Imagine Me and You

Ashley sighed, her red hair blowing up in to her eyes as she looked out before her. This had been the place that she had been tortured so many years ago-ten years ago to be exact. Walking down those halls, her earphones in her ears as people gawked and laughed at her. The lockers where she had been pushed and shoved. This was her true place of total isolation. Taking a deep breath, she looked beside her to the man standing there.

He had been everything to her-a beacon of hope in a world of misery. He had found her when she was at her lowest point-having moved out to LA to make it big as an actress and instead she had been stuck waiting tables. They had met at a local show for a band that she was friends with and he was trying to get signed to the label that his own band was affiliated with. They had struck up a conversation about music and their shared love for the subject and now here they were two years later.

Her High School Reunion.

She ran her hands up and down her deep purple and black dress, her pumps clicking against the sidewalk as the two of them waited in line for her to check in. Ashley looked around then, the wind blowing her hair in front of her eyes and he only laughed as he moved a finger out to catch the drifting strands. She hadn’t even wanted to come here-but he had insisted that she would regret it if she didn’t. They had flown out that morning and not here they were-Tulsa Oklahoma.

He held her hand, his ringed fingers rubbing against hers, comforting her in only a way that he could. He looked dashing standing there beside her-his black hair was straight and in his eyes, his blue eyes only slightly darkened by a tiny bit of eyeliner. He was wearing a three piece suit, his sleeves rolled up and his jacket slung over one shoulder. Ashley watched as he looked around them, a soft smirk on his lips as he took the crowd in. She looked around as well, smirking as she saw a former football player walk past with his beer gut and angry looking wife in tow.

Ashley had never been popular-she had been less than even the unpopular kids. She had been nonexistent. People would walk right past her in the halls, sometimes she would get shoved up against a locker, but mostly they just ignored her. Indifference is worse than hate and she had realized that fact very quickly. Now here she was-attending with one of the hottest guys there and not only that but she had made something over herself.

Nothing big-small parts in movies and television spots, but she was currently working on a project that could be her big break. Ashley hadn’t wanted to leave her work, but her agent Jeff had insisted that she needed this. Her band had also insisted and of course he wasn’t going to say no-he loved hearing about her as a kid. Finally the line began to move and Ashley was standing before the check in table, biting down on her lower lip as she tucked a piece of red hair behind a twice pierced ear.


“Name?” The blonde behind the table said, her voice just as snotty and stuck up as it had been ten years ago. Bethany Stritch-beloved cheerleader by many…Stritch the Bitch to only those who felt her wrath. Her green eyes were expertly lined and her blonde hair was perfectly done-she would have it no other way.

“Ashley Mullins, plus guest.” Ash said, her voice small and she felt a wave of courage wash over her as she felt his hand come to rest on the small of her back.

“Did you just say Ashley Mullins?” Bethany looked up from her paper now-her eyes had been looking down, which of course was typical of someone who couldn't see past their own nose-and she was staring straight into Ash’s light blue eyes with shock.

“Yes. And guest.” Ashley repeated with a neutral tone. The girl seemed flabbergasted as she took her in and Ashley couldn’t help but feel vindicated. Yes, under all of those band shirts and hoodies there was a girl who had just as sexy of a body, but chose not to show it off like a slut.

“A-and your guests name?” Bethany asked, her voice wavering as she took in the guy standing beside the girl, who in High School had never mattered.

“Andy Biersack-boyfriend.” He smirked at her, that boyish grin working its magic and Ash couldn’t help but laugh slightly. Bethany was enthralled by him-most girls were but Ashley only smiled brighter as she was handed over her name tag and Andy turned to her to help her pin it to her dress.

“I-um-I love your band…and I-I loved that part you had in the second Avengers movie. Um-maybe we could catch up later?” Bethany asked, obviously flabbergasted as she looked between the couple. Ash only smirked as she shrugged her shoulders and felt Andy reach for her trembling hand.

“Maybe…I’ll try to remember what you look like and find you later…” She quipped and then giggled as she watched Bethany’s face fall. Andy only waved to the girl silently-he knew all about Bethany Stritch and he didn’t care if she was his biggest fan…no one should ever treat other people like that.


They both walked forward and Ash couldn’t help but smile as people waved to her as they finally realized who she was. Bit parts on shows like Big Bang Theory, American Horror Story and Game of Thrones was paying off-even though she wasn’t big yet, Ashley Mullins was getting recognized more and more these days. Of course being with Andy, who was the front man of an incredibly awesome and well known band wasn’t hurting things either. As they walked into the gym, Ash cringed-so many terrible days had been spent in this place dodging balls and sitting on the bleachers by herself.

The room was festively decorated with blue and white streamers and there was a DJ in one corner playing the terrible music that was associated with her youth. A food table lined one wall and large circular tables were spread out around the room. Andy still had a hand on the small of her back and Ashley allowed him to direct her around the room. She cringed as she realized that along one entire wall were photos that had been tacked up. Andy only smirked down at her, leading her over towards that area and Ashley suddenly wished she wasn’t wearing heels-they were harder to run away in.


“Come on babe…” Andy teased as he grabbed for her hand and Ashley just pulled against him. She didn’t want to go over there-she knew that there probably weren’t any pictures of her on that wall. She hadn’t been in to sports or clubs and she had been in one play, but that had turned into a disaster. Her attempt to make friends had turned in to her wearing a pair of antlers and having one single line, which she had messed up anyways.

