Between Ashley and Gavin

"You sure you're ok...?" Asked Gavin after quietly keeping an eye on Ashley for several very long minutes.

He wasn't sure if he really wanted to hear her story, but if that was all he could do for her... And besides, he was starting to have this gnawing suspicion that it would come back and bother him later on anyway, so he could just as well try and get it over with right away.

"Yeah, thanks!" She managed a friendly smile at him, even if she really didn't look like she was fine at all. The smile itself was rather genuine however, and making him fully aware of how incredibly pretty she was when she did. "Thanks, Gavin!"

"Don't think about it..." He mumbled, though he wasn't really sure of what she was thanking him for. Suddenly his shyness was kicking in again, as he was reminded that he was all on his own with a really hot looking girl.

"It's just... Brandon..." She finally told him, like he hadn't been able to figure that one out on hid own. "I... saw him in the lake with Heather, and I just... you know...?"

"I think I can guess, at least..." He nodded knowingly, though he'd never had a partner of his own - and certainly not one of several yerars back.

"Oh, right... I'm sorry..." She said, as if she'd just realized the exact same thing. There was also a hint of curiosity in her eyes though, and he could already see the question coming before she'd managed to ask it. "Is it true, that you've never... had one...?"

"Well, yeah." He admitted, a little reluctantly, and didn't really want to speak with someone about it who clearly wasn't in the same boat as himself.

"I hope you find someone you like." She surprised him with another of those genuinely beautiful smiles of her's.

"Thanks..." He managed a brief smile in return, and then they sat back in silence again for a couple of moments - until he decided to break it again. "So... it's nothing serious then...?"

"No... I guess not." She agreed, though again with a bit of hesitation. "Except... well..."

"No... it's nothing." She interrupted herself, in a sudden change of mind. "I'd just not want to think about it, ok...?"

"That's all up to you." He nodded in agreement, and could see her hesitating once more.

She didn't have the time to change her mind once more however, as they were suddenly interrupted by the sound of the front door opening - followed by familiar voices.

"Seems like they're back." Gavin pointed out the obvious, and felt quite relieved actually. He could hear Victoria's voice among the first to enter, and knew she would be much better suited than himself for talking to Ashley. He wasn't quite so keen on having anyone finding them all alone together behind closed doors however, and decided to get out there to greet them.

"No, wait!" The blonde stopped him dead in his tracks when he was about to get out of his bed though, and found her looking at him with fearful eyes. "Please... just let me stay in here for a little bit longer...!"

"Uh, sure..." He agreed, though seriously confused by now, and sat right back on his bed again.

It wasn't easy for Gavin to know what had caused this reaction after all, and he'd never connect it to the other voice that could just barely be heard from outside of the cabin.

Ash had recognized it as easily as Vicky's however, and Kurt was the very last person she'd like to see her right now...