"Why hello there Ashley. Where are you off to?"

Ashley turned her head around and groaned when she saw him. She hugged her books tighter to her chest and glared at him as he stood next to her, too close for comfort.

Using her index finger, she pushed his chest away, ignoring how his rock hard chest made her feel a little dizzy. "Ever heard of personal space mister?"

"With you mia bella? Nope." he replied with a toothy grin, popping the 'p'. He leaned his body against the wall and smirked at her. "Where are you off to?"

"Class." she rolled her eyes and continued walking again. She felt him walking besides her and fought to keep the smile off her face.

"Class? What's that?" he said with mock confusion.

"It's a place where those with goals and ambitions go in order to be successful." She turned to him and smirked. "Two things that you clearly lack."

"Ouch. Is it going to be like this every single time?"

"What? Me pointing out how incapable you are of learning?" Ashley stopped and turned to him, giving him a sickly sweet smile. "Seems like it."

"You wound me. My ego dropped down three sizes since meeting you." he placed his hand over his heart and sighed dramatically. "My heart can't take anymore mia bella. Please say something nice to help me feel better."

"I don't feel like feeding your ego. Any larger and people won't be able to see your," she glanced down before looking up and smirking at him, "little friend."

"I'll have you know, there's nothing little about me." he said in a deadpan voice.

"That's what they all say." Ashley replied.

"That hurts. Say something nice and maybe I'll forgive you." Dante grinned.

"I never asked for your forgiveness." Ashley replied.

"But you need it." Dante shoved her shoulder gently. "Come on Ash. Just one little comment."

Ashley just gave him a blank look. She poked his chest, "Nothing nice to say about you." her eyes danced with amusement when he gave her his unimpressed look.

"There's a lot mia bella."

"I don't recall any."

"Did we not have this conversation before?" he placed his finger under his chin as if thinking. "Ah yes we did. Yesterday to be exact."

"And we will only have to same conversation everyday so might as well stop bothering me." Ashley didn't know why but her heart tugged painfully when she had said that.

She didn't know why but the thought of not being able to see Dante made her sad beyond compare.

"On one condition."

She felt her heart stop. Did this mean that he would actually leave her alone?

She gulped and faked a smile at him. "Joy what do I have to do to get rid of you."

"Go on a date with me."

Ashley gaped. She dropped her books to the ground at just stared at him, not believing what had just came out of his mouth. "W-what?"

Dante nodded his head. Bending down, he picked up her books and held them in his right hand. His left hand went behind his neck and scratched it nervously. "Yeah. Go on a date with me and if you don't enjoy it then I'll never bother you again."

Ashley stared at him with her mouth wide open. She closed it and looked around. Her eyes moved back and forth.

"So what do you say?" Dante smiled hopefully.

Ashley smiled at him and nodded her head. "Alright. I'll go on a date with you. Just so I can finally get rid of your ugly fat face." she smirked and took her books out of his hands and started walking away.

"Why do you always ruin our moments?!" Dante shouted after her with strong amusement lacing his voice.

Ashley chuckled to herself and turned back. She sent him a small smile that he returned before walking into her class.

.

.

.

Ashley and Mayla sat down at the coffee table. Things were silent. Not a single word was exchanged between the two.

Ashley looked down at her belly and her eyes teared up again like it has been doing for the past few weeks. She placed her hand on her stomach and looked away, trying to blink back the tears.

Her hand slowly caressed her stomach and she snapped her eyes shut, wanting to block the whole world out.

It was only her and her babies now.

No one else but them.

Everyone seems to abandon her at one point but her babies will never know what it feels like to be abandoned.

She will make sure that they have all the love that they need to prosper in this world. She will make sure that they will never know what it feels like to be left behind, to be hurt by those who were suppose to love them unconditionally.

"Ashley,"

Ashley opened her eyes and looked at Mayla, her eyes doing all the talking that she needed. She couldn't dare risk talking right now. It would only make her feel worse than she already did. And right now, she didn't to remain as calm as possible.

Mayla sighed and glanced away. Her finger traced the rim of the coffee cup that seemed to just had appeared out of nowhere. Mayla had probably ordered it while she was lost in her thoughts.

Ashley glanced down and noticed a cup of water also sitting in front of her. She smiled gratefully at Mayla when Mayla had looked into her eyes.

"I know this may sound bad but maybe it's time for you to return to Italy." Mayla muttered.

Ashley gulped. She picked up her cup and gripped it. "Why?"

Mayla turned away and looked at the people that were passing through. "Think about it Ashley. Italy is the last place anyone would go to look for you."

Ashley closed her eyes and leaned back against the chair. She felt her whole world falling apart right in front of her but could do nothing to help it stay the way it was. It only seemed to fall even harder every time she tried to fix it up.

