The Gang Is All Here

After the awkward encounter with Hollie and Peter that morning and the brief contemplation on whether or not she would find happiness outside of Hollie, Asa had a shower and got ready for the day ahead, attending her morning lecture in the Hamilton Building before returning back to Aldridge where she found Hollie and Peter talking to someone she had missed greatly ever since she had returned back from the Evergreen Woods area of the city.

Sitting with Peter and Hollie was an eighteen-year-old young adult with pale, milky, white skin and bright, crystal blue eyes. The woman also had long, silky dark black hair with a slender but curvaceous, model-like figure with large, round breasts, an incredibly curvy ass and long, slender legs covered in tattoos with the curves of her body highlighted by the tank-top and a pair of jeans she was wearing.

"... So we're going to give long distance a real shot this time." Sara Rose told the new couple before noticing Asa and quickly got up from the couch to give her best friend a hug. "Asa!"

"Hey, Sara," Asa said, taking in the comfort of the hug her best friend was giving her. "When did you get back?"

"Not too long ago," Sara answered as she slowly broke the hug as they looked back at Peter and Hollie. "Peter and Hollie were telling me about them being together and I was just telling them about Mason..." Sara said, referring to her new boyfriend, a resident of the town of Iron Falls and an old friend and crush that she had recently gotten together with, the pair now trying a long distance relationship.

"He sounds great." Hollie said happily.

"He is," Asa told her ex-girlfriend. "You'd like him. A bit quiet at times but he's one of the nicest people you could meet," Asa added. "You should see them together. He makes this one really happy," Asa told Peter and Hollie as she indicated to Sara with her head before telling Peter. "Speaking of which, I never did say thank you for helping with the bill for our plan to get them together."

"It wasn't a problem," Peter told the blonde. "Sara's my friend and if this Mason makes Sara as happy as you claim then it was worth it."

"Thanks Peter," Sara smiled at the young adult. "I can't wait for the both of you to meet him. I really do think you'll like him." Sara added as she and Asa sat themselves down on the couch.

Talking amongst each other for a few minutes about a few topics as they got all caught up with each other about what had been going on in their lives since they were last together, Asa had to admit it did feel like old times with the four of them together in the same room except this time she and Hollie weren't the couple.

It was was as that thought crossed her mind, the front door opened up and in stepped a strikingly beautiful Latina with olive-skin, long, straight, glossy jet-black hair and sharp hazel eyes. The woman also had a petite, hourglass body that is slender and voluptuous with perky, large breasts and a curvy, dynamite ass and long slender legs accentuated by the blouse and knee-length skirt she was wearing.

The group immediately recognised the newcomer as Bella Castillo, a native of the town of Fairview who was also supposed to be living with them at Aldridge House as she also attended Redwater University with them. Bella whom they had met once when she had started to move her things to the house, had been travelling back and forth as she moved her things from her hometown to her new home.

"Hey Bella," The group happily greeted the Latina.

"Hi, looks like the gang is all here." Bella commented.

"Yeah, we've all just sort of got here." Peter told her as he offered her a seat with them.

"How have you been?" Sara asked.

"Good. I take it things are finally okay with all of you?" Bella wondered, knowing full well of Hollie and Asa's break-up and noticing how they were all together that it must mean that the tensions from the break-up were now eased.

"More or less." Hollie sighed. "It'll take time."

"Of course." Bella nodded. "So, what's the plan, guys?"

"I actually have class in a bit." Sara told her.

"And Hollie and I were going to meet with project team." Peter told them.

"I actually didn't have much plans this afternoon," Asa admitted. "Apart from running some errands but you could come. It'll at least help you get to know your way around the city."

"That's true," Bella said in agreement. "This place is home now and I'm going to need to know all the cool hang out spots."

"Then you'll have the perfect tour guide," Sara smiled. "A tour of Redwater City with the one and only Asa O'Reilly. It could be worse."

"Hey!" Asa said, feigning hurt and causing everyone to laugh.

"It's alright," Bella told Asa. "I have a feeling it's going to be a whole lot of fun."

Leaving Aldridge House, Sara made her way across campus to the Hamilton Building where she took the elevator to third floor where her Art class was. Entering the room where her class was, Asa listened to instructions and task her Professor gave the class before making her way to her easel and brushes. Thinking long and hard about what the visual beauty of nature meant to her which was what the task the professor had set for them, Sara remembered Mason and the kiss they had shared in the open glade of Evergreen Woods after she sketched him in the beautiful environment, Sara decided to get to work at showcasing the beauty of the location that gave her one of her favourite memories.

"You do realise the beauty of nature, didn't mean actually nature, right?" The young adult with short brown hair, green eyes and a lean, athletic-body next to her said as he peered over to see what the black-haired woman had done so far.

"Well, it's the most beautiful representation of nature I've seen," Sara responded. "What about you? I'm assuming you've got some weird macho-thing..." Sara said as she peered over to look at his painting which to her surprise seemed to be a crowd of people. "Is that supposed to be a concert of something?"

"It's humanity." The young adult responded.

"Humanity?" Sara said curiously.

"The beauty of nature is humanity, right?" The young adult replied. "Sure, mountains, rivers and waterfalls and all that is beautiful but humanity is another," The man explained. "I mean look at everything we've done from art to music to some of the freaking wonders of the world..."

"I never really thought of it like that," Sara replied. "You have a unique perspective..." Sara paused as she realised that she didn't know the teenagers name.

"Nick." Nick Judge introduced himself.

"You have a unique perspective, Nick," Sara finished her earlier sentence.

"And you have a unique artistic style if I'm being honest..." Nick told her as he waited.

"Sara, Sara Rose." Sara said, answering the unspoken question.

"Fitting. You're just as beautiful." Nick told her.

"Thanks but you should know that I have a boyfriend." Sara replied.

"Of course but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate your beauty," Nick told her.

"Ahem," Their Professor interrupted the pair. "This is an art class, not a gossip session. Back to work..."

"Of course," Both Sara and Nick replied, holding back their laughter from being told off as their professor walked over to speak to Siobhan McKenna.

"You have an interesting take though," Sara softly said to Nick. "Far different than mine."

"Well we can always compare notes sometime," Nick suggested.

"That would be great." Sara said in agreement, knowing having someone from her class to discuss art with or even some of their upcoming projects might be useful especially to discuss ideas.

"So, what are we like friends now or?" Nick jokingly asked her.

"Yeah, sure, why not?" Sara laughed as she turned back to focus on her painting. "We're friends, Nick."