bonus chapter || betrayal

                                    

                                          
notes: i wanted to make a separate chapter of what happened between cassidy and ashe if anyone was interested in reading. this won't affect the main story but it's just a fun read if you want to know the exact details on what happened between them
this is also kind of a warmup for me to continue on writing the chapters lmao
warning: mentions of violence, death, intrusive thoughts and self harm/suicide
. . .
on the road, ashe and i made our way to james' house. she wanted to pay em' a quick visit. i didn't want to question it however, since she had been losing her traces of thought, and maybe he could help her more than i could.
i stared at the deserted road beneath my sight. the canyons lookin' beautiful as ever, with the warm hues vibrant as ever by the hot sun beaming down. it was home sweet home, after all. nothing could ever compare to it. tumbleweeds and all, i couldn't see myself anywhere else besides texas.
ashe looked stern while driving. something felt quite off, but i didn't want to question it. i leaned in to kiss her cheek to get her mind off the constant overthinking she did. giggling around, she playfully slapped a hand at me as we joked on the car ride there. the sky was shaded with a hot pink and orange. nothing could ever go wrong in the states. 
at last, we had arrived at the place. the sun was just starting to set, when i approached my way out of the car.
"why are we here again, ashe?" i asked.
"nothin' to worry about dear. i just have a few problems i need to take care of."
"with a shotgun?" i questioned.
"i always bring it with me. why are you asking so much stuff, huh? awfully blunt of you, cole." 
i put a hand on her shoulder to reassure her. she would get heated really easily, but this was different; she hadn't acted like this since we met. there was definitely a problem.
"ashe, do you want to talk this out?"
she pushed me away from her touch with her gun, with her silence booming the outside.
"let's just go inside." she tried to say calmly, not showing any sense of irritation. 
"but—"
"cole, don't make me repeat myself. just shut the hell up until we're done here."
i had no choice but to resist to her order. it was hard being with her sometimes, but i truly loved her for who she was deep down. i sighed and made my way to follow her inside. but before i did, i left my gun behind in the car, knowing i wouldn't be needing it, seeing an old friend. 
"ashe! cole! it's been so long! i've missed y'all too much!" james gave us a big group hug, offering us a cup of coffee and a seat on the couch. 
"i can make dinner if you like," he said, urging us as we were his guests. "i know it was a long drive here after all."
i craved james' cooking for so long. i'd been friends with him since elementary school, and in freshman year when he started taking cooking/baking classes, his culinary skills were at the very top out of anything i've ever put in my mouth. licking my lips at the thought of it, i was about to say 'yes please' in response until ashe interrupted.
"no thank you, we already ate on the way here."
"oh..." he frowned, also noticing how i gloomy i was, not being able to even bother to speak when my girlfriend was around. i was her little pet she dragged around with her, according to many of my friends and acquaintances. even to my own ma'. i'd always get dirty looks but i brushed them off. i still loved her with all of my heart.