Chapter Text
16 year old Ashlyn Banner has never had a friend. Ever. She had these two cousins and they barely saw each other but when they did they talked MAD shit. Like there was no one that wasn't shit talked. The last time they saw each other was right after school started and she just talked shit about Aiden to them.
Day 1
June 21st, Ashlyn's cousins, Alina Baum from her mother's side, and Elijah Banner, from her father's side, had walked into the Banner household at 4:30pm, but they immediately stopped in their tracks. Their cousin was sitting on her couch, next to her was a blonde boy, and a quiet brunette. Three backpacks were sprawled on the floor next to them, they had clearly just gotten back from school.
"Um...Ashlyn?" The ginger turned at the sound of her cousins voice.
"Oh- uh..." She turned to the kitchen to alert her parents of the familys' arrival. "Aunt Anna and Bailey are here!" After her announcement she turned back to her cousins, "You guys can sit wherever...food can go on the counter. We can bring it out to the graveyard in coolers later." After that, she turned back to her conversation with the strange boys.
After placing things down, both pairs of aunts and uncles were in the kitchen with Ashlyn's parents while Alina and Elijah sat down awkwardly on the other couch. Ashlyn also sat there awkwardly before she realized she had to introduce everyone.
"Uh so...this is Aiden and Ben," the ginger gestured to her friends and then to her cousins, "that's Alina and Elijah." Ashlyn shuffled her feet but looked up when the door opened again, followed by the gazes of her guests.
A brunette girl and boy, -presumably twins- entered the house, followed by a timid looking boy with glasses, who was helping the girl tease her brother. The trio paused when they saw the strangers.
"...who the hell are they?" The boy raised an eyebrow while his sister nudged him.
"Tyler!!" The girl quickly apologized for him and gave an awkward wave. "Hi um...I'm Taylor! This is my brother, Tyler, and this is our friend Logan!" The boy with the glasses gave a small smile, glancing up at the brunette boy next to him and they both exchanged looks. Ashlyn sighed and stood up, introducing her cousins again quickly before speaking.
"Ali, Eli, these are my friends... We'll be in the Graveyard but you guys can do whatever." The blonde girl was a little pink from when the new trio had entered but she nodded.
"Can we come with you guys?" To which the caramel haired boy nodded, also wanting to come with. Ashlyn had started to speak, before she got cut off by the fake blonde.
"Why not! It's a big bus!" After he said that, the 5 others glared at him until Ashlyn just shrugged and reluctantly agreed.
Six teens were all sitting on the floor of the bus, save for Logan, who was in his usual tire and Ashlyn who was on the seat next to the tire. Alina kept glancing at Tyler, who was sitting on the floor next to Logan's tire, Taylor on the other side of Logan. Ashlyn noticed her glances and sighs, lightly nudging Logan and Tyler with her foot to tell them. Logan tries not to laugh and Tyler just groaned, earning a look of confusion from the rest.
“So…how often do you guys hang out?” Elijah said, finally breaking the awkward silence that Aiden somehow hadn't demolished yet. Ashlyn just shrugged but Aiden actually gave a response.
“Almost everyday!” which caused the blonde and light brunette cousins to look at each other, to Ashlyn, and back again. Ashlyn noticed their looks and tensed a little. She still wasn't great with the fact that she has friends, and the last time she saw her cousins she had been friendless her whole life. That was just nine and a half months ago, but it felt like forever. Yet now, as she looked around, she had five friends she was close with, one that was like a brother to her, as her gaze landed on the boy in the tire. She smiled softly, noticing Aiden looking at her which immediately made her stop from embarrassment.
Ashlyn's dad, Mike Banner, entered the bus around 6:00pm, announcing that food was ready. When the eight of them exited the bus towards the rest of Ashlyn's family, they could smell burgers and hotdogs, the classic family reunion food. They all sat down to eat, Ashlyn getting interrogated by her family about her friends and her life.
"Do you have a boyfriend yet? You seem to have quite the options,” one of her aunts asked, looking between Tyler, Ben, and Logan.
“Yes, yes…I mean we're so happy you have friends now but what about a boyfriend?” Another aunt added. Ashlyn's face immediately reddened and she shook her head.
"No! No I don't. I don't plan on it either.” Alina noted how Aiden's shoulders slumped when her cousin said that.
“Well, we're happy you have friends, you were so lonely before!” Her grandma decided to add on.
“I was not lonely, I like being alone.” The ginger teen responded, to which her family just rolled their eyes.
The teens made their way back to the bus, Alina and Elijah looking confused whenever the other six would ask what they should do “tonight.” Logan sat next to Tyler instead of in his tire, and was just yapping about some nonsense while the more reserved boy stared at him, listening to every word. Alina sat in the seat in front of theirs, leaning over the back of it and starting to talk, cutting Logan off.
“So, what do you usually do at your hangouts?” The strawberry blonde just looked at her, fidgeting with his hands after he got interrupted. Tyler gave the girl a look but responded anyway, Alina taking note of how the brunette had gently touched the other boy's wrist to get him to stop fidgeting and calm down.
On the other side of the bus, Ashlyn was sitting with Aiden, talking to Taylor across from them who was sitting next to Ben, and Elijah, who was sitting in the seat in front of Taylor. Alina laughed loudly at something which made everyone else's heads turn to her.
“Tyler, you're so funny!!!” Tyler just looked confused and pissed off, Logan looking like he was trying to not burst into laughter. “I'm gonna die!-”
Clearly, that wasn't taken lightly as the six friends all tensed up, especially the twins, which took the notice of Elijah. Tyler looked even more pissed off at that. “Death shouldn't be taken so fucking lightly. It's not a funny topic so don't even joke about it.” The blonde girl looked puzzled but just rolled her eyes, thinking he was just exaggerating.
“Yeah yeah, sorry, anyways as I was saying…” As she kept talking, Logan and Taylor exchanged nervous glances. When the group had been separated, they got kidnapped again and Taylor had died. They decided to not tell anyone because they didn't want Tyler to freak out or Ashlyn to be more stressed and guilty. The duo ended up telling Ben since he was good with first aid, so he helped make sure she was okay and patch her up.
Eventually, everyone went home and Ashlyn flopped onto her bed, her social battery completely drained. Her phone buzzed and she looked down at a notification from Aiden.
Aiden:) : Hey, r u OK? u looked overhwelmed. Tmr if yuo need to step out for a litlte i can keep the attentionw off of you whlie u escape :)
She found herself smiling at the text, feeling her face warm up a bit as she typed back a response.
ASH!!!!🩰: Yes I'm okay Aiden. That's sweet thanks, I might take you up on that, we'll see.
ASH!!!🩰: :)
Aiden screamed into his pillow which made Ben look up from his phone, startled.
“Sorry man… Ash sent me a smiley face.” The fake blonde's cousin just gave him a small smile and a thumbs up.
Logan was at the twins’ house, laying next to Tyler while Taylor laid on her top bunk.
“Ty, I think Ashlyn's cousins likes you,” the girl commented.
“Yeah, no shit.” Her brother sighed in response. The other boy laughed and gently poked Tyler's cheek. “Oh come on, she seems sweet!”
“Says my literal boyfriend but ok,” Tyler retorted, gently pulling Logan's hand off his face. Taylor laughed at that and added,
“Logan's right, she does seem sweet. But she definitely doesn't know that you two are together so I mean she's probably not going to back down. Thoughts and prayers brother, thoughts and prayers.” Tyler groaned and let his head fall back onto his pillow. “Kill me now.” (red already did but ok).