“No.” She insisted digging her heels into the hard wood floor and Andy stopped moving as he turned to look at the love of his life. She looked scared-more scared than he had ever seen her. Her big blue eyes were filled with tears and her lip was trembling.

“Ashley? What’s wrong?” He asked, placing his hands on either of her arms as he looked down into her crystalline eyes. She avoided his gaze at first, but looking at him couldn’t be helped-he was like a magnet.

“I-I don’t need to go over there…I know there aren’t any pictures of me over there.” She said, her voice sad as she looked down at her shoes. Dammit it was like being in school all over again. She hadn’t even been in this fucking building for half an hour and already her old self was rearing its ugly head.

“You can’t possibly know that…” Andy said, his eyes kind and sincere looking. She sucked in a breath and then blew out, her red hair flying around her face and they both smirked.

“I wasn’t popular Andy-you know that. I was a nobody to these people…now they’re all looking at me like they want to form a line for me sign their yearbooks. I didn’t even have a yearbook senior year!” She laughed, not sure why it was funny, but she was laughing none the less.

“They are staring at you because you are gorgeous. You are perfect. You have made something of yourself. Oh and you’re here with the hottest date…which helps I’m sure.” He laughed, kissing her with each point he was trying to make and Ash only huffed at him.

“Fine-lets go see how much of a loser I really was…still am.” She sighed and Andy only kissed the top of her head as they walked over to the wall.


There were a lot of pictures and Ashley was surprised to see that she was in at least half of them. A picture of her third grade class, a picture from that miserable play she had been in, a few pictures of group shots that she had somehow managed to get in to and she sucked in a breath as Ashley noticed that there was one picture of her alone. It was of her, sitting on the bleachers, her The Damned shirt huge around her skinny frame and it could be seen that she had her headphones in her ears. She was looking off towards something out of frame, her chin resting on her hand and her knees were close to her chest.

Ashley sucked in a breath-she remembered this day. It had been the one day that Justin Meyers had come up and sat down to talk to her. They had a free period at the same time in Junior year and both of them would sit on the bleachers and watch the gym classes. He had been every rocker girl’s dream, but he never really talked to anyone-he was James Dean before James Dean became a huge thing again. That day though-he had walked over to her probably because he had caught her staring at him and sat down next to her. He asked her what she was listening to and then they talked about music after that.

It had been the single moment in school that had made Ashley feel like someone got her…like someone understood.


“You know if we had gone to school together I would have completely been in to you…” Andy said in her ear and Ashley only shivered as she felt his lips touch her bare shoulder.

“Really? Even though I was a loser who sat by herself?” She asked as she turned to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as Andy walked them backwards towards the dance floor. There was some slow song going on right now and Ashley figured why not.

“You have to remember babe-I was a loser who sat by himself as well. Maybe if we had been losers together things would be different.” He mused, raising his eyebrows as Ashley looked around them. People were staring and some people were even taking pictures. She felt a blush creep up her neck-she still had to get used to all of the attention.

“But where would we be now? Black Veil Brides may not even exist, I may not have ever moved to LA…” She smiled at him devilishly, wondering how he expected to get himself out of this one. Andy said nothing as he only smirked and placed his lips against hers softly.

“True, but we would have had eachother and sometimes that’s what matters…” He said as he pulled out of their kiss and then there was someone at her shoulder, clearing their throat softly. Ashley turned to see Bethany and her horde of whores standing behind her. Ashley was happy to see that some of them had lost their perfect looks as they had gotten older.

“Ashley? We were wondering if we could have your autograph?” Bethany asked softly and Ash found herself in shock. Bethany Stritch had never been shy-she had been the complete opposite. Ashley only smirked at the girl as she tucked a piece of her gorgeous red hair behind her ear and dropped her arms from around Andy’s neck.

“Sure. What am I signing?” She asked and Ash couldn’t keep the smirk off of her face as she was handed a Cougar’s High School year book from her senior year. Was that all that mattered to these girls? Were they still so stuck in High School that they couldn’t even have her sign something other than what they would have never asked her to sign back in the day?


Ashley finished signing all of the year books and then spent five minutes listening to Bethany tell her about her own life. Ash only nodded her head-she could care less about how Bethany had married some cop and was now divorced with two kids and living in a small apartment. Karma-that’s what it was and Ashley knew that these girls were the poster children for the concept. They had been so wrapped up in the drama of school that they had never done anything with their lives.

They stayed in Tulsa, lived what they thought was the perfect life and yet they had always picked at Ashley for having a dream. Well now she was living out her dream and she was in love with a dream-Andy. He loved her and that was worth more than all the year books in the entire tri-state area. The girls finally left them, but Ash spent the rest of the night dealing with the same thing and even Andy had a few autograph requests.

The couple didn’t mind-they found it funny and as they danced and laughed the night away it was as if nothing mattered. Ashley was happy and she felt finally at peace being back in this place. Andy was a huge help and he had held her in place when she wanted to run away. As they danced and looked into one another’s eyes, Ashley couldn’t help but wonder where she would be if the two of them had never met. Probably still waitressing, maybe even living back in her parent’s house. It had been Andy who had pushed her to go for roles that she had never expected to get and it had been him that had been her support system when she had no one.

But now she had someone-she had the perfect someone…forever.

Notes

And we are back! Sorry about that guys-the holidays are hell for me and I've been trying to work on multiple things at once. But here we are and I promise I'm going to try and get more of these done : )