Operation Bang

Ashleigh felt really uncomfortable at this party once things began to get more crazy. She didn't know what her place was. Everyone started to get the hint that the lemonade was spiked and they all crowded in the kitchen. Poor April's mother just thinks that everyone just really likes her homemade lemonade.

But Ashleigh didn't fit in with these type of parties. She was too reserved and had too big of a head on her shoulders compared to the rest of the teenage population in Laguna. For God's sake, she was accepted into Stanford! And a party with too many people who were all getting wasted was just not her scene.

She approached Ana and April who were in the living room talking to each other on the couch. Ashleigh joined them by plopping onto the couch.

She glanced over at her two friends who were still talking about what seemed like a guy. "He isn't texting me back."

"Don't you guys have plans?"

"Yeah! It's like he doesn't even remember. He's probably just sitting on the couch playing video games with his stupid friend Travis."

"Text him again. Maybe he will reply."

Ashleigh couldn't take it. She had to interfere. "Ana, don't text him. CALL him."

"Call him?" Ana's eyes went wide and she stuttered, "Isn't that a little bit risky?"

"Oh my god, he is your boyfriend! It shouldn't matter!"

Ana sat there staring at her phone. She took a deep breath, "Okay, I'll be right back." She got up walking into the next room still dialing on her phone.

"Okay, April. I can't stay here tonight. I'm literally disgusted by everyone. So how about we have a sleepover at my house instead?" Ashleigh suggested.

Ana appeared out of nowhere jumping up and down. She silently mouthed the words: he answered!
April and Ashleigh both smiled giving her a thumbs up and she left again.

"I think that's a good idea. You're house is much better anyways." April agreed.

"I also don't have a bunch of noisy teenagers in my house," she winked.

"Well you do have a brother!"

"Oh whatever, he's at work tonight!"

"Woah, wait a minute! Daniel has a job?"

"April, where have you been? He's had the job at Barnes and Noble all year!"

April sat there thinking to herself. How did time fly by so quickly? "Don't you think it's a little weird that I've been friends with you ever since I moved here in eighth grade and I still have never once spoken to Daniel?"

"He's a really shy guy." Ashleigh shrugged.

All of the sudden, Ana came back from the other room falling back down on the couch between the two girls.

"Well?" April raised her brow and leaned in.

"He can meet me tonight," she half-smiled.

The two girls both smiled, happy for their best friend. But they couldn't help but notice how hesitant Ana was about it. "Isn't that a good thing?" Ashleigh questioned.

"Yeah it's great! But the thing is... He's leaving tomorrow morning at seven and he can only hang out with me for half an hour." Ana shrugged sinking into the couch more.

"Okay, that's messed up." April rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Are you guys breaking up?"

"April!" Ashleigh hit her arm. "You don't have to be so rude about it."

"No, she has a point. Maybe it's time we do break up. He's going off to school and I'm about to get a job - well I better - and we just won't have time for each other. We barely have time now."

"Who knows! This could very well be the summer of your life and you wouldn't want to tie yourself down because you have a boyfriend."

"You know what, you guys are right! Do you know how many opportunities I've had to pass up because of him? Hell, I could've been a professional actor with Equity!" Ana threw her arms out in disappointment.

"Yeah! Whatever that is! You could've had it!" April nodded her head.

"I have to go meet him right now though, so... Wish me luck!" She began walking to the door slowly looking back at her friends.

"You go, girl! Break up with him!" April grinned.

"Good luck, Ana! We will be here when you get back!" Ashleigh said. The two girls waved to her as she left until the door was shut. "Finally she's going to break up with him."

"I know. They've been together for so long but he still has never once done anything nice for her. She deserves better."



Ana drove all the way to Ryan's house which just so happened to be all the way across town. This better be well worth the drive. But so many things began running through Ana's mind and she was expecting the worse.

What if she walked in on Ryan and another girl? What if he broke up with her before she got the chance to do it herself? She would be heartbroken. Or worse: he decides to right then become the best boyfriend he's ever been and stay for the summer. That may sound great, but this is Ana's last summer. This was the time for her to have fun and experience things. She would love to do those things with Ryan but if things stayed like this, it would just be the worst summer ever.

Ana pulled up to the front of Ryan's house. She put the car and climbed out overlooking her boyfriends house. At the moment, his father was loading the black Chevy truck in the driveway. He didn't notice her. His family actually wasn't a big fan of her.

