Who's The Devil Sitting On Your Shoulder?

Ashley flipped her sleek new blackberry pearl closed with a flick of her wrist while she rummaged around in her purse for her house keys. Although searching for her house keys was a nearly impossible mission that would have easily made her frustrated at the moment nothing could burst her bubble of complete and utter happiness.

Jack and Ashley rarely ever had time to see one another due to the fact that their best friends were always finding inconsequential reasons for them to be apart for more than a few days at a time. Ashley loved her best friend, Nicole, more than anything. She was her other half; her sister. But sometimes she fathom as to why she put up with Nicole's constant complaining about Alex and vice versa. Alex happened to be her secret lover's best friend.

Nicole was a good person, she ever rarely held a grudge against someone but Alex never gave Nicole a moments worth of peace. He always found more than one way to push the wrong buttons and to stomp on any confidence that she possessed. Both Ashley and Nicole were known for being strong and fiercely independent at Delaney High School and because Jack seemed taken with Ashley, Nicole seemed to be the perfect target for Alex. He was known as the top heart-breaker but Nicole was the only girl who he couldn't tame just by plastering on his signature smirk.

Ashley sighed heavily as she realized where her thoughts were drifting to again. It's usually all she thought about. The feud between Nicole and Alex was beginning to grow ridiculous. She didn't even know the real reason as to why they disliked each other in the first place.

Pushing her metal key carelessly into the hole her pale hand gripped and turned the front door handle once she heard the click that indicated the door was unlocked. For some reason her mother and father liked to keep the doors locked at all times even if they were in the house which meant that Ashley had to keep her keys on her at all times.

Ashley stepped over the threshold and untied the crimson channel scarf around her throat and threw it on the coat hanger to her left as she deposited her keys on a glass platter to her right and began to walk down the dimmed corridor. She fumbled with the pony tail in her hair and let her auburn hair cascade around her baby-like face while she tried to sooth it with her fingers.

“Lia, is that you?” Her mother called, her voice muffled through the walls in the rather large house.

“Yeah” Ashley replied simply turning the corner to see her parents with bright smiles on their faces. Her mother was wearing a tight black dress which Ashley had no doubt belonged to her while her father supported a nice fined tux. Her parents had never been more in love much to Ashley's misfortune. They acted like horny-teenagers and it was slightly embarrassing to witness their acts of love first hand.

“Going out again?” Ashley inquired kicking off her lace-up converse. She made her way over to the opposite couch across from her parents and waited patiently for their answer.

Her mother winked, “We're not getting any younger. Plus, you're old enough to watch yourself, right?” The question was rhetorical but still Ashley had to bit her tongue hard enough that it nearly drew blood so a sarcastic retort wouldn't flow out of her mouth like word vomit. Of course she was old enough. Ashley was eighteen now; hardly a child by any means.

Her father's eyes held a sparkle as he looked at his wife but his face was still etched in concern. Ashley had always been a daddy's girl and it was hard for him to know that she could take care of a lot of the things in her life now by herself and Ashley knew this. She flashed him a reassuring soft smile and he returned the gesture.

Her mother stood up and pulled her husband by the hand out of the living quarters, “We'll be back by two. No later than that.” Ashley walked her parents out and hugged both of them good-bye. She closed the door behind them and checked the peep hole to make sure they weren't making a detour back into the house before running up the carpeted stair case in order to call Jack.

“Hey, the parentals just left. When are you coming over?” Ashley automatically questioned as soon as Jack picked up his phone. She heard his mirth of laughter through her cellphones speakers and her heart soared.

“A little impatient, aren't we? Already here, babe. Open the door.” Ashley hung up the phone and walked down the steps as slow as possible because she didn't want to give off the pretense that she was over excited but she couldn't help but fling the door open and engulf the lanky boy in front of her without a moments hesitation.

“Hey” She spoke quietly in his ear, she tried to hide the grin from taking over her entire face when she felt Jack shiver. “Hey” He repeated her words.

Jack held her tightly against his body and pulled back just enough to catch her bottom lip between his own. This was how it was always like for the both of them. They talked a lot over text messaging and the phone so when they finally got the chance to hang out they never wasted any time. Who knew how much time they had together. There were no need for words; the lust in each others eyes was enough for the both of them.

They stumbled up the stairs, clothes flying in every direction possible while Jack pushed Ashley harshly against her bedroom door. He lifted her off of her feet so she could wrap her legs around his tiny torso and locked her ankles securely.

It was surprising to everyone that Ashley and Jack were not yet a couple. They acted like one but because of Nicole and Alex they wouldn't dare defy their best friends. Their complex relationship formed when they got trashed one night and had a one night stand. Ashley preferred to call it a one year stand when she realized that it was going to happen again and again.

