Save the Last Dance

Meanwhile, at the same time that Heather was not so subtly propositioning her father on the veranda outside the Lake Hotel ballroom, Ashley was on the other side of the room, sifting through the crowd of older men and women, looking for anyone that was around her age. Specifically, she was looking for Zack Bishop, but he seemed nowhere to be found. Growing frustrated, Ashley rested against a pillar, still keeping an eye on the people around her but becoming increasingly dissatisfied with this method of searching. There were just too many people, all moving around, for her to be able to adequately pick Zack out of the crowd. Maybe there was a speaker or microphone she could use…

“Ashley?”

Her head whipped around to see Zack and another man she recognised as Heather’s uncle emerging from a room. A small bemused smile crossed her face, both humoured and irritated that Zack hadn’t even been in the room she was looking for him, and that despite her searching he was the one that had found her. Surely that was a clear sign that she was meant to do this, she told herself.

“We’ll talk more tomorrow,” Daniel said, patting Zack’s shoulder before passing by Ashley and leaving.

“What was that about?” Ashley asked, watching Heather’s uncle disappear into the crowd.

“Just some business. I am the CEO of a major, international company now, you know,” Zack jested, then frowning and looking around, asked, “Is everything alright? Does Heather know you’re here?”

“She does. I was just talking to her. But it's you that I came to talk to,” Ashley confessed, while rummaging in her pocket. She pulled out a memory card for a phone, holding it between her finger and thumb as she presented it to him. “Here, take this and go free Lisa.”

“Huh?” Zack’s brow furrowed with confusion, the conversation having taken a weird turn. “Do you want me to come with you to the police station?”

“No, Jennifer White can accompany you, she’s here…somewhere,” Ashley said, looking briefly around the room though she knew it was unlikely she’d spot the park ranger from where she stood. “You should be the one who takes this in.”

Zack rubbed his forehead. “I don’t understand what you’re saying, or why you would come here, rather than taking it yourself. Of course, I want Lisa to be set free, but why does it have to be me? I’m happy to, but I don’t understand why you didn’t take it yourself?”

“I love you, Zack Bishop,” Ashley said with a deep breath, trying to keep her voice from cracking. “I also loved Brandon, and yet that didn’t stop me from hooking up with you, and being with you didn’t stop me from cheating with Gavin, or Kurt, or anyone else that came my way. I was mad when you broke up with me last night, but I think you were right. I’m not ready for this kind of relationship.”

“I never said that,” Zack insisted, swallowing hard. He loved Ashley too, and now she sounded so defeated, because of something he’d said, and it made him slightly sick to think he’d caused it. “I never meant to imply that you were just some sort of cheater, incapable of being in a serious relationship. I was just mad too, because you said you wanted other guys. How am I supposed to process that information? That a girl loves me but also wants to suck another guy’s dick?”

“You weren’t. That was my bad, because I wanted to have my cake and eat it. You see it was never about Gavin, or any other guy, specifically. Did you know I had sex with Lee today?” Ashley looked up at Zack, innocent and expectant, waiting until he shook his head, bewildered. “Brandon asked me to do it, to keep Madison from fucking him, and even though I initially didn’t want to, I started to get into it. Do you know why?” This question was rhetorical, and Ashley answered before Zack had even a chance to react. “Because it was just sex. There were no strings, no expectations, just two people enjoying each other. It was fun. I always wondered how Heather and Hannah did it, how they didn’t miss the romance, but look at them now. Even if I don't necessarily approve of 'who'.”

“I still don’t understand. I mean, I’m glad you’ve rectified what you’ve done in your head, but why are you telling me this?” Zack pressed her, folding his arms authoritatively. “And what does this have to do with Lisa?”

“I’m trying to explain why I’m letting you go,” Ashley said, calmly despite how shocking it was to him. “I told you last night that I was going to prove to you that I’m the only one for you. I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can complete that task, I’m just not capable of it right now. For so much of my teenage life, I’ve been in a relationship. First with Brandon, now with you, and even when I was with Brandon and I wasn’t cheating, I always expected more of him, and when he failed to live up to my expectations on him, I got frustrated and bored. Even though you didn’t say it, you’re right, I am incapable of being in a serious relationship…right now. I need to find out who I am, outside of having a boyfriend. I want to explore myself as a sexual being without the pressure and conformity of having someone to come back to. But I can’t expect you to wait on me until I’m in the right place if you’re already there.”

“Who said I was already there? I’m more messed up than you probably know,” Zack admitted, thinking of his own mother and the erotically charged hug they shared in at his home earlier that day. “Are you saying…you’re giving me your blessing to be with Lisa?”

