The next few days Ashley was very aware of the stares and the hushed whispers as she walked the halls. She had known her actions would lift the lid on her relationship with Maddox but she was uncomfortable with the attention it drew.

The only good thing that had come out of Maddox's confrontation with Jim was that Jim had gotten the message and had stopped spreading rumours about her. It didn't stop him from sneering at her every chance he got and she still had a feeling that he would come up with another way to get back at her.

That Friday night her mother requested for her to not work because her parents had something important to tell her.

She had no idea what it was all about but she had no choice. Agitated she sat on the sofa across from her parents who both stood. Her father with his arms crossed.

"So what was so important?" Ashley asked, feeling irritated she would have to miss a shift at work for whatever it was her parents wanted to tell her.

"You know we both love you..." Her mother began. Ashley knew whatever was coming wasn't good.

"What is it?" She studied the look her parents shared.

Her mom seemed to pause before she blurted out. "We are getting divorced."

"Divorced?" she echoed like she might not have heard them right.

Her mother nodded. "Yes."

She should have been horrified, even upset but the only emotion she experienced was relief. No more fighting.

"We want you to know this doesn't change how much we love you."

Ashley nodded. They wouldn't be in the same house which meant she wouldn't have to hope and prey each night when she came home that they wouldn't be fighting.

She had been hoping for this for so long she was at loss for words. Her parents took it for shock. Her mother sat down beside her and took her hand. "We love you and we want to do whatever we can to make sure this doesn't impact you."

Ashley schooled her true feelings from displaying across her features like an open book. Didn't they realise how much their animosity within their home had impacted her?

This would set them all free, her parents from a marriage they no longer wanted and her from a hell she had lived in for years.

"So how is this going to work?" Ashley asked softly, trying to grasp what this would mean going forward.

"Your father has agreed to move out."

"Move out?" she echoed, meeting her father's gaze while he studied her.

She was still trying to take it all in as her parents watched her closely.

"Say something Ashely," Her father prompted.

She shrugged. "I'm okay." She couldn't believe they had finally realised what she had already figured out ages ago, they did not belong together. They would be better off apart.

"If you need to talk to either of us I want you to feel like you can," Her mother added. Ashley nodded absentmindedly.

She didn't want to talk, she wanted to scream it from the rooftops with joy.

While there was some uncertainty to how their family would work moving forward, the main thing that mattered to Ashley was they would no longer be living together and there would be no more fighting.

"There is more." The sentence came from her father. "I applied for a job and I got it."

Ashley frowned.

He mentioned the name of the city where he would have to move it. It was far.

Her parents shared another look.

"If you're not going to be here, when will I see you?" This wasn't quite the scenario that had played out in her wishful thinking.

"You're always welcome to live with me if you want but if not you are welcome to visit anytime."

She swallowed slowly as she disgusted his offer.

All her friends were here. Maddox was here. In the short time they had been close he had become an important factor in her life and decision making. But he will be going off to college soon and where would that leave her? She didn't like the way she felt when she thought about Maddox leaving.

"We don't have to make any decisions tonight."

At that was the end of the conversation.

Her earlier relief at the announcement of the divorce was marred by the realisation at how important Maddox had become to her and it scared her.

Her last message from Maddox was to text him when she was finished.

She messaged him. I'm done with my parents.

You want to come over? He messaged back a few minutes later.

She hadn't seem much of him since the day he had been suspended and she missed him. Her fears at that moment were no match to how much she wanted to be see him.

Sure. She sighed as she stared down at the text message.

Her mother was a lot more accommodating and when she asked to go out. And for the first time in ages she had no curfew.

Maddox messaged her when he was outside her house and she hurried off, grabbing a jacket and a hurried goodbye to her parents.

The sight of him leaning against the passenger car door of his car in jeans and a hoodie stuttered her heart and she stopped to take a breath. He smiled and she took a breath to calm her racing heart.

As she neared he straightened up and opened the door for her. She stopped just as he dropped a kiss to her mouth and her heart did another gallop, leaving her breathless.

He gave her a slow lazy smile, like he knew his effect on her and he was enjoying every moment of it.

She slid into the seat and he closed the door.

She put her seatbelt on as he got into the driver's side.

"So what was so important?" he asked, absent-mindedly as he started the car.

"My parents are getting ...divorced."

He was silent as he gave her a side glance.

She bit her bottom lip nervously before he looked back to the road as he drove.

"How do you feel about it?"

She let out a heavy breath. "Honestly. I feel relieved." The weight of their animosity had weighed like a heavy burden making every hour in her home something she tried to avoid at all costs.

Silence fell over them as he drove her back to his house. It was only when they entered his house did she realise how quiet it was.

"Where is everyone?" she asked, looking around. She half expected his mom to appear but she didn't.

"My parents are away for the weekend."

She swallowed as she realised they were alone. Her eyes met his. This time his expression was serious.

"I'm surprised you don't have a harem of girls all over the house already," she said drily.

He smiled, a self assured one. "It's a good thing I only want to spend spend time with you."

"Alone?" she prompted.

He shrugged. "There's no ulterior motive. We can just hang out."

She nodded. They were completely alone and she wasn't sure how that made her feel. At one hand she was glad to avoid seeing his mom again but she felt the pressure of what it meant to be alone with him in a house full of bedrooms. Her cheeks warmed when her thoughts drifted to the last time they had been alone in his room. He had rocked her world. She bit her lip to bring herself back to the present where he was watching her closely.

"You want something to drink?" he asked as he led her into the kitchen.

She shook her head. He got a soda out and opened it. He took a swallow and then leaned against the counter watching her.

"You seem pretty quiet tonight. Is there something on your mind?" He put the soda down and crossed his arms.

She felt unhinged. Her parents' announcement, was great news but it left her feeling unsettled. Would her relationship with her parents improve now that they wouldn't be at each other's throat every chance they got?

Her father would be leaving. He was the parent she got on with the best, she would miss him not being able to see him every day.

But the main thing was there would be no more fighting, screaming, yelling. There would finally be peace.

She hadn't had the time to think about how their divorce affected her plans for her future. If they weren't living in the same house anymore and fighting there was no rush to move out, was there?