Jack lips traveled over her collarbone and he kept stepping forward until they both collapsed onto Ashley's bed; her underneath of him. He reached under Ashley in order to undo her black bra when they heard her cellphone bring. The star-crossed lovers both groaned in unison. Ashley covered her hands over her face and rubbed tiredly.

“Don't get it.” Jack murmured resting his head lightly in the crook; repeatedly suckling and kissing the sensitive skin. She swatted him away with a shove of her hands and tried to sit up but even though Jack was a skinny boy he was still fairly stronger than she was but he didn't budge.

“No marks” She whined, “You know Nicole asks questions when she sees them. I can't lie to the girl. And that's New Kids On The Block playing. It's her ring tone. She doesn't call unless it's important, Jack.” Ashley lifted her right hand and brushed the few sweaty strands of Jack's hair back so she could see his features harden and then soften just as quickly.

He dramatically rolled off of her smaller body, “Fineee” He huffed teasingly, “Answer it and forget about me.”

“Drama queen.” Ashley muttered under her breath but a ghost of a smile played on her lips. She tilted onto her side, reached for the phone on her side table and redialed Nicole's number. Ashley waited for her to pick up as Jack curled up snugly behind her and rested his hand on her stomach tracing her belly button.

She was relieved when Nicole picked up, “Hey, what's up? Sorry for not picking up earlier.” Ashley apologized sincerely. Ashley heard sniffling on the other end and her stomach dropped.

“What's wrong, Nikky?” Ashley asked more softly pushing Jack off of her. He gave her a questioning glance but she waved him off with a dismissal of her hand. He put his ear to the other side of her phone to eavesdrop curiously.

A choked up sob came from the other end, “I'm sick of him, Ashley!”Instantaneously Ashley knew who Nicole was talking about.

Ashley growled, “What did that asshole do now?” Sure, Alex Gaskarth happened to be one of Ashley's friends much to Nicole's discomfort but that didn't mean that she didn't have her moments where Ashley hated him for making her best friend feel so much pain.

“Can you come over, please?” Ashley was already out of bed scrambling to find her clothes to put them on. “I'm on my way.” The phone clicked and she threw it on her bed next to Jack while she stuck one of her limbs through her skinny jean pant legs.

“You're leaving.” Jack stated; it wasn't a question. Ashley turned to face Jack with an apologetic smile but there was nothing joyful about it. She stuffed the hem of her now wrinkled white blouse into her jeans as she tightened her belt.

Jack leaned his elbows on his thighs and pressed his fingers do his temple, “We can't keep doing this, Ashley. They keep ruining this for us!” Ashley sat on the bed next to Jack and rested her head on his shoulder.

“You don't think I know that? But she was crying, Jack. She rarely cries. Alex must have fucked up badly this time.” Ashley rubbed up and down Jack's arms in order to ease some of the built of tension that his body was building. Usually he would melt into her body but he couldn't live like this anymore. Jack had to stand his ground.

“I know that she's hurt but do you honestly think she cares that she's hurting you too?” Ashley's ministrations on Jack's arms stilled, “What do you mean by that?” Her words were low and eerily dangerous. Jack regretted saying anything but it was too late to turn back now; might as well get everything out in the open.

Jack began to pace furiously, “Nicole hurts you all the time and she doesn't even realize it. Has she ever asked you how you feel about all of this? She knows how we feel about each other. It's because of her that we can't be a normal couple. We have to literally sneak around all the time. At first I thought it was going to be fun, like a mission almost. But now it's just retarded. I have to pretend like you don't exist at school and it's unfair.”

Ashley stood up too defiantly, “Don't blame the majority of this on Nicole. It's just as much Alex's fault if not more. You know he's always the one to provoke her. I can't just walk away from her when she's upset.”

“Alex is doing it just to tease her. She shouldn't get mad.” Jack interjected stubbornly. He knew that Alex was at fault for Nicole's personal feud with him but Alex was still Jack's best buddy even if he took it too far sometimes.

“I can't believe you're saying this!” Ashley exploded waving her hands up in the air in ultimate frustration.

She then calmed down a second afterward determined to keep herself under control, “I can't do this right now. I have to get to Nicole.”

“But what about me, Lia? It can't always be about them. Where does that leave us?”

“I don't know” Ashley cried helplessly; tears stung at the back of her eyes and she tried to blink them back. She crossed her arms over her bust self-consciously and stared at the floor. Jack closed his chocolate brown eyes tightly and swallowed the taste of dread and remorse.

“Call me when you do.”