****
"Woman! Are you trying to kill me or somethin?" Chris teased, dramatically clutching onto the 'oh shit' handle within Mo's Pontiac Sunfire.
Mo laughed, her eyes gleaming mischeviously as she sped along the freeway. "Dude, I have to hurry, we're late! Do you want April and Rach to have to walk home?"
"Well if it's between them walking or me dying, I definitely think they could use the exercise." Chris quipped in reply.
Before Mo could respond, they were interrupted by her cell phone ringing loudly. Fumbling around for the cell, she weaved on the road slightly.
"GOOD GOD! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!" Chris yelled, then grabbing the phone from where it sat within the dash, clicked it on. "HELLO? Uhh...I mean, hello, this is Mo's phone, can I help you?"
Shaking her head, Mo snatched the phone out of Chris' hand and held it up to her own ear. "Yes?" she asked politely, shooting the dark haired man next to her a dirty look. Chris had braced his hands against the dash as he leaned forward slightly in his seat, a look of mock surprise gracing his features. Holding in her laughter, she was surprised to hear Joey's voice drifting through the phone line.
"Where are you?" he inquired curiously.
"On our way to the airport. I swung by and picked up Chris after April called and said Rachel was coming with her. I figured the two nutcases could play while April and I meet with Johnny."
Joey's voice took on a dull quality as he spoke again. "Oh. I wondered what Chris was doing with you. Tell Rachel I said hi..."
Mo smiled warmly, "I'll do that Joseph. Anything else?"
"I'm really sorry...about earlier. I really had no idea..." he trailed off as Mo interjected.
"I told you. It's fine. I just get wrapped up in pretending sometimes and well...I have to distance myself from the situation that's sucking me in. But you're still mah boy okay? No weirdness between us. Got it?" she directed playfully.
"Okay. I'll talk to you later then. Don't forget to tell Rachel I said hello." the Italian said before saying good-bye and hanging up the phone.
Hanging up the phone as she took the exit for the airport, Mo raised a quizzical eyebrow at Chris. "And what, may I ask, are you doing?"
Chris stopped puffing his cheeks out on the window momentarily in order to turn toward the brunette in the driver's seat. "What are YOU doing? Shouldn't your eyes be on the road? Get with the program lady!" he mocked in an obnoxious tone, pointing his index finger at the windshield.
Shaking her head, Mo tried unsuccessfully to hide her smile. "I honestly hope you do the world a favor and never reproduce Christopher." she glanced at him slyly out of the corner of her eye as he opened his mouth to reply. "Just sit there and be silent or I'll shove your ass out." she said dryly, a broad grin gracing her face as he slouched in his seat and pretended to pout.
****
Ashlee brushed a stray hair from her face as she walked through the brightly lit living room of the Florida home she shared with Leigh and Tressa. Making her way into the kitchen, she opened the fridge and leaned up against the door as her eyes scoured the contents within. "Ugh there's never anything good to eat in this house." she muttered, moving items around as she complained.
"Trying to keep the house cool?" Tressa said, walking in from the back patio where she had been laying out most of the afternoon.
"Huh?" Ashlee said, frowning at her friend as she peered at the blonde from behind the refridgerator door.
Tressa nodded toward the open fridge, "Wouldn't it be cheaper to just turn on the air conditioning?" she joked half-heartedly, walking toward her roommate and reaching past her for a bottle of water.
"Oh..yeah I guess. Sorry." Ashlee mumbled, shrugging her shoulders.
"I'm gonna get in the shower, if Leigh comes back from wherever the hell she went, tell her I'll be ready by 6:00."
Ashlee nodded her reply as Tressa walked down the hallway and she could hear the water running in the bathroom. Making her way absentmindedly out onto the patio, she sat down in a lounge chair, closing her eyes and resting her back against the towel that Tressa had left behind.
Her skin absorbing the warmth of the bright sun, Ashlee sighed contentedly as her thoughts drifted. A breeze blew over her body and her eyes fluttered open as she felt something brush over her arm momentarily. Looking down, she saw a piece of paper, folded in half, lying on the ground next to her chair. Reaching down to grab it and place it back on the table, curiousity got the best of her when she saw her name mentioned in the girlish scrawl.
Ashlee's eyes skimmed over it quickly, widening with surprise as she read what Tressa had obviously not meant for her to find.
It's just so hard for me to live with Ashlee and be around her day after day, knowing that she has everything that I wish I could have. I don't think she realizes how lucky she is...
She continued, holding her hand up to her open mouth as she read the final portion of the letter.
I resent her so much sometimes, even though she had nothing to do with her dad firing my father. After he lost his job, our family seemed to come apart at the seams...I just wish I didn't allow all that anger and hurt to hinder things. She was my best friend...and now look at us.
Tressa leaned against the open sliding glass door that led out to the manicured patio area, watching Ashlee as she read. Clearing her throat, she smiled timidly as Ashlee jumped in her chair and turned toward her, flustered.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! Um...it fell?" she offered, stumbling over her words.
Tressa nodded understandingly as she walked toward her groupmate, and sat down on one of the lounge chairs next to her. "I'm glad you read it." she said simply, shrugging her shoulders. "It's about time we talked about everything..."
Ashlee looked at her friend with a somber expression. "I had no idea..." she started before Tressa silenced her.
"I just want to say that I'm sorry for everything. I shouldn't have blamed you for something that was out of your control. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?" she asked sheepishly, extending her hand toward the petite blonde.
Ashlee smiled gratefully, grabbing Tressa's hand and pulling her in gently for a quick hug. Releasing her from the embrace, she tilted her head slightly to the side, "Of course I can forgive you...you're my best friend."
****