Ashton finds her stash (Suspicion +40)

Ashton had a small plastic bagful of pills in his hand, and a look of surprise on his face that only magnified when he saw her enter the room. He almost dropped the bag as he jumped back in shock, only to hastily toss it inside her closet instead. He looked stunned, and could not even speak as she approached him.

“What are you doing?” She asked, blood draining from her face with every step. He couldn’t have gotten into her stash, could he? What had she done with it last time? Damn, she couldn’t remember!

“Sorry! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to snoop!” He raised his hands apologetically. “I only wanted to… To get a towel or s-some kleenex to, um… Wipe. Myself. So sorry!”

She walked up to him and he fell silent and looked nervously at her, then she glanced into her open closet. Inside, in plain view, was a small open box with her entire stash. Unlabeled pills in little bags, a small bag of weed and, to her quiet embarrassment, a very small bag of coke. None of them were labeled, but they all looked clearly suspicious even to the untrained eye, and Hannah silently cursed her carelessness. In all the preparations to get ready for tonight, she forgot to close the box inside her closet, or hide it better. Now her stash was all there for him to see, and it was damning. Ashton gave her a strange look, as if he was seeing her again for the first time, a strange look in his eyes that chilled her. Her internal monologue was just the word ‘no’, over and over and over again.

They both gave each other a deer in the headlights look, equally awkward and hesitant before he first broke the silence.

“Ahh, Is… Is that what I think it is? Because…” He stammered “Umm… Sorry, I… It’s just a surprise… You know...?” But every attempt at a sentence withered on his lips before it could finish, not even the dignified end of completing a finished thought. A road that went nowhere..

“This is a gag gift! I got it a long time ago!” She lied, cursing internally for having to improvise such a poor fabrication. “You know, it looks like something else… But it’s not what you’re thinking! One of my friends just thought it was funny! And… Why were you looking into my private stuff anyways? Not cool!”

“I know! I shouldn’t have done it! I’m so, so sorry!” Replied Ashton, his shoulders and face all sagging in defeat. He didn’t look angry at her at least… But he glanced in the direction of her closet again and frowned, making the knot in her stomach tighten. He had seen something he shouldn’t have, and it was clear to her it bothered him.

“Hannah?” He asked, his voice tentative, soft. “I… If there is something that you want to tell me…?”

It was like her floor had disappeared under her feet. And in a single moment she imagined how this road would go. He would question her, she would tell him the truth: that has used **** before, hell that she STILL used them, and she liked having sex while high… And once he learned that about her he would never trust her again. She would always be tainted, a degenerate slut, and she would never be able to redeem herself in his eyes, she would get needy and horny… And their relationship would die, like so many others. She would be alone again.

{if Love = True}”Ashton!” She felt her eyes growing damp and blinked the tears away furiously as she took a moment to calm herself. “Ashton, please… I love you! Isn’t that enough? Can we… Not go there? Please?” Her lip trembled at the last word and she gulped air and suppressed a sniffle before looking him in the eye. Pleading silently for him to not go that route… Her heart couldn’t bear it.{endif}{if Denial = True}”Ashton? W-what are you talking about?” She was breathing hard now, terrified. “Th-that was… Just a stupid joke. Please, don’t judge me just because of some… Silly gift a friend gave me? Please? I…” And her stomach dropped as she finished with, “I am not that kind of girl.”

It was a lie. She knew. But if she kept with him! If she stayed on the straight and narrow, and didn’t use the ****, then the lie could become the truth! She could make it true, she knew she could!{endif}{if Manipulation = True}”You look into my stuff and then dare accuse me of… Of what? Lying to you?” She hissed, trying to mask her embarrassment with anger. If she turned it back on him, put him on the defensive… He wouldn’t have the guts to question her. “Is that it? Do you think I’m hiding anything from you?”

“No, no… Sorry for snooping… I mean! I didn’t want to, uhh…” He backpedaled, on the defensive. She pressed her advantage.

“It was a silly gag gift, from an old friend, which I kept.” She said, trying to strike a tone between angry and disappointed. “And that’s my private stuff! You had no right to go through it.”

“But…! No, you’re absolutely correct!” He admitted. “I’m so sorry, I…” And the words died in his mouth as he looked at her, eyes **** for her approval, her forgiveness. It worked. His inklings of doubt had been buried under a mountain of guilt.{endif}

“Sorry! I… I won’t bring it up again!” He said, backing away from both her and the closet. He then glanced at the bathroom she had just exited from and then tried a conciliatory smile. “I’ll uh… Shower now. And! I also… Promise not to ever go through your stuff without permission. I’m sorry.”

And with one last apologetic nod he hurried to the bathroom and closed the door. She took a deep breath, and hoped that this was the last they would speak of the subject, and that hopefully he believed her lie. Well, it was too late to take anything back. So as she heard the shower being turned on, she took off her towel and, after drying her hair a bit more, began looking for something comfortable to wear. She also glared at her stash before quickly hiding it. This was truly the last thing she needed to deal with tonight!