She Was Here

She called me, first.
I stared at the caller I.D. for what seemed like forever. Until I answered. I will never know why I answered, but I felt like I had to.
"Hello?" I asked. I have the awkward hello that sounds deep but questioning, like I'm someone important when I'm really just me.
"Lance," she said. "How are you?"
It occurred to me just now that I didn't even know this girls name, or how she got my phone number. Heat raced through me like a fire in my bones.
"Uh, I'm okay. How did you get my number?"
"Adams," she said. She didn't even hesitate.
I'll have to talk to him about giving out my number to people…
"Ok. Uh, wait what's your name?"
She giggled, "It's Ashlee."
Ashlee. It fit a girl like her.
I didn't say anything.
"I needed to hear your voice," she said. "I hope that's okay."
I opened my closet and stared at the brand new bottle of liquor on my floor. It was screaming at me.
"Yeah, cool." I said. My mouth was really dry.
I could hear her breathing through the phone.
"Can I tell you something?" she said.
I hesitated. Staring at the liquor, licking my lips. "Mhm,"
She paused.
"I like you."
I dropped my phone.
I scrambled, picking it up. "I'm sorry, I-okay. Yeah. Why?"
How could she like me? She didn't know me.
"Look at yourself. You're so cute, and so funny!"
I didn't see that. At all.
"Thanks." I pulled my phone away from my ear to check if Bonnie texted me.
"Well."
"Well, what?"
"Aren't you going to tell me I'm cute, too?" Her tone of voice changed.
Is that what I'm supposed to do?
Jurnee floated into my mind.
"Lance."
"Oh, sorry. Yeah you're-uh-you're cute too." The words lit my throat on fire and felt so wrong.
She giggled. I heard a voice in the background. "Hey, I have to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
She hung up.
I was glad. But why didn't she say goodbye. I was sickened.
So what did I do, but call Bonnie.
She answered on the fifth ring. "What do you want."
"Dude, come on. Why you acting rough?"
She was stone cold. "Because you said you didn't like this girl and then you walk off with her today? I thought I told you she's bad news. You know I'm right, too, don't even try to deny it."
"I don't--"
"No. Just stop. You haven't even known her for 24 hours and she's already trying to strip you away from your best friend. Not to mention that she knows where your classes are. That's a bit messed up."
I just sat on the phone, waiting.
"Tell me, Lance, do you know her name?"
"It's Ashlee."
"And how long have you known her name for?" She was extra cold.
"Well--"
"Let me guess, she just told you. So you're behind. She knows your class schedule, your name, your phone number, and you just found out her name five seconds ago? This is bad news, Lance. But don't listen to me."
"Dude, I don't want to know her, trust me."
"I do trust you and that's my problem. Do you even know why she just showed up in the middle of the year, right after a major holiday? Where she's from? Do you know ANYTHING about her?"
I was silent. I questioned all of it.
"Exactly. You can see why I'm mad, right? I mean, come on, this already is messed up and you've only know her one day."
I knew. I apologized for ditching her today. She sighed, "It's fine. If you want to come over, I have liquor and bud. We can split it."
I hung up and grabbed my keys. I knew I had my best friend back. I wouldn't make the mistake of ditching Bonnie for Ashlee ever again, that's for sure. Ashlee was weird.
But for now, I needed to get drunk.

At school, I found Adams in the hallway. I grabbed him by the arm.
"I need to talk to you."
"Woah, your breath wreaks."
I laughed, "Not funny. We need to talk, now."
I led him around the corner and into an office room.
"Dude, why did you tell Ashlee my class schedule?" I whipped on him. Too fast, my head pounded and my world spun and the lights were brighter than normal. I put on my sunglasses.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He looked at me.
"Ashlee said you gave her my class schedule, and that's why she knew what class I was in. Don't lie to me."
He smirked, "I seriously didn't give her your class schedule. Even I don't know what classes you take!"
"Prove it. What class am I supposed to be in right now?"
"I don't know!" He yelled.
I paused. Maybe he didn't tell her, but he wasn't off the hook yet.
"Okay, then why did you give her my phone number?" I got close to him.
"Yeah, I never gave her that either."
"You're the one whose best friends with her instead of me, so tell me why you gave her my number!"
He shoved me, and I stumbled. "I didn't give her ANYTHING about you, got it? Jesus, Lance, I thought you could trust me! I wouldn't give any girl your number without asking you, especially since you just got dumped because her parents found out you two were together and whaled on her for it."
My stomach hitched.
"Leave Jurnee's parents out of this."
"I'm just saying, that's why you don't mess with straight girls, bro."
I shoved him, extra hard.
I grabbed my bag, and he grabbed me. "Where are you going?"
"To class Adams, because that's the only place where I can be alone in my own head."
I left him in the room and stormed down the hallway, and my phone buzzed.

Meet me outside library ;) <3

I shut my phone, and turned it off. I just need basketball practice to come so that I could get away from her, completely.
I entered my class and escaped.

In the locker room, I got dressed. I felt off the whole day about Ashlee knowing all these details about me, and I felt queasy. But I laced my shoes and headed up to the gym and decided I was going to leave it off the court for a good practice.
Becky caught me on the way up, "Hey, Lance!"
"Hey, what's up?"
"Ready to shoot some three's?" She smiled.
I laughed, "You know it. That's my game."
We made it up and made our way over to the ball bin, grabbing the balls with the best grip and making her way to a hoop with me.
Becky was freshman and I a sophomore.
We practiced and warmed up. The coaches came in and started us on drills and for once my head was clear of Ashlee or anything Jurnee related. I was just me.
While playing Money Ball on a team with Becky, Sarah, and Kassie. I took a shot from the 3 point line and swished.
I heard clapping as the ball sailed through the net and I turned around.
Ashlee was standing just inside the door, clapping, and smiling straight at me.
How did she know I played basketball, too?
"Who is that?" Becky asked me.
"You don't want to know," I said.
And suddenly I couldn't wait for practice to end.
I couldn't get away from her, and I guess it was going to be a lot harder than I thought.