Author's Note-
> Guys!! This just reached 1k votes, thank you so so so much!

> Also, you might have noticed that I didn't post a chapter last Thursday. Due to the fact that I will be going on vacation soon (without wifi for a few weeks lol), I'm changing the updating schedule to every Monday instead of Mondays and Thursdays. The chapters will automatically upload so I won't be there to reply to comments.

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"I'm, like, genuinely terrified," Jerry stated after the video ended. "And that's all real?"

"Every bit of it. I have no clue how anyone could've faked it. And I mean, on video, it's still relatively tame. I was freaking out after my ring reappeared," Ashley laughed while sending Colby the OK to upload it. He responded quickly, saying that they would upload it Sunday evening, which meant tomorrow.

"And then you agreed to stop, finally," Jerry said, sighing. Ashley made a grimace.

"Well, they had to convince me. I'm relieved they did, though."

Because the boys would upload the video soon, she decided she would start dropping hints and opened her Instagram to post a picture of herself in XPLR merch. Sam had taken it in the hotel. She captioned it, "You guys are in for a treat this weekend.". Soon, comments started raining in.

There were the usual ones from haters, but most of the comments had guessed what was going on. As soon as the Sam and Colby group account commented the side eye emoji, there was no doubt to her followers anymore, and they were freaking out. Especially since the two boys reposted the post on their story.

Jerry was still sitting on the chair next to her, not even pretending to be about to leave her room. He was scrolling on his phone too, chuckling as he saw all the fuss about her post.

"Now that you've made a video with them, are you going to record anything for your channel?" he asked.

"Yeah, didn't I tell you?" Ashley looked up from her phone. "They're coming over next week, Monday, I think."

"And what are you filming?" Jerry asked. She stayed silent. "Come on, seriously? You haven't planned anything?"

"I have two days left, there's enough time to think of something!" she defended herself. He just rolled his eyes and got up.

"Whatever you say," Jerry scoffed before leaving the room.

Ashley hadn't scheduled a stream for the evening, instead planning on treating herself nicely and going out to eat. She was relieved about it as her phone rang in the evening just before she put on her coat. Smiling when she saw the caller ID, she picked it up.

"Hi," she greeted Colby, stopping in her tracks.

"Hey there," he said, inevitably smiling as well.

"Is there any special reason you're calling me?" she asked, glancing at the time. Not that she wasn't happy about it, she just didn't want to go out too late alone.

"Not really," he said hesitantly. "Are you busy?"

"I was just about to get myself something to eat," Ashley replied.

"You're going out alone?" he asked, sounding surprised.

"What, is that so unusual?" She chuckled, sitting down on the bench at the apartment's entrance.

"Yes... Well, no. If you prefer to be alone. But if you don't, we could get something to eat together? And later go to a party? I know a friend who hosts one that should be close to your place," he offered. "Sam can't today, and I'm not in the mood to go alone."

"Sure, why not? I'll just need to change, I'm dressed up way too casually for a party," she replied, grinning about the turn her evening had just taken.

"Nice," Colby said, she could almost hear his relief. "I'll pick you up in half an hour?"

"Make that twenty minutes," she promised. He laughed.

"I'll be there." Then he hung up and Ashley put her coat and purse away, hurrying back to her room.

She had never been one to carefully plan her outfits, she usually just threw on what felt comfortable. But now, she seriously had to ask herself what she would wear to get food and then go to a party with someone she had known for not much longer than a week now.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her closet and rummaged through her stuff. Something a little darker than her usual colours maybe, to match Colby's vibe. Eventually, she decided to wear black boots with white wide jeans because it was too cold outside to wear shorts. She chose a few chains to hang from her hips, and a black strapless top with open sides, held together by cords. Ashley was definitely not lacking jewellery when she stepped in front of the full-body mirror, a black choker around her throat, accompanied by two longer chain necklaces. Additionally, she was wearing a few more rings than usual, and a fancy set of silver earrings. Her red hair was put up in a loose French braid.

Quickly, she added a little more makeup than she had been wearing before, putting on more mascara and eyeliner and changing her lip gloss.

She was tempted to "forget" her leather jacket at home, but as she saw Colby's message about being at the apartment complex's door, she decided to take it with her. Ashley wasn't that desperate. At least she hoped she wasn't. And it would be way too cold to hang out in a sleeveless top all evening.

