope around like a ghost?"

Ashley stood and looked away in thought only to realize when she wasn't with Griffin she was with her family, she never really went out to do anything, and that revelation irked her so she looked to the older boy "well what do you propose to brighten up my life?"

Ricky smirked "kid you just need to lighten up, so what if everyone else has got drama flowing out their ears, you can still have your own life."

"why the sudden interest in me?" she asked suspiciously.

Ricky laughed "none really, but with Grace going to her grandparents for the weekend and Ben trying to befriend me all the time i need to find someone to hang out with" he stood up to full height "i can always find someone else to hang out with just thought I'd throw out an offer."

Ashley was about to say something but stopped when Margaret pulled up to them "Hi you two, Ricky the battery is in the trunk."

Ricky walked to the trunk as his foster parent popped it, he grabbed it and walked up to her window "ok let me pop this in and see if we can get this started before you leave."

Margaret nodded and Ricky threw the keys to Ashley "get in and pop the hood."

She grudgingly obliged and after a few minutes heard Ricky tell her to try it, the car turned over and began running so Ricky took the old battery and placed it in Margaret's trunk before shutting it and waving her off. He closed the hood of his car and walked to the drivers side "move over kid."

Ashley sighed "if you want me to go to the mall with you you're gonna have to stop calling me kid."

Ricky laughed "fine deal."

~The Mall~

They were standing in one of the various baby stores and Ricky was holding a tiny pair of shoes "what do you think?"

Ashley looked at them "you realize your son can't walk right?"

Ricky sighed "i know i just don't know what to buy him."

"Why not something simple like a rattle, or teething toys for when he starts getting teeth?" she said pointing to a wall behind him.

Ricky smirked "well what do you know, you're actually good for something" he said laughing.

Ashley rolled her eyes "ha ha Underwood."

Ricky started looking through things on the wall before he turned to the freshman girl "do you think i should get your sister anything?"

"i don't think she needs a teething ring" she said crossing her arms over her chest.

Ricky raised an eyebrow "my my you can jest also, so your not a robot."

Ashley punched his arm and for some inexplicable reason she realized that it was akward to be so comfortable with Ricky. It dawned on her that she was actually getting along with the man-whore that knocked up her sister.

After purchasing a few things Ricky pulled her into a music store "you think maybe she'd like something from here?"

Ashley shrugged "why bother? are you trying to get with her?"

"No it's not like that really" he said "i just don't know what to offer her, i mean she had my kid but i don't know that much about her, all we ever talk about is John."

"well i don't know what to do about that" she said looking around.

He sighed "dammit..." then he turned and smirked "maybe a bribe will get you to help me?"

That got the girls attention "go on?"

"do you want something? I'llbuy if its reasonable" he said.

"not that big on material things" she commented then smirked "but i they have a new roller-coaster at six-flags."

Ricky groaned "seriously? can't i just buy you a CD or something?"

Ashley turned and started walking away and Ricky saw his chance to get on Amy's good side getting away so he sighed "fine, I'll take you tomorrow!"

She spun around "deal! now lets go get that gift for Amy..."

~Juergens' Household~

Ricky pulled up to the house a sour look on his face realizing that his wallet was gonna be empty tomorrow, the two got out and gathered the shopping bags heading to the front door. Once inside Ashley disappeared upstairs and Ricky went to the kitchen where he heard Amy talking "hey Ames!" he called out walking in.

She turned to him holding John in her arms with her cellphone resting between her ear and shoulder "hold on Ben I'll call you back"

Ricky put the bags down and took John from her so she could hang up and smiled at his son.

Amy looked at the bags "what's all this?"

"just something for you and John" he said nodding to the blue bags he smirked "those are Johns just a few things i thought he might need."

he then pointed to black bag with a big box in it "and that's for you."

Amy raised an eyebrow "can i see?" after Ricky nodded she pulled the box out and gasped "a laptop!?"

"i thought it might be good for you, help you keep up on things like school work" he sat in a chair rocking John "besides i know you wanted one for awhile."

"this is... it's too much..." she said.

Ricky shook his head "it's just a gift accept it and move on" he said with a laugh.

"but i can't..." she began.

Ricky stood back up "just accept the damn thing."

Amy laughed "alright, thank you... wait how'd you know i wanted one?"

Ricky just smiled and set John in his car seat "i gotta get to work in a few minutes I'll see you later"

Amy was about to ask him again but as he turned away her phone rang and she answered "hey Ben... No something weird just happened..."

TBC

[Tokijin of Asura Server FFXI ~ I'm sorry if there are any grammar mistakes, this is just an idea i've got brewing in my head i'll clean it up and refine it when i get a chance. Hope you enjoy.]