Ashley Brown- Nerves (c)

                                    

                                          


                          
            
                          
It would never have seemed a reasonable suggestion for Josh to throw another party at his family's cabin, you'd have thought he'd have never wanted to go back there after what had happened to his sisters, but for some reason he had suggested the idea and everyone wanted to be supportive and join him. 
                          
You had originally planned to head up to the cabin on your own, as you expected several of your other friends were going to also do, but you had bumped into Ashley, so were heading to the cable car together. 
                          
As you walked together you could see that she was nervous which was odd. Ashley wasn't the most confident out of all of your friends but she wasn't usually seeming this skittish or concerned. 
                          
"Are you okay?" You asked, softly reaching out a hand to rest on her shoulder in a friendly gesture. 
                          
"Of course," she said gently looking down to her feet. "Why wouldn't I be?"
                          
"You just seem a little anxious is all," you said with a smile attempting to reassure her that everything was okay. 
                          
She let out a hum, pushing her ginger hair off of her shoulder so that she could rub her neck. 
                          
"I don't know," she sighed. "I just... it feels weird being here again... you know... after what happened to Hannah and Beth. What if something happens to us?"
                          
"No one knows what happened to them. And there isn't a suggestion there was foul play. They ran off into the forest and you know the terrain it isn't stable, as long as we stay on the path we should be fine," you assured her.
                          
Her head nodded as her warm breath was visible from her shaky breathing she was releasing in front of her. 
                          
"Is that all that's worrying you?" You asked cocking your eyebrow.
                          
"Yeah," she said too quickly for it to be true.
                          
"Sure, it hasn't got something to do with a blond?" You smirked, taking the attention off of the tragedy that had occurred last year and onto your other friend that Ashley had an interest in even if she wouldn't ever tell him that. 
                          
Ashley froze for a second before shaking her head and continuing to walk beside you through the winter succumbed forest. 
                          
"Why would I be worried about a blond?" She laughed as though it was a preposterous suggestion.
                          
"I don't know. Maybe because you've liked Chris for longer than I can keep track of. We all know you do, and we all know he likes you, you just need to pull up your big girl pants and tell him," you said playfully even though your words were true. 
                          
"He doesn't like me Y/N," she frowned. "And I don't want to make things awkward for the two of us, and not for all of you guys either."
                          
You rolled your eyes. She made these excuses often even though the both of you knew it was due to her being concerned that he didn't like her- nothing else. 
                          
"You should just give it a chance. If by some unforeseen chance, that shall never happen, that he doesn't like you, he will be chivalrous and you'll stay friends. Think about it we are going to be in a cabin and I'm sure Matt and Emily will be busy as will Mike and Jess. I'll distract Josh and Sam for you so you can get a little alone time," you offered.
                          
She let out a sigh of reluctance. "Fine, I'll think about it."
                          
"Good," you smirked. 
                          
~*~
                          
Written by Charlotte.