Author's note: This story has a plot and a decent amount of build-up, so if you're looking for a QF, you've come to the wrong place.
Also, it may be wise to read parts one and two before you continue with three.
Otherwise, enjoy!
Obviously, don't reprint without the author's permission, and any similarities between the characters and people/events of real life are, of course, purely coincidental.
Harmony.
***
Ashley glided triumphantly back over to the table with her friends, and sat down. She was wet through and through, clothes sticking rigidly and uncomfortably over every inch of her body, and her skin and face were hot.
Tansy, Meredith, Claire and Chantelle all looked at their sexy blonde friend expectantly.
"Did you talk?" Claire asked her.
"No," Ashley flicked wet pieces of hair behind her ear, taking a long draught of her now-warm orange juice.
"You screwed her
again
?" Chantelle asked, impressed, catching on right away. "Ash, you're a god!"
"Gees, she must be really screwed up!" Tansy sounded shocked. "Seems she can't resist you Ash – but then, why is she pushing you away at the same time? I so would
not
like to be her at the moment! She's acting like a schizophrenic!"
"What did you expect though, Ash?" Meredith turned to ask the blonde, voice serious.
"How do you mean?" Ashley queried back, calmly.
"I mean, what did you
think
was going to happen, with Jeanie?" Meredith repeated. "She's straight – or always believed herself to be straight. Then you come into her life, and introduce her to all these new thoughts and feelings. Don't you think, don't you
all
think, that it's only natural for Jeanie to go through a period of internal conflict? Is it
really
so shocking that she slept with a guy? Yes, under normal circumstances, we would and should be furious on Ash's behalf. But I think, in the context of Jeanie's straight sexual history, and the experimentation she's going through with Ash at the moment, that her sleeping with another man is totally and completely understandable, and was to be predicted, and expected. I could have told you that she'd probably do that, Ash," she added sympathetically now to Ashley. "I know you were angry and hurt, but this is not a cut-and-dry thing, that Jeanie's going through right now."
"It's still wrong," Ashley retorted flatly. "And her behaviour after the event was still wrong. It was as if she was cheating on me. I mean, we had something going on."
"You weren't official though," Meredith reminded her.
"No, we'd never had "the talk"," Ashley acknowledged. "I can't help the way I feel, Mez, I'm angry!" her voice got slightly more defensive. "I know what you're saying, I hear you, you've got a point but you weren't there when Jeanie and I were together – it was ... intense. There was something
obviously
there, and then
she
ran riot with some random testosterone factory. I mean, even if she's dealing with personal issues – that's not the point!"
"The point is, that she wouldn't or couldn't have done something like that if she truly loved you?" Meredith raised her eyebrows.
Damn Meredith and her embarrassing perceptiveness to hell! "
Yes
, Meredith, I suppose so!" Ashley was forced to admit, a scowl sitting on her pretty features. "The issue wasn't so much her internal conflict! I know she must have been dealing with confusion since meeting me! The issue is, if she really cared for me, she would have been
thinking
about me before she made a decision like that; she would have thought about hurting me. Which she didn't. Because she didn't
care
."
"Bitch," agreed Tansy.
"Because," Ashley continued, "she
doesn't
care about me. She was just
using
me so that
she
could experiment. And I'm furious."
"And rightly so," Tansy slotted in.
"My God!" Claire sounded shocked. "She looks like a drowned rat!"
Ashley lifted green eyes to the bar. Jeanie had come back in, and she looked terrible. Her skin was pale with the cold, her hair was a dank mess, makeup running in the rain and clothes like gladwrap all over her sexy curves – at least they were back on. Her dark eyes were glittering with hurt, confusion and fury as she fixed them for a second on Ashley, then looked back down on her mobile phone, texting someone.
Tony came in to work the night shift, and Jeanie walked over and had a word to him. He nodded his consent and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Did she just
quit
?" Claire gaped.
Ashley's heart seemed to stand still in her chest. Despite everything, despite her anger and rage at Jeanie, the blonde didn't think she could bear the thought of the younger girl disappearing into the night. She suddenly had an almost blinding urge to run up to the bar and talk to the soaked, sad and sorry brunette, but she forced herself to remain seated, turmoil raging within her.
The thunderstorm continued outside, and Jeanie was pouring herself a water at the bar. She sipped it, and hung back while Tony and Bella took over serving all the customers.
"She wouldn't quit, she's too stubborn," Ashley found herself saying, a trifle desperately.
"Wish she
would
just take off," Tansy muttered.
As though the universe was answering Tansy's request, right at that moment, the front doors of the bar opened and Kendra, Remonda and Gerty appeared, all damp themselves from the rain, slinking into Bolton's with lips curled and expressions distasteful. They all wore hostile looks as they glowered around at the place.
"What's up their goats?" Chantelle noticed.
