If this was what love felt like Ashley wanted to grab onto it with both hands and never let it go.

She now understood all the things she had heard before but never experienced until now. It was like she was floating carried by the feelings Maddox stirred in her.

He walked her to her car after school that Friday.

"My mom wants you to come for lunch on Sunday."

She stopped. "Really?"

His mom did not like her, that she knew. Why would she invite her for lunch?

"What?" he asked, when he saw her expression.

"She doesn't like me at all Mad."

"Of course she does. Look she wouldn't invite you over if she didn't." He squeezed her hand but nothing he said reassured her.

She had no idea why but she bet his mom had an ulterior motive, the only thing is she just didn't know what it was. At least if she knew what angle she was trying to play she would make sure she didn't get caught up in it.

"Come on," he said, lifting a hand to her cheek. "It's only lunch."

He caressed her cheek. "My mom makes the best cherry pie."

Nope. That still wasn't enough to clinch a yes from her.

"I'll have to see if I'm free." She was trying to figure a way out of it already. She hadn't signed up for any shifts on Sunday but she was considering it to get out of lunch with his parents.

"No. I know what you're trying to do. You already told me you didn't have to work."

She frowned. He had remembered. There went her only valid excuse to get out of it and that meant she had to go.

"Trust me, nothing good will come from it."

"Have a little faith." He kissed her cheek and she tried to hold onto his optimism but she couldn't.

She had no choice to go but that didn't mean she had to like it.

"It's a good thing you I love you," she said, frowning.

"It's the best." He kissed her. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing you say it."

She wanted to be with him all the time, it was all consuming and at times terrifying.

"Same." She fisted his shirt, feeling the overwhelming need to hold on as tight as she could.

With all the happiness, grew the fear that no matter what she did she would inevitably lose him.

In her life she had seen very little of love conquering all, she knew well the repercussions of life on a fickle feeling of love.

As if sensing she needed some closeness, he closed his arms around her and hugged her.

So far things had been going well. Jim had not returned to school. There was a rumour he had been removed from the school by his parents.

She was relived that she wouldn't have to deal with him again. He had created havoc in their lives for too long.

She didn't talk much to logan. And that was okay. He seemed to have moved on and was now dating someone else. Honestly she wished him all the happiness. She hadn't treated him well and that still made her feel guilty.

But she hoped to learn from her mistakes and she made the promise to herself that she would never treat a person that way again.

Later that evening her father arrived.

He would be leaving for his new job. Things had worked out quicker than they had anticipated.

"You know you're welcome anytime."

Her throat was clogged with emotion as she nodded.

"Don't cry. I'm just a phone call away. And you call me anytime, day or night." His features softened.

He hugged her and she held on a little tighter trying to stop herself from crying.

He was just moving away she reminded herself and she would be able to visit him any time she wanted but she felt like she was saying goodbye to a part of her life that she wasn't sure she was ready to let go of. Things were changing and she was scared of what the future held.

She waved him off and watched as his car pulled away.

Her mother watched from the door way.

When she returned to the footsteps her mother put a hand out to squeeze her shoulder. "It's okay Ash. You'll see him again soon."

Ashley nodded.

They hadn't even gotten a chance to have dinner together.

That same mood followed her through weekend to the Sunday when she arrived at Maddox's house for lunch. Her feet felt like lead, it took all the effort she could muster to approach the front door nervously. She rang the door bell.

There was a noise from inside and then the door opened.

"Ashley," Maddox's mother greeted. Her voice sounded cheery but she didn't miss the contempt hidden in her eyes. It left her with no doubt she still disliked her, maybe even hated her.

"Hi," Ashley greet, shifting nervously from one foot to the other. Where the hell was Maddox? She didn't want him to leave her alone with his mom, not even for a minute.

Ashley experienced a panicked moment of pure dread before she fixed a smile to her face and entered the house as Mrs Larson ushered her in.

"Rae." The sound of the nickname brought her attention to Maddox who was half way down the stairs. But he wasn't alone. With him was Sasha the girl who had been at his house when she had come over to give him notes from his classes when he had been suspended. The daughter of his mother's best friend.

It was then she began to realise what Mrs Larson was potentially trying to do. What better way to show Maddox what he was missing, she could just invite the beautiful daughter of her best friend to show him that there was no way she could measure up.

Right then and there she wanted to turn around and leave but she couldn't bring herself to make a scene. She would go along with everything but she wouldn't allow herself to be cornered in a situation like this again.

"Hi," she mumbled when Maddox closed the distance between them and kissed her on the cheek.

She also didn't miss the look of distaste on Sasha's face.

She didn't know how she was going to keep it together for a whole lunch.

"Come through and Maddox can introduce you," his mother encouraged and Ashley felt the urge to flee.

Maddox took her hand in his and led her into the living room.

"My father," Maddox introduced her to a tall man that looked like an older version of Maddox.

"Ashley, it's nice to meet you," his father said, with a genuine smile.

"Same here," she smiled shyly. She hated being put on the spot but there was no way around it.

"You remember Sasha?" Maddox asked.

Sasha smiled but it never reached her eyes.

"Yeah, I remember."

She distinctly remembered how possessive Sasha had acted over Maddox. Her Maddox. Her boyfriend, who loved her. She kept repeating it in her mind to bolster her confidence, it was difficult to look at Sasha and not think there was something wrong with a guy who didn't choose her.

She held Maddox's hand a little tighter, needing some sort of reassurance from him but he seemed oblivious to the struggle going on in her.

To her lunch was a complete disaster. Little attention was paid to her. Mrs Larson's enquiries into Sasha's accomplishments and future plans were the main topic at the table. It reinforced everything lacking in her life. She had no accomplishments to speak of and not future plans to study. She had never been more glaringly confronted with her shortcomings.

Was this the whole point of this lunch that Maddox's mother had orchestrated? Had that been her plan all along? She seemed to beam when Maddox and Sasha talked, almost encouraging their interaction. Something Mrs Larson never did with her.

Even though Maddox sat beside her, seemingly obvious to what was going she had never felt more deflated and low. And the more time she spent with Sasha, the more convinced she was that she was probably better suited to Maddox.

"It's time for cherry pie," Mrs Larson announced. "Perhaps Ashley would like to help me."

The only thing Ashley wanted to do was leave and never have to sit through another lunch like this but she nodded and stood. She quietly followed his mom to the kitchen.