Ashley Martinez

"Unlike you, I'm not from the state of Iowa, but instead from the state of Illinois in the city of Chicago." Ashley remembering her time in Chicago. "I used to live with my parents in the downtown area in a small apartment. But I only grew up with my mom instead of my dad. My mom divorced my dad since he kept consuming amounts of alcohol and was unemployed. Growing up without a dad was difficult as I felt like something died in me. For most of my mid adolescence, I spent more time on my part time job than at school as my mom paying the bills alone can be quite difficult for her. I never got the time to make friends as I was dedicated to helping my mom as she was suffering from Depression and abandonment issues."

"Ashley, I'm sorry to hear that." Scott stopped crying as he now understands her. "But why did you come to Iowa and not stay in Chicago?"

"Well there's more to my story than just that." Ashley continues her story. "Last year, I found out that instead of paying for our bills, my mom was using the money she earned to buy heroin as I've seen her lips turn blue and the needles all around the living room. Once she kept using them, her boss found out and fired her. Since then, I was the only one working while going to school. It was stressful for me as not only am I the only one making money, but also failing my classes as it was hard to balance between the two. I really want my mom to go get some help for her but she would refuse as she spends the whole day on the couch with heroin in her system"

Ashley started to look sad knowing that she had to go through the travail to take care of her mother and the household.

"One day, it all changed." Ashley looked down on the table. "I never knew where my mother got the drugs from, but it was scaring me as I knew where she went to buy them wasn't legal. I tried to tell my mom where she bought them from, but her mind was dozing off as the drugs were affecting her mind. I guess she just gave up on her life and resorted to drugs after working every week with no days off as well as my dad leaving us."

"Mom, where did you get these drugs from?" Ashley is sitting on the couch next to her. "With all these needles around us, I'm concerned for where did you get them."

"Mmmmmmm....mmmmmmmmmm…..heroin...…..me...in." Ashley's mother is having difficulty forming her sentence with the drugs.

"Mom, get some help. Your lips are turning blue and I can hear your heartbeat from here. Although you and dad are divorced, I can tell you still miss him. So maybe I should drop out of high school so I can get the money needed to get you to the hospital." Ashley worried as her mother was in an overdosed state.

Suddenly, the door started knocking really hard. The knocking later became a banging as it started to get louder. Ashley was startled by the noise with Ashley's mother being unaware about it.

"Alice, open the fucking door!" the person from outside their apartment door yelling at them. We know you're in there you lazy ass. "Where's the money you owe us? Your bill of ten thousand dollars is overdue. You think you can enjoy our drugs and not pay us."

Ashley heard something from outside the door. It was a clicking noise. The noise came mostly from an assault rifle with its charging handle being cocked. Ashley was now startled getting ready to find cover.

"Alright Alice, you want to ignore us then ignore this." the person pointing their gun at the door ready to fire. "On the count of three, you better answer us or these bullets will answer you."

[One]

"Mom get up please, if you don't they are going to kill us." Ashley trying to grab her mother's arm. However, she isn't budging as she refuses to leave the couch.

"Noooooooooooooooooooooooo, me...….. want ...…couch." Ashley's mother grabbing on to the couch.

[Two]

"Mom please." Ashley started crying knowing that her mother was about to die.

"D..d…..d….." Ashley's mother was saying something

[Three]

"I miss Dad." Ashley's mother saying a full sentence

Shots were fired with bullets going through their apartment door. Ashley ducked down hiding behind the kitchen counter. Shots kept firing until the rifle had no bullets in its magazine.

"Nice doing business with ya fool." the guy and his gang leaving the scene.

Ashley was fine as no bullets struck her. But unfortunately, it struck Ashley's mother lying dead on the couch with a bullet in her head, a few in her torso, and one on her arm. As she saw her mother dead right in front of her, she froze not saying a word and tears came out of her eyes.

Half an hour had passed and the police and fire department had arrived at the scene. The firemen took Ashley out of her apartment building to the entrance as long as her mother's dead body was on a stretcher being covered up. Ashley was wrapped in a blanket knowing what happened would traumatize her.