"I think that's a good idea." she opened her eyes and brought the cup to her lips. Her tears fell down slowly and she smiled sadly at Mayla. "But with what money Mayla? I'm practically broke. I have nothing left but the clothes that I'm wearing."

Mayla smiled at her and shook her head. "You're my best friend. You don't need to worry about a thing. I'll have everything covered for you."

Ashley laughed humorlessly. "Worry is the only thing I can do right now." She looked away. "God I feel so useless."

Mayla slapped her shoulders gently. "Don't you dare say that ever again."

"Mayla,"

"No. You're the strongest girl I know. You've been through so much yet you're still here. You're still trying to continue on living, knowing how hard everything will be." Tears brimmed Mayla's eyes.

Ashley smiled at Mayla's words and placed her hand on top of hers. "Thank you Mayla." she whispered. "But I still don't know how I'm suppose to survive in Italy with two newborns. It's not possible."

Her heart broke with the thought of not being able to provide for her children's needs. "My children are going to hate me for not giving them everything they deserve."

Mayla scowled and slapped Ashley's cheek softly enough so that it doesn't hurt her but hard enough for her to stop being so insecure about herself.

"Enough Ashley. You are forgetting who your best friend is. I can get you a place in Italy with no problem at all. Trust me." her eyes softened. "I would never let you down like your asshole of a father or your bastard of a husband."

Ashley laughed lightly and smiled gratefully at Mayla. "Thank you Mayla. I know I can always count on you."

Mayla nodded her head and grinned. "Of course. I'd do anything for you, Ash. You should know that by now. You're like the little sister I never had."

"Thank you for always taking care of me." Ashley whispered. Her eyes teared up again but instead of it being tears of sadness, this time, it was tears filled with joy and gratefulness. "I don't know where I'll be without you."

Mayla placed her other hand on top of Ashley's. "No I have to thank you. Thank you for giving me strength in my darkest times Ash. You have done so much for me and this is only one step in me repaying all you have ever done for me."

"Best friends for life." Ashley muttered.

Mayla nodded her head in agreement. "Best friends for life."

.

.

.

Mayla grabbed her stuff from the table. She looked down at Ashley and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Everything will be okay. I need to get back to the firm. Call me if you need anything."

Ashley nodded her head. She stood up and hugged Mayla. "Thank you for everything you have done for me."

Mayla smiled and nodded her head. "I'll see you soon."

Ashley took her stuff off the table and started walking down the streets of Sunset Blvd. Her put her hands into her pockets and glanced aimlessly in front of her, not knowing where to go.

A flash of red fabric met her eyes become she bumped into someone.

Files fell down to the ground.

Ashley cursed and she reached down, beginning to pick up the papers. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking at where I was going."

Her head looked up and she gulped. She stood up and handed the files to him.

Although she hasn't seen him ever since they were kids, she could recognize him everywhere. "Rafael," she muttered.

Rafael grabbed his papers and looked at her from head to toe. A smile came to his lips. "Bella," he breathed out, "I haven't seen you in some time."

Ashley nodded her head. "I-I have to go," she whispered.

She turned around to walk away but he grabbed her hand and turned her back.

"Ashley," he said. "Why did you leave?"

She smiled weakly at him. "Italy was not meant for me at the time."

Rafael released her hand. His hands moved up and touched her cheek. "What about now?"

Ashley took a step back, dropping her smile. "I have to go."

Rafael grinned at her and nodded. "I'll see you soon, Ashley. Until then."

Ashley nodded her head and walked away from him. She reached deeper into her pocket and pulled out her phone.

Her fingers typed in a number that she hasn't used in over fifteen years. Her fingers hesitated to click the call button. She sighed and sat down at a cafe and pressed it, praying that the number never changed.

She knew she could regret her decision but she couldn't let Mayla pay for everything.

Mayla had done enough for her already.

It's time for her to step up and take control of her life. Even if it means going back to the one she ran away from.

"Hello." A gruff voice answered.

"Hello papa." she muttered into the phone.

"Ashley?" she heard a slight shuffle before he came back again, this time his voice louder than before. "Is that you?"

"Yes papa." she felt tears welled into her eyes again at the memory of the last time she saw him.

When she had asked to go live with her grandparents and he had told her that it was the best idea she had in her whole entire life. He proceeded to tell her about how she had disappointed him as a daughter.

"Ashley, I haven't heard from you in fifteen years. I'm sorry Ashley for the way I have treated you." he whispered. His voice sounded broken and aged.

"It's okay papa. I forgive you." she whispered. "Papa."

"Yes mia figlia?"

"I'm coming home." She smiled and closed her eyes. "I'm coming home papa."

"I will see you when you get here then." he muttered. "Until then." he hung up the phone.

Ashley stood up and placed her phone back into her pockets. She smiled and walked off, already leaving her old life behind her. She's never coming back here. Not even if her life depended on it.

.

.

.