Travis observed them from a distance. He could see that Ashley was attempting to leave, but her overly kind nature prevented her from simply walking away. She forced a laugh at his jokes, a challenging feat considering she often struggled to recognize what was meant to be humorous.
"By the way, I'm John. I'm a sophomore here. What's your name?" he asked.
With a strained smile, Ashley replied, "It's Ashley. Well, I better get going..." She was abruptly interrupted by him.
"Wait, before you go, I'd like to ask you something," he said.
'He better not be trying to confess. I don't know how to react to that,' she thought.
Travis decided to approach them, walking at a steady pace to reach them before anything happened.
"Hey Ashley. What are you doing here?" Travis said as he stopped right in front of them. Ashley's face lit up with happiness upon seeing him. She immediately went to his side, wrapping her arm around his.
"Travis, you're back. I was just talking to John here, a new friend I just made," she said, her voice filled with relief.John stared at Travis with a death stare.
He had basically taken Ashley from him.'Who is this guy? She calls him her friend, but why is she so close to him? Whatever, I'll swoop her off her feet with my magical charm,' he thought, his confidence unwavering.
"Wow. Hey, it's nice to meet you. I'm Travis, Ashley's close friend," Travis said, extending his hand. John took his hand and began squeezing it, trying to harm him.
But Travis didn't flinch or even return the favor; he simply stared at John with a friendly smile.
John's grip tightened, but Travis remained calm and composed, his eyes never leaving John's. The tension between them was palpable. Finally, John released his grip, realizing his attempt to intimidate Travis had failed.
"Well, I should probably leave you guys. I don't want to interrupt something important," Travis said, gently pulling his arm from Ashley's grasp. Ashley stared at him, devastated by his sudden withdrawal.
'Why would he leave? Is he jealous? No, we're just friends,' she thought, confusion clouding her mind.
She then remembered the warmth she felt earlier and her cheeks turned red almost immediately. 'I guess he might be interested as well. I should go clear things up,' she realized, her heart beating faster at the thought.
Just as she was about to follow Travis, John's voice broke through her thoughts. "Ashley, wait, could I have your number?" he asked, pulling her back to reality.
She turned to him and sighed, her mind still partially with Travis. "Okay, here," she said, scribbling her number on a piece of paper and handing it to John.
At that moment, the school bell rang, its shrill sound signaling the start of the next class. "I have to go. Bye," she said hurriedly, her voice tinged with urgency as she walked swiftly into the building, leaving John standing there with a self-satisfied smirk.
'I'll charm her with my wonderful chat rizz. Good thing I downloaded that app that scans conversations and comes up with a reply,' he thought smugly, pocketing his phone with her number.
As Ashley walked to her class, her mind was a whirl of emotions. The image of Travis's face when he decided to leave replayed in her mind, mingling with her own growing feelings for him. She resolved to talk to him as soon as she got the chance, to clear the air and maybe, just maybe, explore what lay beneath the surface of their friendship.
She walked in and saw Travis sitting with Lauren, much closer than before. Lauren was slightly leaning on Travis while holding out her phone, showing him something. Travis was smiling, clearly engrossed in whatever Lauren was sharing with him.
"When did they get so close? Did I miss something?" she thought, feeling a pang of unease.
Ashley approached the two with a smile on her face, masking her discomfort. Lauren saw her and immediately brightened, her smile widening.
"Hey, are you alright? What did that guy want anyway?" Ashley asked, her concern evident. She had been worried since Lauren had been pulled away by a stranger earlier.
"Yeah, I'm alright. He just wanted my number, that's all," Lauren replied, turning to Travis, who had his eyes fixed on the phone.
"Did you give it to him?" Lauren asked, her curiosity piqued.
Ashley shook her head. "No, I didn't. I barely even know the guy."
'I don't want Travis to get even more jealous. I should clear things up now,' she thought as she took a seat and placed it next to him. She noticed how Travis's expression changed slightly, his smile fading just a bit when she sat down.
"Hey, you aren't mad at me, right?" she asked gently, trying to read his expression.
"Mad? For what?" Travis responded, looking up from the phone, his tone puzzled.
Ashley took a deep breath, deciding to be straightforward. "I just thought maybe you were upset about the guy asking for my number. I didn't want you to think there was anything to worry about."
Travis's face softened, and he shook his head with a slight smile. "No, I'm not mad. I trust you. Besides, it's not like you gave him your number."
Relieved, Ashley smiled back, feeling the tension ease. "Good. I just didn't want there to be any misunderstandings."
"So, what were you two looking at?" she asked, peering at the phone screen.
Travis handed the phone to Ashley, who saw a series of funny memes and videos. "Just some funny stuff Lauren found. She has taste in comedy honestly. We should get a dual account don't you think"
"Sure, I don't mind. Why not just make a group chat where we send each other memes? I know IG allows that," Lauren suggested, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Okay, send me your handles then," Travis replied, pulling out his phone. "By the way, don't be surprised by the weird videos I send from time to time."
Lauren giggled. "The same goes for me. I have a knack for finding the strangest stuff."
Ashley smiled and nodded. "Me as well. I can't resist sharing the bizarre things I come across."
They exchanged their Instagram handles, laughing and teasing each other about what kinds of memes and videos might end up in their new group chat.
The three of them spent the next few minutes laughing at the memes, the earlier tension forgotten. As they enjoyed each other's company, Ashley couldn't help but feel grateful for the close bond they shared, even if it sometimes brought moments of uncertainty.
Travis sat there staring at Ashley and Lauren talk while thinking ' Things are going well. She for some reason thinks I'm into her. Well that doesn't matter from the looks of things she likes me as well. I guess I'll have to use that to my advantage ' he thought.
[ Also don't forget about the other one. She's my favorite honestly]
' Lauren, oh she isn't someone I'd worry about at the moment. ' he thought.
Sure Travis wasn't a playboy or anything but his sister's had given him all kinds of tips on women so he'll make sure to use that information in this situation.
' I wonder what I'll eat when I get home'
TO BE CONTINUED