"So do you know what happened at the scene or who shot her?" The policeman questioned her. But Ashley never responded, filled with sadness in her. "Welp, looks like she can't help us. We'll just look at the security camera and see who did."

"As my old apartment was now an unlivable place to live. I was taken to live with my uncle in the suburbs." Ashley slowly finished her milkshake. "Although the person who shot my mom was caught and charged, it didn't remove the trauma in me. Since then I dropped out of high school and did nothing but lay in my bed all day."

"Ashley, I'm sorry. I didn't know your mom was gone." Scott felt he can relate as he lost his father. "But how are you the person that you are today? You seem like a nice person when first meeting you."

"You know, although a story can seem sad, there's always good in them." Ashley continues her story. Everyday as my uncle finished his shift at the postal service, he would check up on me coming into my room whether I can get out of bed or not. But no matter, I was always on my bed neglecting my hygiene and barely eating any of the meals he cooked for me. So then without a choice my uncle came into my room to talk to me."

"Ashley, are you okay?" Ashley's uncle is sitting next to her on her bed. "I know what happened a few months ago was something unexpected. It's also not fair that my sister had to die over someone selling heroin to her. You know, although you miss your mother and father, I miss her too. She loved you a lot."

Ashley then was awakened as her uncle told her mother's love to her. She stood up on the bed and came out of her blanket.

"You really think she did?" Ashley looked very messy after a few months of not taking care of her hygiene.

"Yes she did." Ashley's Uncle looking at her. "The problem is most likely that she loved you but was so stressed about being a single mother and overworking herself to the point where she gave up. Your mother has been crying to me on the phone everyday telling me about not being good enough to raise you alone. Since then she wanted to run away from the pain by resorting to drugs."

"How come mom never told me about this." Ashley questions her uncle.

"The reason is because she doesn't want you to worry as she assumes that your father left you and if you found out about her situation, then she might think you'll worry some more." Ashley's Uncle looking down on the floor.

"Mom, I'm sorry you were feeling that way. I miss dad but I do try my best to move forward." Ashley also looked at the ground.

"Yeah she was a good woman, but her stress must've taken her away." Ashley's uncle kept looking down. "You know since we do live in the suburbs maybe a better scenery can help you."

"What do you mean by that?" Ashley questions her Uncle.

"What I'm saying is that maybe you should take a break from thinking about what happened in Chicago and instead go somewhere. That way, you can understand yourself and make yourself a stronger person." Ashley's Uncle taking his wallet out of his pocket.

Her uncle opened his wallet revealing a picture. "This is my wife or as you call her, your aunty. Although we're still together, she decided to study agriculture and raise a farm in Iowa. Also, I can visit her whenever I want."

"Iowa does seem nice." Ashley looking at the photo

"Of course it is. Although people think of that place as a place filled with cornfields, there is so much the area has to offer. Maybe it can help you take advantage of it." Ashley's Uncle putting away his wallet.

"Yeah then I should go to Iowa seeing whether I can get my second chance in life." Ashley feeling optimistic

"Then that's settled. We should head there by Monday." Ashley's Uncle is happy that Ashley has come to her senses.

For the whole weekend, Ashley was taking care of her hygiene, diet, and her mental health as she wants to have a second chance in her life knowing that her mother does love her. On Monday, Ashley packed her bags and got into her Uncle's car, setting off to Iowa.

A few hours had passed since they left the suburbs and at last they drove on the road surrounded by cornfields. It was a beautiful day with the blue skies and fresh wind blowing on Ashley's face. They then arrived at her Aunt's farm with her awaiting arrival.

"Ashley!" Ashley's Aunt getting ready for a hug.

"Aunty!" Ashley ran at her aunty with a big hug.

"Well Jessie this is it." Ashley's Uncle got out of his car. "For the next year, she will be staying with you. I want her to learn about not giving up in life and having second chances. Please raise her for the better."

"I will honey. It was so nice to see you after all those years." Ashley's Aunt smiled.