Jerry didn't react as she sent him a message about going out, instead of telling him personally. He didn't need his stream to be interrupted... and she didn't want him to ask who she was all dressed up for. A small purse, just big enough for her phone, emergency make-up, and credit card, was hung over her shoulder, before she made her way down the stairs, outside to the cold air.

"Hi," she breathed as she opened the door and stood in front of Colby. The air exited her lungs in white clouds. He smiled at her, not before quickly taking a look at her outfit. Now she was relieved that she had changed before walking out.

"Let's go?"

Ashley nodded, following him to his car.

"So, what do you want to eat?" he asked after they both got in and he started the engine. "Something fancy? Something simple?"

"I'm honestly not even in the mood for anything fancy, simple sounds good. There's a McDonald's drive-through nearby if that's okay for you?" Ashley suggested. Colby nodded, looking the directions up from his phone.

They got there quickly, silently talking on the way, mostly about their respective channels. Ashley confessed that she had wanted to try doing something paranormal for some while already but never really found the right moment. Besides, Jerry wouldn't even touch anything close to it, which made it a bit difficult to find someone she could do it with.

"When my fans began tagging me in you guys' Instagram, I saw the perfect opportunity," she laughed. "And I immediately asked for a collab. It was like a dream come true."

Colby sighed deeply, taking a few of his fries. "I should've known that you don't regret it," he said, stuffing his face with the food. Ashley did as well, taking a whole chicken nugget in her mouth.

"I don't," she confirmed. "And I'd be down to do something like that again, to be honest." It was bold, she knew it. Some would consider it impolite, say that she was trying to invite herself to another collab.

They finished eating, not stopping to talk for even five seconds. The conversation just went on and on, suddenly addressing the most random topics.

"Yeah, I had my nose pierced at one point," Ashley shrugged while Colby was driving again, this time to his friend's house. "Then I took it out and it grew closed. I never put it back."

"Why not?" he asked.

"Didn't want to? I don't really know. Maybe it was just too much effort for something so little."

"Do you have a good picture? I'm sure it looked good on you," Colby said, and she took out her phone, beginning to scroll.

"Yeah, that was when I had my hair still dyed brown. I think around that same time when I took it out, I decided to go back to my natural hair colour." Ashley raised a hand to twirl a strand of her open hair around her finger. "I don't really know what got into me, suddenly going back to all natural," she chuckled, finally finding a picture of herself, posing in front of a mirror, and showing the piercing off.

"There you go," she said as Colby parked the car close to a house that was apparently already in full swing. All the doors and windows were closed due to the cold weather, but Ashley could see the lights flashing through them, and the people moving inside.

"It suited you," Colby noted. She smiled, then got up and left the car to follow him to the house.

The yard was gigantic but completely empty – no one wanted to stay outside when it was this cold. Ashley shivered after the fifteen feet of yard they crossed before Colby opened a door on the side of the house. His friend had apparently waited for him, seeing as he waved to Colby as soon as he walked in.

"Yo, Colby!" he yelled over the noise, walking closer with two red cups in his hands. "Who's the chick?" He nodded over to Ashley, who gladly took the drink he handed her.

"Simon, this is Ashley," Colby replied just as loud. "I told you I'd come with someone."

The guy frowned and rubbed his chin while looking at Ashley. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"I'm a YouTuber," she replied, shrugging. "You've probably seen my face on social media."

Simon nodded, happy with the explanation, and turned back to the group he had left to bring the two of them drinks. Colby put a hand on her arm and slowly guided her through the house.

The air in the living room was stuffy and smelled like sweat and alcohol. Ashley didn't mind, she preferred it to open windows and freezing cold air. After Colby took a sip of his drink, she decided it would be safe enough, and took one of hers. It burned its way down her throat but wasn't anything too dramatic.

Loud music was booming through the house, most people just chilling but some even showing off some dance moves. The living room was the most crowded room, and it was the one Ashley and Colby entered first. While she didn't recognize a single face personally, Colby regularly greeted people, even if only by nodding to them. She smiled politely while following him through the crowd until they reached a less crowded room—a garage apparently, with a billiard table and two corner couches. Colby sat down on one, motioning for Ashley to join him. She sunk into the pillows gladly.

"It's just a little party for friends," he explained, shrugging.

"Whoever this Simon guy is, he has a shit ton of friends," Ashley chuckled. There were at least two hundred people scattered around the house. She took another sip of her drink, a bigger one this time. Her mind was already getting clouded. 

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Author's note-
> Don't forget to vote & comment for the chapters if you enjoy the story <3