Chapter 1

“Mother fucker,” Ashley uttered under her breath. She felt stupid, like a stupid Indian sitting cross-legged with elbows propped against her knees. She curled her palms up under her chin while she watched the trees sway and the occasional squirrel spastically forage for nuts. This was summer school, all right.

Or at least it was. The day’s classes ended hours ago, when Ashley took up her stupid seat under that stupid tree and remained while the other stupid students, parents and teachers all vanished without a trace. There was the occasional look or faux-concerned question thrown her way, usually regarding her seeming lack of transportation (buses didn’t run during the summer), but she would quickly dismiss them with a sweet reply followed by a smile coated with so much sugar even a hardened war veteran would grin after the butterflies she just beamed into their stomachs started to flutter about.

“My father’s coming, he’s late sometimes, but he’ll be here,” was her usual reply, but she knew damn well that was a lie. These days her father often got distracted almost exclusively by things with tits, though sometimes the occasional gambling binge was the culprit. With several prior distractions he never showed up, at least not at the school. Often he would stumble into their home late that night or even the next day, fighting bad hangovers and regretting even worse decisions. Sometimes he would remember to pick up his daughter, much too late usually, but every time he didn’t she would show up at the house, making him feel better about himself, often saying That’s great, girl ... you can’t depend on nobody, not even your Pops. I taught you good. Every time she showed up at the house he assumed his little girl had friends, good friends. They’ll take care of her.

However, the students/parents/teachers didn’t really know Ashley that much. She didn’t have any friends, at least any real friends. She talked with kids at school, but not much; she was often quiet in class and no one else did much to break the ice with her. Ashley comprised several theories as to why this was. It wasn’t that she was annoying, ugly, or stupid. Ironically, Ashley believed, it was the total opposite.

Ashley was smart. Fucking smart. Brilliant when described by more eloquent people assessing her intelligence. On top of her giftedness, she’s a looker, or at least a looker for someone her age, when deemed appropriate like at special events when dressing up was OK for young girls like her. She only had one chance to do this; at her aunt’s wedding, Ashley’s bareback dress, eye shadow and expertly applied makeup turned more than a few heads. Even at fourteen years of age, boys were nervous around her, girls were dismissive of her and parents (specifically the girls’ parents) were jealous of her, knowing that Ashley will be a knockout in a few years, if not already, and soon she will find a way to use that to her advantage. In the meantime, their little girls will have to earn their own way, all the while wanting to look like Ashley, garner Ashley’s success, and have sex with Ashley’s husband.

That was the problem; her small community simply couldn’t relate to a girl like her. She needed open, loving encouragement to help her grow in mind and spirit, not judgmental hypocrites. Not everyone in her town was like this, of course, but without them willing to open their arms and accept her the way she was, her way of life would continue the way it always had; wasting her potential. Ashley needed a friend. And she knew it.

Another gust of wind rushed through the trees. Ashley sighed. A long walk was ahead of her, and this time it looked like she may have to fight a storm along the way. She would hitchhike if she could, but she lived at a place far beyond the regular hum of traffic. That wasn’t a good idea anyway; her outfit would invite trouble from opportunistic men. All well, if she’d successfully made the trek before, she can do it again. It was time to go.

Crack. Something shifted to Ashley’s left and her head immediately darted over. Lost in her thoughts, she forgot to keep watch for her dad, but at this point she was certain it wasn’t him. Someone else was coming.