ASHLEY'S POV :

     "How the hell did he know that ?" Scott asks me and Blasko , looking as confused as we are . Then we hear a horn blaring as the others pull up to the curb behind me .

     "What the fuck was that , dude ?" , CC yells  as we all get out of our cars .

     "I have no fucking clue.  Bri just freaked out and booked out of the car ." I shout back .

     "Going by what he said. , it sounds like it might be one of Rick's ex - girlfriends ." Blasko says . "Why  else would she have already opened up a can of whoop - ass on him ?"

     "But if  she dated Rick , why would her and Brian have the same tat ?" Scott asks .

     "Hey , I have an idea !" , Andy says  . "How about we just walk up to the house and find out just what the sweet bleeding fuck is going on ?"

     "Oh ,wonderful , and this is where we're sleeping this weekend ."  I hear Jake mumble as we start across the lawn . Rick's car is parked next to a metallic lime - green Ford F 150 with a multicolored dragon airbrushed down the length of the truck . For some weird reason , it seems familiar to me , but I can't think of why right now .

     Scott dashes ahead of us , and by the time the rest of us make it inside , he has an arm around Shan , and everybody else is in the kitchen . Rick is facing us , apparently arguing with a woman who has her back to us . What we can see from here is that she's on the shorter side , about 5'4" or so , and slim , with sort of choppy - cut short red hair , streaked with black , wearing a black T shirt , Daisy Dukes , and a pair of lavender cowgirl boots .

     It seems that she is also very unhappy with something that Rick has said , because she yells ;

     "Well even if I believed that , that makes you either a world - class douchebag , or a fucking sheep , and I'm not sure which is worse ! And if it's the latter , then what I know about the 'shepherd' that you've spent your life following doesn't make me feel any better about having you anywhere near my sister !"

     What the hell is THAT supposed to mean ?

     She then says , "Shan , I know damn well that you're no going to listen to anything I say if I try to convince you to dump this asshat . I was that stupid myself once , and I wouldn't have listened , either . So , since I don't want to have any problems with you , I'll be civil ..... until he fucks up . Then his ass is mine ."

     "That's not gonna happen , I promise you that ." Rick tells her .

     "Well I hope you'll forgive me for being skeptical ." she responds ."But right now , there's just one thing I'd like you to remember , if you think you can manage ."

     "What is it ?"

     She walks up to him , almost into his chest , and hisses , " When you decide that you've crossed your threshold of boredom , or whatever you call it , and want to try out that process for yourself , you'd better be sure you have all of your affairs in order . Because I promise you that your efforts will be much more successful than those of our mutual acquaintance  !"

     Brian mumbles something to her , and she says , "You're asking ME if that's gonna be a problem ? You're casting that line of inquiry at the wrong fish , hon . It's not my agenda y'all have managed to fuck up , after all ."

     At this point Scott bursts out , "Can I please ask what the hell is going on here ? How do you all know each other ?"

     Brian let's out a sigh , and says "We all went to high school together ,babe ." 

    Wait just a fucking minute ! Rick and I graduated together , and Brian was a year behind us , so this has to be someone I know , too .

     I manage to catch Rick's attention , and he looks absolutely panic - stricken . I sort of raise an eyebrow , and he cuts his eyes in Shannon's direction , and shakes his head . He really doesn't want her to know about whatever this is  . What the hell could have happened in high school that could be that terrible ?

OH ,FUCK ! 

It couldn't be ......

    At that moment , the redhead turns toward us , and I'd recognize that face anywhere .Even after fourteen years . The only real differences are the length of the hair , and the fact that the beautiful , enormous gray eyes that used to sparkle and dance are now looking at me with absolute indifference .

     "Chrissy ?" I finally manage to choke out

     "Not anymore . Not since I went to college . And I prefer to keep it that way ."

     "So you guys know each other , too ?" Shannon asks her .

     ",In a town that small , everybody knows everybody . Besides , I spent most of my time hanging out with Brian , so yeah , we've met ." Chrissy answers .

     Shit , she doesn',t want to be called that anymore ! Tiana , Scott said . I need to remember that .

     Brian and Scott finally get everything calmed down , and everyone gets introduced to each other . We're all in the living room talking , and Chris ..... Tiana , is basically ignoring me and Rick , who still looks like he's about ready to throw up . Scott and Shannon are still shooting curious looks at the four of us . 

     And I'm sitting here trying to force my brain to catch up to everything that's happened , and trying to come to terms with the complete stranger who's taken up residence in the body of my first love .