Chapter Text
"Where are you going?!"
"I'm not having this conversation again!"
"Alex stop-" Ashlyn reached for her wrist but Ali pulled away.
"That wasn't fair and you know it!" She pointed at Ashlyn.
"I'll take it down. I'm sorry!"
"Yea, so everyone can think I'm the bad guy again? Leave it up! It's already done." She countered.
"We're being 'more open'. I didn't think it was a big deal!"
"That's the problem- you... didn't... think!" She contemplated surpassing her next sentence- she knew it would hurt. But she felt so hurt herself she didn't care. She said it anyway. "Maybe this isn't a good idea right now."
Ashlyn narrowed her eyes and stared at Ali. "What? Being more open? It was your idea!"
"No, this." She pointed between Ashlyn and herself. "Us."
"What?" Ashlyn asked softly, totally caught off guard.
"I don't know." Ali was too mad to be talking. She didn't mean it. She knew that, but she couldn't stop herself from saying it. "I'm leaving for the Cup in a couple months and you're not-"
"You don't need to fucking remind me that I'm not going!" Ashlyn gave her the most hurt look Ali had ever seen. That was probably the worst thing she could have said. "I got the memo." Now Ashlyn was livid. "You know what? Maybe you're right..."
"Ashlyn, I didn't mean-"
"No, you're right!" She countered. "This..." She mocked Ali and pointed between the two of them. "...isn't a good idea right now."
Ali shook her head. "Fine!" She crossed her arms. No, Ali. She'll take it seriously. Take it back. But she was too mad to go back now.
Ashlyn didn't really expect her to accept that but when she did it pushed Ashlyn over the edge. "Fine! Have fun in Canada." She said sarcastically and stormed off toward their bedroom. Didn't really think this through- we live together.
Ali couldn't stop herself- she had to get the last jab. Afterall, she is the one who was mad to begin with. "Yea? Have fun in DC!" She yelled back and was surprised when she immediately felt guilt. I shouldn't have said that. Oh no, how do I take it back?
Ashlyn stopped in her tracks. Ali could see her breathing heavily, her shoulders heaving up and down. If Ashlyn turned around and smacked her in the face right now- Ali knew she would deserve it. But Ashlyn didn't turn around at all. Instead of continuing to the bedroom- she grabbed her keys and refrained from slamming the apartment door behind her as she left.
All the anger hit her at once. Ali yelled and threw her water bottle across the room as hard as she could. "Fuckkkkk! " She cried out. She didn't mean any of that. She reached for her phone. She didn't want to end this- not now, not ever. But the anger was dominant over her remorse and she told herself she needed to calm down before talking to Ashlyn. She put the phone down, sat at the table, and cried with her head in her arms.
...
Ali lost track of time. She wasn't sure how long she was crying. Maybe an hour.
She called Ashlyn. No answer. She called again. Nothing. She threw the phone on the counter and dragged herself to the living room. She planned to wait her out on the couch. She had to come home sometime. Right?
...
She woke up two hours later when she heard a car park outside.
There was a knock at the door. Maybe it was Ashlyn. Maybe she changed her mind. As mad as Ali was she also wished it was her. She ran to the door but waited a moment before opening it. Her face dropped a little.
Not Ashlyn. Lori instead. Ali dropped her shoulders and left the door open for her to come in. She knew she was about to get a lecture. Of course Lori took Ashlyn's side. Ali walked to the kitchen counter and checked her phone- nothing. "Listen, Lori. I'm not really in the mood right now."
"Ali-" Lori started.
"I don't need a lecture! It's between her and me. Maybe I overreacted- I don't know. I'll talk to her when she comes home. But she really has to learn to-"
"Ali!" The tone of Lori's voice stopped her short.
When Ali looked up- she noticed something in Lori's eyes- something that worried her. "Lori, are you okay?"
She watched as Lori slowly took a step closer. "Here, Al." She pulled out a chair for her to sit in.
"Okay..." Ali cocked her head to the side, confused, and slowly sat down. "It's really not that big of a deal. We had a fight." She looked up at Lori with confusion. "...I said I'll talk to her." Ali continued but it sounded more like a question.
Lori crouched in front of her and Ali narrowed her eyes. This is different. Normally Lori got right to it. "Ali, sweetie." Lori said calmly. She was serious- not a drop of humor or anger in her eyes and Ali felt her stomach lurch. Lori grabbed her hand. "Ash was in an accident."
...