Chapter 17

                                    

                                          


                          
"Well good job," Ashley said.  Chelsea was talking with Ashley next to their lockers once again the next morning at school.  Still energized and gleeful, Chelsea almost could start squealing then and there.  "You broke the cuddling barrier. I'm proud of you," Ashley continued.
                          
"Yeah! I can't wait for what's gonna happen ne-" 
                          
Suddenly, Chelsea's phone started ringing.  She looked at it with a furrowed brow, gestured to Ashley to 'hold on a second', and turned to walk away a bit.
                          
She checked the caller ID. It was Dustin. Why would Dustin be calling her right now..? She picked up the phone.
                          
"What is i-"
                          
"CHELLLLSEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Dustin shouted in her ear with distress so loudly that Chelsea moved her head away from her phone as a reflex. "CHELSEA! CHELSEA, YOU THERE!?" Dustin asked.
                          
"What...?" Chelsea asked with a hint of lethargy- which she always had done with her family members who aren't her parents. 
                          
"I-Is your friend there?"
                          
"Ashley?"
                          
"The white haired one?"
                          
"...Yeah."
                          
"Yeah, her! Are you- Is she near you right now?"
                          
"...No...? I walked away as soon as you called."
                          
"C-Could.. you...Um... C-could you do me a solid and ask her..." Chelsea's eyebrows raised. "Could you ask her if she's interested in uh-...in going out for-... I-Ice cream?"
                          
"Wha...?" Chelsea said. "I mean- I can, but, wouldn't' it be more effective if you did that?"
                          
"You're right but- I'm gonna look like a stuttering idiot in front of her! She'll look at me like I'm an idiot while just waiting for my answer, it'll suck so much!"
                          
"...You have no idea..." Chelsea said, referencing how Ashley thinks and acts the exact same way around him. She sighed deeply. "Just come over here and try it, you'll be fine. Okay?"
                          
"Noooo! Tell her for me!" Chelsea narrowed her eyes. 
                          
"Again, I mean, I could but listen... you need to do it yourself... face your fears..." 
                          
Chelsea felt a bit sad as she gave this advice. 
                          
If only she could listen to her own...
                          
"J-Just...! Just do something!" Dustin hung up the phone. Chelsea sighed. What was she going to do? Was she just going to do what he said..? No- that'd be going against her advice. She had to somehow-
                          
"Hey, Chel," Ashley said, walking up from behind. The redhead turned like lightning to her friend. 
                          
"Wh-What's up?" Chelsea asked.
                          
"Um...Nothing much?" Ashley replied with a confused look. "...I, uh, said that the first time you asked. What's up with you? Did, uh, something happen..?"
                          
"No, no! Nothing at all!" Chelsea shouted, trying way too hard to sound convincing. "Nothing at all! Nope!"
                          
"You gotta brush up on your lying skills," Ashley said, putting her hands on her hips and staring with suspicion. "Tell me. What's going on?"  Chelsea sighed in defeat.
                          

"Yeah... Um, it was Dustin. He uh, wanted to know if you were up for going out for ice cream." Ashley's calm demeanor shattered within seconds. Her eyes widened, her face reddened, and she looked as though she just learned her house got burned down.
                          
"WHAT!?" Ashley shouted. "Nooo! No way, No way, no way..!" She put her hands on her face. "Noooo!" She turned around, and started shuffling her feet like she was dancing a bit- but Chelsea knew that was more of a freak out than an actual dance.