"Well, I guess I'll head back to Illinois. I'll see you again." Ashley's uncle kissed her on the cheek.

Once Ashley got her stuff from the trunk, her Uncle left knowing that she will be different in one year. Both Ashley and her Aunt waved goodbye to him as they will see each other again.

"Well now Ashley, since you are now in the rural area. Why won't we start off with some farming 101." Ashley smiled looking at her Aunt wanting to know what a second chance is like.

"Since then, I've been farming a lot and riding my motorcycle that my Aunt used to ride on." Ashley comes back to the present continuing her story. "But when I was on my motorcycle, I discovered the town you were living in, Sunshine Valley. Once I rode there, there was nobody to be seen. All I discovered is this huge High School that was in the middle of the town. It was suspicious as every my old school in Chicago wasn't that big and it was considered a gifted one as well. I drove about the town seeing where the people were, but even at the edge of the town, I saw no one."

"So you also were having that situation." Scott was surprised as he wasn't alone in the situation.

"Yes, literally nobody until the first day of school was present there and I moved in around June." Ashley looking outside. "The town was creeping me out so I had to bail and rode back to my Aunt's house."

"But when I came back home, something unexpected happened to me." Ashley remembered this summer. "When I got home, my aunt told me I had a letter waiting for me. I thought it was from my uncle, but it was an acceptance letter to Sunshine High. I didn't know how it came in my mailbox, but it was there. My aunt told me to enroll as it was the only high school near our area and knew that as a rising senior, I should finish my remaining credits to graduate."

"But what about your other credits that you didn't finish because you dropped out." Scott was confused.

"Oh those credits. Well I already took them in middle school as my old school had classes equivalent to Advanced Placements and I took advantage of that giving me high school credits." Scott now understands the situation.

"Anyway, I applied at the school and it felt strange. As if someone was watching me." Ashley is getting the shivers. "So then I quickly applied and then left the school early knowing how uncomfortable I was. But the good thing though is that when applying, I could get a second chance for myself. So then when the first day of school started, I dressed nicely trying to make myself look better for others hoping to make new friends.

"That's when I met you."

"I thought I've seen you as those students who are so brain dead, but instead you were questioning about where our class was and here we are hanging out with each other."

"To me, you are one of the things that I consider a second chance as I never had friends before. That's why I want to get to know others, making myself feel confident in life."

Ashley is now smiling after telling her dark story.

"Really, am I your first piece of your second chance." Scott eyebrows rose.

"Yes. Since then, I worked hard in school and for myself knowing that there's still time for me to do better." Ashley was really happy.

"So why are you telling me this? What is the morality you are trying to teach me?" Scott wanted to know more about himself.

"Well, the lesson I'm teaching you is to have a second chance in your life. Although people in Des Moines saw you as an angry person, you are not destined to be an angry person. You can work hard to be the person you want to be."

"I'm happy that you still have a mom because although I never met her, I can tell she still loves you, never giving up on herself like my mom did. She wants you to thrive and see who you can become."

"So Scott, can you do one thing?" Ashley holding Scott's hand

"Please always help others in need and don't let your anger define you. You are a kind person at heart and I know that potential can help you overcome that past."

With Ashley's therapeutic talk, Scott smiled as he knows to himself that he isn't defined by his anger, knowing that this town will at least give him the second chance he needed.

"I like your smile, Scott. I know you can do it. I have fate in you." Ashley hugged Scott really hard as he still has time to develop himself for the better.

"Oh crap it's already the evening, I guess we should head home now." Ashley paid for both herself and Scott as they were leaving their booth. "Thanks for the milkshakes Mikey."

"No problem. Come back anytime!" Mikey waved at them while he was sweeping.

"Anyways sir are you ready to order? You've been sitting in that seat with your glass of water for the whole day." Mikey coming towards Troy.

As Scott and Ashley left, Troy stood up pushing Mikey and left the restaurant without saying anything.

"Damn punk." Mikey looks at Troy from inside the restaurant.