“Yes,” Ashley said, smiling as she reached out the memory card again. “Go and get your girl, Zack Bishop.”

Zack grinned as he took the card and slid it into his inner jacket pocket. “You know, things still might not work out between me and Lisa. There’s a lot of baggage there too.”

“But you want to know what would have happened, don’t you? If you’d fought for her?” Ashley shrewdly inferred.

Nodding, he gave a small, sheepish “yeah”, feeling awkward admitting to a girl he still had strong feeling for, that he wanted a relationship with another woman.

“Then go, and be with her. Maybe in ten years, if it doesn’t work out, and I’m finally ready to have a boyfriend again, then you can gimme a call,” She chuckled, back to teasing him, though after a few seconds the smile faded, and her expression turned sad. “But…just once more…”

She thrust herself forward abruptly, surprising Zack, the impact almost knocking him off his feet. Her body pressed tight against his, feeling the heat of her skin through the layers of clothing, as her arms wrapped around his torso. Despite the initial alarm, Zack smiled and wrapped his own arms around her shoulders, sinking into the loving, final embrace. They stood there, at the edge of the dance floor, wrapped in each other’s arms, enjoying the closeness for several minutes, without saying a word. Despite the noise of constant chatter, and the jazz band playing somewhere, to Zack and Ashley it was utterly silent except for two heartbeats, pumping in time.

“I…I’m sorry…” Ashley sighed into his chest. “I know what I said…but I just….”

“I know,” Zack said, stroking her head. “This is how I want to remember us too.”

After a few more minutes, the sound around the hall began to seep back in, the frozen, stolen moment seemingly jumping to life. Zack took Ashley’s hand and, with a short “come on”, led her on to the floor, his other hand dropping to her waist in a kind of waltz as they moved along to one of the slower tunes the band played. Ashley rested her head against him, smiling to herself content and yet conflicted. Part of her wished she could throw it all away, and stay in his arms like this forever. But she knew that she wasn’t ready. She couldn’t ignore that revelation about herself. Perhaps in another place and time, in another world, just like this one, they could have been happy, but for now…

The song ended and the teens finally parted, not quite crying, but flushed and wet eyed. Zack still held her hand, leading her from the floor and through the crowd, right to the reception. It felt strange to hold the hand of someone who had just told you to be happy with someone else, but he couldn’t bring himself to let her go until he had to. He didn’t want this chapter to end until the last word had been written.

“Do you have a car?” he asked.

“I brought yours,” she replied. “You can take it to the police station. I’ll call a cab…”

“Hold on,” he led her to the reception desk and spoke to the concierge. Ashley's head was in such a daze, feeling high on this moment and impressed by how confidently Zack addressed the staff, that she didn’t even hear what was being said. Zack turned back to her, a slip of paper in his hand. “You can take Heather’s car back to the cabin. The concierge said she left already, but she took the valet slip, so I had him write this one. Show it to the valet, and they’ll bring you her car.”

“Oh, great, thanks,” Ashley beamed, glad she wouldn’t have to wait around for a taxi. “There’s one other thing, um…I don’t quite know how to say this, but, uh…I gave Hannah the choice to turn herself in or run, and she ran.”

“That’s crazy, she really ran?” Zack’s jaw dropped. “You don’t think it’ll affect the confession, do you?”

Ashley shook her head, her blonde hair bouncing along. “No, the confession still implicates her. The police will probably just catch her somewhere, though part of me hopes she can get away…” Ashley said, biting her lip as she saw Jennifer White approach. “Listen, no one knows this except the people in the apartment. But there’s another copy of the video out there.

“What?” Zack’s eyes widened, then dropped to the device in his hand. “Then I can’t use this.”

“Whoever it is, they don’t have the same agenda as Hannah. We’re sure of that,” Ashley explained hurriedly, glancing between Zack and the nearing Ranger. “I’ll leave it up to you, but I don’t think Lisa should have to spend another night in jail for something my sister did, do you?”

“You found him, great,” Jennifer said to Ashley as she stepped up beside them, raising her eyebrow at their hands clasped together. “Are you ready to head to the station?” She looked to Zack, who nodded tentatively. “Alright, then I’ll meet you there.”

Jennifer walked past, allowing Zack and Ashley one last, final moment together.

“Thanks,” he said, and kissed her forehead, not trusting himself to go anywhere near her lips. Ashley didn’t trust herself either, feeling hot and tingly just from the forehead kiss.

“Goodbye, Zack,” she whispered, as he turned to leave, their hands still hanging together, unravelling, fingers trailing until the very last second when they slipped apart. She knew she’d see him again, likely soon, at the cabin, but in her heart, she was saying farewell, knowing they’d never be this close again for a long time, if ever.