"Those are Jeanie's Moronic Flatmates," Ashley revealed.
The three approached the bar, sticking absurdly close together. Ashley rolled her eyes. She could sense their blatant homophobia a mile away and it irritated the hell out of her. It seemed that every time she ran into the Moronic Flatmates, they were doing something that made her want to smack them out.
This time, they were there to collect Jeanie. Jeanie nodded swiftly at them when she saw them come in, relief all over her face. She retrieved her bag from the staff cupboard, exited the serving area and walked purposefully over to the group.
"Thank fucking Christ you're here," she said as she reached them, voice agitated, within earshot of the girls' table. "I've had enough of fucking carpet-munchers this afternoon to last a lifetime."
"Oh no, she just didn't ...!" Tansy and Claire were furious.
Chantelle jumped to her feet. "
What
did you just say?" she growled loudly in Jeanie's direction.
Jeanie rounded on her with eyes blazing, and gave her the finger.
"Really dignified, Jeanie," Ashley turned in her chair and remarked casually, green eyes gleaming.
"Go screw yourself, Ashley!" Jeanie spat.
"Why? Because you're not going to anymore?" Ashley mocked.
Jeanie paled in front of her friends. "Let's just get out of here," she turned and muttered to them, quickly.
"Hey Jeans, isn't that your uni pal?" Gerty squinted at Ashley with something resembling recognition.
"No, she's a lesbo dyke!" Jeanie returned with venom. "Please, I want to go, I'm sick!"
"Don't fucking touch her, dyke!" Kendra had noticed Chantelle's aggressive stance, and her voice rang out over the top of Jeanie's. "My brother's in a gang, don't fuck with us!"
"Ken, c'mon, please!" Jeanie begged her, grabbing her pal's arm and beginning to drag her for the door.
"That's it, bitches,
walk
—
away
!" Chantelle narrowed her eyes at them.
"Follow—us out," Kendra mocked her tone, even as she was being pulled for the door by Jeanie, "and you'll see what happens!"
Ashley wouldn't put it past girls like Kendra and Remonda to enjoy a bit of a fistfight, even though Ashley found the idea of women fighting reprehensible, and ugly to boot.
"Chantelle, please, just let them go," the blonde reached out a hand now and tugged on the bottom of Chantelle's blouse, trying to get the fiery butch to sit down. "Please, for me?"
Chantelle complied, breathing hard through her nose. Meanwhile, Jeanie dragged a laughing Kendra out the door and into the storm, Gerty and Remonda tailing them closely.
"How
dare
she!" Claire sounded disgusted. "Disgusting little homophobic hypocrite! I think we should complain to Tony about her, that display was ridiculous. If she hasn't quit or been fired already, she soon will be!"
"Guys, don't," Ashley turned to the front, sighing. "I just had sex with her outside, and then walked away from her – pretty coldly. She's angry at
me
– that's what all that was about."
"That does not excuse it!" Tansy growled.
"Her remarks were way out of line!" agreed Claire.
"Well – out-of-line they
may
have been, but we know she's not usually like that, and I caused that latest display," Ashley sipped at her orange juice again calmly. "Besides," she noted. "I wouldn't be surprised if she quit after this – that's if she hasn't already. I mean,
I
think she's too stubborn, but it's a possibility ..."
"I'm getting another drink, I'm going to ask Tony," Chantelle stood up.
"Please don't mention her comments," Ashley pleaded.
"Ash, what is
wrong
with you? Do you still like her? Why are you protecting her?" Tansy wanted to know, voice irritable.
"Tans, I'm not protecting her! I taught her a harsh lesson outside and she reacted accordingly. I wounded her pride – pretty badly, I would imagine, and it was a bitter pill for her to swallow. Now she's acting out against me. And you guys for supporting me. I provoked her – and I want you to leave her alone. She's had a pretty terrible afternoon, with you guys all telling her off on my behalf, Bella being cold to her behind the bar, me ..." she trailed off.
Tansy was watching her through narrowed, suspicious eyes, and Claire and Meredith shared looks with each other.
"I think you are going to way too much trouble to look after the brat, for someone who is supposed to be over her," Tansy put to her now. "She deserves to be reported!"
"Tansy, we've already put her through enough of an ordeal this afternoon, between the five of us, don't you think?" Ashley refused to back down.
"I'm going," Chantelle broke in gruffly. "And I won't say anything. I'll punch the little blighter myself the next time I see her for talking that shit!" and she turned and stalked over to the bar.
The girls were silent until she came back. Chantelle flopped back down into her chair, new drink on the table.
"Tones said she went home sick!" she reported. "Said that she got caught in the rain, and suddenly felt all dizzy and faint like she was going to throw up. Called her friends to pick her up."
"Where's
her
car?" Ashley wanted to know, surprisedly.
"Maybe she's having work done to it?" shrugged Chantelle.
