An Angel's Fix Pt. 03

"Kim, I'm trying..."

"It should have been me," Kim blurted. "Alright? Are you happy now? You can go on your merry way, now that I've said it."

"Said what? What should have been you? Being with Joe? Or is it Jasmine?"

Kim shook her head. "I want more than that. At least if you're insinuating time in bed. Damn it, if you hadn't come to our school, I could be with Joe still."

"But you left..."

"Yes, and that's why I came back for fall break. To convince him to take me back. But you were already with him and he was happy, so I stayed out of the way. I've told you that before."

"I know. Why is this coming up now?"

Kim sighed and finally turned to Ashley. "'Cause you and Joe are in love. Jasmine is in love with you, and I'm pretty sure you return the feeling. Seeing Joe tenderly feed you dessert brought it all back up. I'm sorry, but I can't help it that I feel jealous. Believe me, I've been fighting it, and it just won't go away."

Her eyes fell, knowing it would hurt Ashley to hear this. But, Ashley was her best friend, and she really needed one right now. Even if the best friend was the reason for her pain. She hoped Ashley wouldn't get mad for spilling on her.

Ashley contemplated this for a while and perched herself on the counter while sighing heavily. "So what do you want to do about it? Hit me? Kill me? Steal Joe?"

"Yes," Kim admitted. "All three."

The two looked at each other for a bit and then broke out into giggles. They knew Kim was serious in that statement, but would never act on it and that knowledge struck them as being funny.

Ashley set her jaw once she sobered up. "Well, I think you know I can't agree to any of that. So where do we go from here?"

"I want to find what you have. I want to see other people."

"Are you breaking up with me?"

Kim's lip quivered. "Yeah, I guess so. I don't know. Why did you have to do this to me?"

Ashley's emotions fired up as well and the waterworks came. "Do what to you?"

"Make me love you."

The rest of the trip went well. Ashley and Kim had settled on agreeing to discuss things as soon as they returned home. Much of the time spent outside the bedrooms was out on the beach, with several tourist outings mixed in. Joe loved the fact that people finally got the hint that he was on vacation and his cell phone was quiet for a change. Ashley enjoyed her freedom from commitments, even though the looming relationship change with Kim weighed on her mind. One night when everyone was in Joe and Ashley's suite, the girls pressed her for more details from her drunken dream. Jasmine loved the idea for the tattoo and drew out the description. On a whim, the four of them went to one of the more well-known parlors and took turns holding Ashley's hand while the artwork was inked above her scar.

The trip home was easy paced, as they had elected to take an overnight layover in Los Angeles that afforded them a dinner out and a hotel stay that broke the monotony of their journey. Rid of much of the stress, Ashley was her old moderately clingy self and Joe loved that there were few times she wasn't touching him in some form. Once home and the bags were taken inside, Ashley and Kim quickly disappeared into Kim's room.

"So, let's keep this simple," Ashley stated as she sat on Kim's bed. "You want to break up with me."

Kim closed the door. "I don't want to..."

"I thought we were keeping this simple."

Kim's eyes fell. "Yes. If that's what you want to call it." She sat next to her friend.

"Why?" Ashley asked.

"I've already lost Joe, and now you...to him and Jasmine."

Ashley closed her eyes. "I didn't plan for any of this. But, my heart is pretty big, there's room for you, too."

"Maybe. But not enough time or body to share. I need more than a piece of your heart, Ashley. Jasmine may not mind, since she's so head over heels for you, and she's willing to wait for opportunities. Jill, well...you know her. She's strong and she can take it or leave it. It doesn't bother her in the least. But me, I just can't. I crave individual attention." Kim stood and paced. "I want to meet a guy who looks at me the way Joe does you."

"Joe used to look at you that way before you left. I remember those few weeks I first got here. Y'all were the stuff high school legends are made of. Getting away with hugs and kisses. With him carrying you around the school. I'm sorry I took that away from you. But..."

Kim laughed nervously when she interrupted. "You don't have to explain. And, it wasn't the same as you two are now. He was infatuated with me then. He's in love with you. He was from the moment you were first introduced in one of our classes. Yes, Ash...I noticed him checking you out. It wasn't just physical attraction. I could feel him try to figure out what you were like. I'm not blaming you in the least. Some things are just meant to happen. All I'm saying is that I want that connection, too."

"And, I know you'll find it," Ashley said while looking up into Kim's eyes.

"But I can't, at least not while I'm...um...involved I guess...with you."

"All I want is your happiness, Kim. I never meant to make you feel locked in with me."

"I know. So tomorrow, I'll start hunting for apartments."

Ashley grabbed Kim's hand and stopped her mid-stride. "You're not breaking up with me AND leaving, are you?"

"Yeah," Kim answered, unsure.

"Your home is here. You're coming to live with us in Tallahassee. Aren't you?" She caught Kim's look. "It's not like that. You can certainly leave if you wish. I just hoped you'd stay with us."

"Well, I can't exactly bring home dates here, can I? Or...can I?"

"You're free to do as you like. Just make sure I meet them before they spend the night. I want to make sure they're respectful of you."

Kim smiled. "When did you become the mommy?"

"When I put the ring on Joe and assumed the responsibility to take care of this house and everything and everybody in it." She stood and extended her hand. "So we're still friends? You'll still live here?"

Kim rushed past the hand and enveloped Ashley in a close hug. "Yes. No matter what I said, it doesn't change that I still love you."

"Me too, Kim. Me too."

*

Author's note:

I really like this part.

I would give apologies for pissing people off in the previous part, but it's part of the story. Aren't we supposed to write to evoke emotion, whether it's happy, sad, or angry? I'm hurt that the hookup was so strongly opposed, but happy that people care enough about the stories to say something about it.

Please bear with me and see the story through to the end. I think you'll enjoy it. Also, this is the last part that is finished so far, so it might be a while before Part 4 is ready.

Remember to rate below.