Fool With Dreams

Ash turned around and found herself face to face with Jimmy and Leana. She was slightly shocked to see them and even more shocked that they obviously remembered her.

“I found you at last!” Jimmy pulled her into a hug, lifting her off the floor. She could see other guys and Val, standing behind him. Brian looked as shocked as she was.

“How is this possible?” Ash whispered when Jimmy let her down again. He was beaming with happiness.

“I see you guys already found the birthday girl,” Bam came up to them, smiling wide.

“Brandon, don’t tell me you had something to do with it?” Ash turned to him, her eyes accusing.

“What? I knew you wanted to meet them. It’s one of my presents to you. Well, actually Dani’s and mine. It was her idea,” he had the guts to keep on smiling.

“Baam,” she whined, letting all the hurt show in her eyes, just for him and only for a moment. His grin dropped just a little. He hadn’t thought that it could be too painful to Ash.

“You’re the birthday girl? Happy birthday, Angel” Jimmy tackled her again, not giving her a chance to scold Bam any longer. She quickly hid all her feelings, forcing a smile to her lips. Which wasn’t a hard thing to do in Jimmy’s presence, he was still a happy goofball. Now even more than when she knew him as a ghost.

All the guys followed, every one of them giving her a hug and wishing a happy b-day. Even Val smiled friendly and hugged her. Ash was somewhere between happy and going into a panic mode. All these emotions were gonna drive her insane.

“So, where have you been this last year?” Jimmy claimed her to himself once again by throwing his long arm around her shoulders and guiding her to sit on the couch.

“Moving around the country,” she was still slightly shocked.

“Oh, where do you live now?” Leana asked, watching her from other side of Jimmy.

“In Huntington,” Ash felt her cheeks to go hot, betraying her embarrassment.

“Awesome! Where?” Jimmy was all excited now.

“In Seacliff,” Ash kept her eyes on her hands, laying awkwardly in her lap.

“No way! How come we haven’t seen you? We live there too,” Leana wondered, giving Jimmy an incredulous look.

“Well, I’m sure you don’t know your every neighbor,” Ash muttered.

“Yeah, you’re right. We haven’t even seen the one who has that Boxer barking in the back yard every fucking morning and we live on the same street,” Leana huffed, redoing her ponytail.

“Um, is that Boxer fawn with a tail that has a white tip?” Ash asked a bit uncertain. Her Hemi had a habit of barking in the mornings until she went for a jog with him.

“Yeah. Why you ask?” Leana looked at her, interested.

“Well, that’s probably Hemi you’re talking about. Which means, I’m that neighbor you haven’t seen,” Ash couldn’t believe she had been living so close to them.

“Why the hell is your dog barking every damn morning?” Jimmy demanded, his eyebrows up in wonder.

“He wants to go for a run and he’s just a bit impatient to wait til I get ready,” she said, hiding her embarrassed face. She felt a bit uncomfortable sitting there with all of the guys quietly staring at her.

“We live like what, six houses down the street and we still can hear it like it’s from the yard next to us,” Jimmy shook his head. “Your dog has a powerful voice.”

“That he does,” Ash had to agree. It was almost impossible to be in the same room with him when he was barking. Luckily he was well trained and obeyed commands almost instantly. Except in the morning when he was yelling at Ash to move her ass out.

“Is he here with you?” Matt asked, finally taking part of the conversation.

“Well, he’s here in West Chester but he’s at Bam’s parents’ right now. We thought he would be better there than to be in this mass of people,” she dared to look at him. Seeing his sparkling eyes raised a lot of memories.

“Yo, Kitty, where’s Margera?” Steve-O crashed down on her lap, slightly drunk already.

“I don’t know. He was here a moment ago,” Ash looked around the room, not seeing Bam anywhere.

“Oh, well, on with the search then,” he yelled and took off, running out the back door.

“Where can I find some drinks?” Johnny asked, his eyes following some blond girl who walked by.

“She’s heading to that direction,” Ash laughed, nodding after that girl. Johnny’s eyes started to glint and he got up with a smile on his face.

“Come on, Gates. Let’s get some drinks,” he said, patting Brian’s shoulder. Brian looked at Ash before getting up and following Johnny. He didn’t plan on going far. There was something about this girl that was nagging at his insides.

Suddenly a loud yelling filled the air, sounding even over the blaring music. It seemed like it came from outside.

“Sorry guys, got to go,” Ash jumped up and ran out. She knew these guys well enough to know that sounds like those never meant anything good.

She followed the voices and soon saw Bam standing in front of his Hummer, yelling curses at Steve-O who was behind the wheel. Sensing trouble, she ran over, afraid that this nutcase would smash her car that was parked behind the Hummer.

“What the fuck?” she demanded, stopping beside a very furious Bam.

“He wants to sink my Hummer into the pool,” Bam said, not turning his eyes from Steve-O.

“Get your asses out of the way!” Steve-O shouted out of the window.

“No, you get out of the fucking Hummer!” Ash shouted back, slowly stepping closer. She was ready to climb up the hood if necessary.

“Fine. I’ll go the other way,” Steve-O laughed, looking at the side mirror.

“Don’t you even think about it. That’s MY Camaro behind and if you cause even a tiniest scratch on it I’m gonna kill you VERY, VERY SLOWLY,” Ash stated so menacingly that Steve-O’s grin dropped instantly.

He knew not to mess with Ash, he’d had his lesson. Once he had trashed up her bedroom, breaking things and drawing gross things at the walls and at some of her clothes. She almost killed him with a frying pan while all the guys just watched and laughed. After that she didn’t talk to him for months. He had no desire to be under her wrath again.

Ash pulled the Hum’s door open and squinted her eyes at him. “Keys!” she demanded, holding out her hand.

Steve-O obeyed instantly, tossing the keys at her.

“Now out before I’ll hear a frying pan calling your name,” she pointed her finger away from the car, commanding Steve-O out like a dog. He squeezed himself past her, careful not to touch her and ran.

“Wohoo. Go Ash!” Jimmy cheered, throwing his fist in the air. Dani was standing next to him with a proud smile on her lips. She couldn’t keep herself from glancing at Jimmy every ten seconds ‘tho.

“Thank you honey,” Bam kissed Ash’s cheek, thankful to her for solving the mess and saving his car.

“No problem. I’m keeping these,” she held up the keys and locked the doors.

Bam nodded and walked back inside. Ash went to check her own car. Nothing was safe when Bam had his friends over. Even ‘tho she had once made sure no one would touch her things, she couldn’t be 100% sure. She had been away for so long that most of them even didn’t know what was hers.

“So, wanna introduce me to someone?” Dani came next to her, wiggling her brows suggestively.

“You’re so gonna get it later for this crazy idea,” Ash shook her head, turning back towards the booming house. “Come on.”

“Yo, Jimmy, wait up,” she yelled, seeing the tall figure before them. Jimmy stopped and turned around with a smile on his face.

“Yo chica, who’s your beautiful friend?” he asked the moment they reached him.

“Jims, this is Dani, my best friend,” Ash introduced them, watching as Jimmy pulled her friend in a hug.

Ash left them talking and went back inside. She felt like she needed a drink. All these crazy people were starting to get on her.