Like Ana, Ryan's family was also Japanese and they expected a lot from Ryan: straight A's, always following the rules, stay up all night doing homework or go to bed early when he didn't, if he got a B on any assignment his parents would ground him for a month and that included not seeing Ana.

Ana was the complete opposite of it all and that is why Ryan's parents didn't approve of them dating.
Ryan's father turned around noticing Ana pulling up to the curb. He waved and went back to what he was doing. He wasn't a big fan of Ana.

"Hi, Mr. Sung! Is Ryan around?" She asked hopefully.

He turned his head and pointed up at the window to his room. She could see him packing clothes into a suit case faintly through the window.

"Thanks," she muttered under her breath as she walked through the garage into the house. Ana couldn't spot Ryan's mother around the house anywhere. She must have been in the backyard. Ana continued her way up the stairs and through the hallway to Ryan's room. She stood in the door frame watching him pack his things into the suitcases that were spread all across his bed. Finally she knocked on the edge to get his attention. He flinched and looked up. When he saw her he calmed down.

"Ana," he chuckled in between his breath. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry!" She smiled sheepishly and walked up to him planting a kiss on his lips. She wanted to make it last so she kept the kiss going longer but Ryan wasn't into it like she was. She pulled away in discontent, "What is the matter?"

He sighed and sat in the desk chair, "Look, it's not that I don't want to kiss you. I do! Believe me, I do."

Ana rolled her eyes not believing it. She sat down on the edge of his bed that was clear of suitcases. "Well then I don't understand why you won't. It's not just that, Ryan. It's the communication. We don't communicate like we used to."

"I realize that. But-"

"Is something wrong with me?"

"No. It's just that-"

"There's something wrong with us?"

"No! I mean yes... But-"

"Yes?! Ryan what are you talking about?"

"Ana! Will you please stop interrupting me?" He rubbed his eyes out of tiredness. Ana could tell it's been a really stressful day for him and this didn't make it any better. He sat down on the bed right next to her, grabbing her hands. "Ana, you know I love you. But you and I both know we've lost our connection."

Ana threw her hands up not believing it. "Of course you're breaking up with me."

"I'm not breaking up with you, Ana."

What?! He's not breaking up with her? Boy, was she confused now. What was he doing then?

"Look, I think while I'm away at college we can be on a break. But when I come back we can be together again. It's not breaking up. It's just spending some time apart." He shrugged his shoulders looking for her approval.

"You mean you want to have an open relationship and see other people?" She raised her eyebrows at him waiting for his response.

"Yes!! That's exactly it!" He held his hand out. "It'll be good for us. A lot of couples do this at this time in their lives."

"So you just expect me to be perfectly fine with you going off to college and fucking some skank I don't know and then you'll come back from college and everything will just be perfectly fine and dandy between us?" She said in a sarcastic tone.

"Well when you put it that way it doesn't sound so good," he sunk lower.

"Oh it doesn't? Well that's what it is Ryan! That is how it's sounding to me."

"We can just try it. And if not, we will change things."

"We haven't even had sex yet. You just expect us to gain experience with different people?"

"Well yes! Then for our first time it will be better because we will know what we are doing. Does that make sense?" He raised his eyebrow with a hopeful expression on his face.

"No! I was saving myself for you. I love you. I don't love anyone else. And you just expect me to do it with some else that I don't care about? I want to do it with someone I love. Someone like you. I wanted my first time with you. That's how it's supposed to be! I mean, its called making love for a reason. Everything you are saying right now is just complete nonsense."

"Ana," he was quiet now. "It was just a suggestion."

"You know what... Lets take a break."

"What?"

"I want to take a break. I don't want to communicate with you, see you, or even think about you. When you get back in September, then we will talk." Ana stood up and so did he. He gulped down his spit and looked at her waiting to see if this was just one of her silly pranks that she always played.

"Are you sure?" He raised his eyebrows.

"No," she said honestly. "But it'll be for the best. If it's meant to be, we will still be there got each other. If it's not, then oh well. We tried."

"So I guess I'll see you in September then," he shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah, you will. Have fun with your summer program." She awkwardly nodded her head and backed away slowly.

"Wait, Ana, what if-"

"No," she shook her head. "Ryan, please don't make this even more difficult than it already is."

She turned back around and left his room leaving him by himself. Ana didn't even look back. She couldn't do that to herself. She had to tough this one out and just accept the fact that break ups happen. She could accept that. But she couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that they are for the best.