Hello Ashley

A sigh escaped her lips as Ashley sat in the stands after being dragged by her best friend Flo to watch a basketball game. Not only had Flo successfully forced Ashley to come, but Joshua was also there. However, in Josh's case, he had come willingly, eager to watch Samuel play.

"Go, Sam! Sammy! Sammy!" Flo shouted as Sam got a free throw opportunity due to a foul by the opposing team.

Samuel, wearing a black jersey with the number 6 on his back, was calmly holding the ball. His expression looked composed as if he'd done this countless times before. It made sense since Sam had been part of a basketball club since middle school. Even after entering university, he never strayed from the game.

The blond-haired boy prepared for his free throw. His first shot nearly made it into the basket but bounced off at the last second. Sam dribbled the ball a few times before making his second throw. The ball swished smoothly through the net, and the crowd erupted into cheers as Sam's shot landed, putting his team in a narrow lead.

"Sam! Way to go, Sam!" Josh yelled beside me. It seemed the crowd's excitement had also sparked energy in Josh, who was usually more composed. He wouldn't be left out when it came to supporting his friend.

Meanwhile, Flo looked like a girl who had just won the lottery. She screamed in delight, drawing the attention of several spectators. Ashley made an effort to keep her seated and calm. However, it was hard to sit still when the game was so thrilling.

"Hey, Flo, calm down! You're attracting a lot of attention!" Ashley whispered, trying to rein in her excitable friend.

The brown-haired girl ignored her and continued shouting Sam's name. Josh just shook his head at the sight.

"You know, controlling Flo is pretty impossible."

Ashley sighed softly. Deep down, she agreed with Josh. "You're right. Being her friend is like working as a part-time babysitter."

The hazel-eyed boy laughed. "But you still do it."

"I don't have a choice. Who else is going to save her from all the chaos if not me?" Ashley shrugged lazily, though a small smile formed on her lips. Flo might be annoying and a handful with all her antics, but she was an important friend. Ashley wouldn't trade her for anything.

Finally, the tense basketball game came to an end. Sam's team won the match with a close score of 56-54. From where they sat, they could see the team celebrating. As today's M.V.P., Sam received plenty of congratulations for securing the victory for his team.

Josh and Ashley followed Flo as she went to the court to see Sam. In front of them, Sam was chatting with his teammates while drinking water. Upon seeing his friends approach, the blond-haired boy flashed a bright smile.

"Hey!" he greeted.

"Sam!" Flo squealed.

Like a long-lost lover, Flo ran into Sam's arms, hugging her boyfriend while repeatedly congratulating him on the win. After Flo was done monopolizing Sam's attention, Josh and Ashley also offered their congratulations.

"Do you have plans with your team, Sam?" Ashley asked.

Sam raised an eyebrow for a moment before quickly nodding. "Yeah, we're going to have dinner together to celebrate today's victory. By the way, I was just about to ask if you guys want to join us."

"Dinner with your team?" Ashley questioned.

"Yeah, Coach said we could invite friends if we wanted. Besides, it'd be a bit dull if it was just us. It'd be better with more people."

Ashley thought about Sam's invitation. Honestly, she didn't know any of the basketball team members besides Sam. Wouldn't it be awkward?

"I'll come if Ash comes," Flo suddenly announced, causing Ashley to look at her in surprise.

"What?"

The brown-haired girl shrugged. "Come on, I don't want to be the only girl there. They'll probably talk about guy stuff, and I won't understand any of it."

Sam seemed unsurprised by his girlfriend's comment. Josh said he'd join them, too. Now, it was only Ashley who hadn't answered. Sam then turned to her. "Okay, so what about you, Ash? Will you come?"

"Will there be drinking?" Ashley's question immediately prompted laughter from both Sam and Josh.

"Of course, we're celebrating today's win! Don't worry, Ash, we won't get drunk. Coach wouldn't let us make fools of ourselves," Sam assured her.

"Yeah, and if you're worried about a ride, either Sam or I can pick you up and drop you off," Josh added.

