Ashley Needles

Lee played with my hair. My skin tingled. There was something in his posture that was protective and in his eyes a question. Should I have kissed him? "We were heading to Chelle's house." I left it open. I didn't want Lee to see where Chelle lived but disinviting him wouldn't have been kind either. We could go to the library but would Lee be comfortable there? What other places were there? Chelle didn't wait. "Want to come?" She piped in. "Sure," Lee said, his soft gaze wrapping me in a warm blanket. Too quickly the emotional security disappeared. Even with Lee's hand holding mine, with each step closer to the dump Chelle called home I cringed a little more. What would Lee think of the rickety steps, the cheap trailer, the mountains of moldy dishes, the overwhelming stench of cat urine and old cigarettes? His apartment was bare of clutter and I didn't know if it was because he was fastidious or because he had little to c...

In the commons, Chelle spotted me. "Hey, figment of my imagination." The dark cloud that hung over her this morning vanished. Whatever it was couldn't have been too terrible if it only took seven classes of mental torture to get it to dissipate. "Hey, imaginary friend!" I grinned, relief washing away twenty pounds of worry. "What are you doing?" "My parents are working so we can hang out if you want." Chelle's parents hated me more than I detested them. Standing up to parents for treating their daughter like trash doesn't win brownie points for some reason. I still remember her dad's fist raising as if he were about to hit me. In that moment I wanted him to do it. If he had two things would have happened. He would have gone to jail for assaulting a minor and when he got out my dad would have either killed him or made him wish for death. My dad was a bit notorious for being a bald-headed bad ass. He'd threatened the l...

The halls bustled with students but something was missing. At lunch it clicked. No one was going out of their way to be mean. For once I wasn't surrounded by snapping vipers. A few girls pointed and whispered, and the boys didn't quite meet my eyes but no one had tripped me or called out insults as I passed. Max averted his gaze instead of his long inscrutable stare. In sixth period Senecca, who belonged in the middle of the high school hierarchy leaned over to talk. Despite having sat together for several months this was the first time she noticed I was alive. "You're dating Lee Lavellan?" She whispered tapping my arm. We'd kissed but were we dating? What did she mean by dating? Did she want to know if we were a couple? For a moment I was stumped, different answers and scenarios ran through my mind. "Um, we've just been hanging out." "You are dating!" She latched onto the piece of gossip her eyes gleaming. Why was she so ...

Nerves burned beneath my skin. A desperate need to get closer to him squeezed my belly. I would implode if the space between our bodies continued. I slid my hand over his chest beneath his jacket. Something heavy and hard weighed it down. Curious my fingers found the opening of the inner pocket. I looked into his eyes, silently asking permission to invade the secret compartment. He gave a slight nod.  My hand hesitantly crept inside giving him plenty of time to change his mind. He didn't move just waited.  Grabbing onto a hard thick shaft I pulled it out. Eight inches long, the switchblade sat in my palm the light reflecting the memory of Kwani's pale face and the frightened look of the name caller. "Have you killed someone?" The question escaped my lips before I could stop it. Lee took both my hands in his, his eyes searched my face looking for judgment or fear, but both were missing.  Logic told me I should be afraid or disgusted, but the hu...

Lee led me down the hall. His bedroom was the last door on the left. He held it open. Inside was a thin mattress on the floor, a few items of clothing stashed in a corner that needed washed and a pair of shoes. Hung limply in the closet a modest amount of threadbare clothes, many of which showed holes. I thought of all the tantrums I'd thrown about getting my sisters' handy downs and all the clothes sitting my closet I didn't wear because of floral patterns or some other nonsense. For the first time in my life, I realized I was a brat. I grew up in the wealthiest part of town. Our house had a striking view of a pond and a golf course. It was two stories with rooms to spare. My mother, a bit neurotic when it came to cleaning, kept it immaculate. Lee didn't know all this and I was grateful. It crossed my mind that where I lived and what I had, might have been part of why my classmates hated me. Lachelle's home and mine differed greatly, in her house there ...