Carlos looked over at her from his bed. He knew what was coming. She and Andros had been getting steadily closer despite Andros' resistance. The fact that Ashley and himself were sort of going out not withstanding. Bracing himself against the onslaught, he put a smile on his face and in his voice. "Sure, what's up?"
Ashley shifted nervously before sitting down on the bed next to him. "I...uh...I wanted to talk to you about something."
*I knew it! She's going to break up with me...for one of my best friends.* "What about?" He asked, barely managing to keep the smile in his voice.
"Well...Carlos I think we should just be friends."
"I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you. I like you a lot Carlos, honest. I just...I just don't love you. I still want to be your friend. You're probably my best friend. I mean, you got my grandmother off my back with the matchmaking. I'll be forever grateful for that. I just don't want to lead you on, and I don't want to hurt you."
Carlos clenched his jaw and tuned out her excuses. They didn't matter. The only thing that did matter was that she was breaking up with him and falling in love with Stripy Hair Boy from Outer Space.
*Do I want to still be friends with her? Do I have a choice in the matter? God, this is so hard! I never thought about what it would be like to have to see her with Andros and have to pretend to support her, pretend to be her friend.*
"Can we be friends?" Ashley asked, looking over at him.
Carlos jerked, and realized that he had missed most of Ashley's explanation and excuses. *S'okay. I didn't really want to hear them anyway.* "Uh...sure. I'll always be your friend, Ashley. Nothing can change that." He said, forcing the words past his throat.
Ashley smiled at him and then gave him a quick hug. "Thank you so much, Carlos. You have no idea what that meant to me. I was so scared that you'd hate me."
Carlos smiled at her. "Of course not! I could never hate you, Ashley." He realized he was telling her the truth. He would never hate her, he would always love her.