Ashley looked at the three of them anxiously. The memory of Josh's last party still lingered in her mind. She wasn't a fan of big gatherings, especially if it meant dealing with the smell of alcohol again. But she couldn't bring herself to turn them down. Aside from celebrating Sam's victory, Flo had been giving her the classic puppy-dog eyes. With little choice, the black-haired girl finally nodded, earning smiles from her three friends.

"Yeah, let's party!" Flo shouted, joined by cheers from the other two.

Ashley could only shake her head in resignation as she watched their antics. Inwardly, she muttered a quiet curse. The world was such a strange place. She, the calm and antisocial type, somehow ended up with friends like Flo, Sam, and Josh, who were the complete opposite of her. She just hoped tonight's party would distract her from the mysterious figure who had been tormenting her in recent days. Honestly, she needed a break from all that. Maybe partying with her wild friends wouldn't be so bad... hopefully.

***

Samuel raised his beer high, prompting everyone around him to follow suit. "To our team's victory today. Let's win again in the next game! Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

The clinking of glasses echoed loudly as everyone toasted and drank. Florence quickly gulped down the golden liquid in a few swift sips while Sam finished his beer in one shot. Josh, however, only took a small sip since he was the designated driver for the night. He seemed to have a feeling that his blonde friend and Florence wouldn't end the night sober. Meanwhile, Ashley pretended to sip her beer slowly, hoping no one would notice. She couldn't stand the taste of it, but peer pressure forced her to appear at least like she was drinking.

Bianca Geraldine, sitting beside her, looked over with concern. "Are you okay? You don't have to drink if you don't want to."

Ash shook her head slightly. "I'm fine. Thanks for worrying about me," she said, appreciating the girl's kindness.

Ashley had only just realized Bianca was also part of the drinking celebration. Bianca was helping out the basketball team's manager, her friend, Anya Taylor. It also made sense why the basketball team invited the beautiful girl to the celebration. Ash felt relieved seeing her there—at least there was another familiar face in the room, making the atmosphere slightly more comfortable.

"Sam really carried the team today. If it weren't for his free throws, we might not have won," praised one of his teammates, David.

"Yeah, man! You worked your magic out there!" another teammate, Jeremy, said.

Sam chuckled softly in response to the compliments. "You guys are exaggerating. It was just luck. Besides, our team matched their aggressive play pretty well. You all deserve more credit."

The blonde athlete grinned, throwing an arm around David and Jeremy. Ashley had to admit this was one of Sam's most outstanding qualities. Even though everyone in the room knew he was the key player in today's win, Sam remained humble, instead praising the team's effort. It was part of his undeniable charm, which made it easy to see why her best friend Florence had fallen for the star basketball player.

"Hey, you always downplay your skills when we praise you. Take the compliment for once!" Flo teased, nudging her boyfriend playfully.

"Haha, that's true, man! Even though I hate to admit it, you deserve the praise this time!" added Josh with a grin.

Sam's face turned slightly red as his friends teased him. Flo and Josh seemed to enjoy watching him squirm, laughing at his shy reaction. Even Ashley couldn't help but laugh, finding it amusing to see the usually confident Sam acting so bashful.

Suddenly, Ashley felt a wave of dizziness. Her vision blurred, and the people around her seemed to split into hazy shadows. Noticing something was off, Florence turned to her with concern. "Ash, are you okay?"

Ashley shook her head slightly, forcing a smile. "I'm fine. Maybe I'm just not used to drinking this much."

"Do you want to go home now?" Josh asked, noticing her unease.

"No, I'll be alright after I splash some water on my face. I'll be right back."

Ashley went to the bathroom after asking a staff member for directions, brushing off their concern. Once she reached the sink, she splashed her face with cold water, the chill helping her relax. But just as she looked into the mirror, someone suddenly covered her eyes from behind.

Startled, Ashley instinctively struggled, but the unknown figure pressed a cloth over her mouth. Her movements grew weaker, her strength fading rapidly. After a few moments, her limbs went limp, and the world around her faded into darkness as she lost consciousness.

***