7 ANOTHER TALE

Myra smiled, her curiosity piqued. "I'm sure that's not really true," she said to Dylan.

Dylan crossed his arms defensively. "That's exactly how I remember it," he replied.

Thomas, who had just joined them at the table, was curious about the conversation. He turned to Myra with a slight blush and greeted her, "Hi."

"Hello," Myra responded with a friendly smile.

Dylan observed their interaction with narrowed eyes. "We were talking about Ashes and how rude she was when we first met," Dylan said, hoping to divert their attention.

Thomas chimed in, "She wasn't really rude."

Myra turned her inquisitive gaze to Dylan. "She kept yapping about how she had a boyfriend, didn't she?" Dylan explained.

Thomas nodded in agreement. "That she did."

As they were deep in conversation, Josh arrived at the table with two servings of food, one for him and one for Ashley, who was still away. The group noticed that the cafeteria workers were distributing the food, and the aroma of a hot meal filled the air.

Dylan proposed, "Shall we get something to eat?"

Thomas and Myra, in unison, responded with enthusiasm, "Yes, please." They decided to enjoy their meal while waiting for Ashley to join them.

After getting their food, they returned to the table. When Myra opened hers, they were in shock. While they had porridge and toast, she had porridge, toast, bacon, and eggs. It was simply unfair.

"Can I have some of that?" Dylan asked, eyeing Myra's delicious-looking meal.

"Feel free," Myra generously offered and turned to Thomas, saying, "You too."

Dylan didn't hesitate to dive into Myra's meal, savoring the bacon and eggs. Thomas, a bit more reserved, carefully followed suit. Meanwhile, Josh stared at the sumptuous feast longingly before looking away.

"So, Josh," Myra started.

"Joshua." Josh coldly corrected 

Myra, somewhat startled, laughed it off, "Sorry, Joshua. Do you know who Ashley's boyfriend is?"

Josh, caught off guard, looked away. Dylan chimed in, "He's her boyfriend."

"I'm not," Josh denied in a low tone, trying to downplay the matter.

"So you're not the boyfriend she was bragging about," Myra teased, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Josh's ears perked up in interest, but he pretended to remain unaffected. "She wouldn't stop yapping about him," Dylan added, mimicking Ashley's voice, "I have a boyfriend."

Josh elbowed Dylan. "Stop that," he said in a soft tone with a smile, enjoying the banter. 

---

Ashley strode into the cafeteria, glancing around until her gaze fixed on the table where Myra was animatedly chatting with Josh and the others. Laughter echoed, and smiles were exchanged, but Ashley couldn't shake the sting of jealousy. Her feelings for Josh had persisted since childhood, even though their brief romance ended months after it began.

Now, watching him engage with Myra, Ashley felt a peculiar mix of emotions. Myra was undeniably beautiful, with a friendly personality that had earned her a place among the group. Yet, Josh's warmth toward her sparked an unexpected sense of unease in Ashley's heart. Josh had always treated her differently, with a warmth that seemed exclusive to her. 

Approaching the table, Josh was the first to notice her, his eyes meeting hers. The others followed suit, and the lively conversation gradually hushed. "What were you guys talking about?" Ashley asked, attempting to divert attention away from the complexity of her feelings.

Myra, always poised, responded with a smile, "Just sharing stories about the first time you met Dylan."

Ashley groaned theatrically, "Ugh, that dreadful encounter. Let's not revisit that."

"So it's true that you..." Myra began, starting to narrate the story Dylan shared with her. Ashley's expression shifted to one of shock.

"That is so not true," Ashley retorted.

Myra questioned, "Which part?"

"All of it," Ashley asserted.

Flashback starts:

Ashley strolled on campus, lost in the rhythm of her music. Her good mood reflected the recent addition to her bank account. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder, turning to face a handsome, dark-haired guy—Dylan. "Hello, beautiful. I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me?" Dylan asked.

"I'm sorry; I have a boyfriend," Ashley replied softly.

"That doesn't matter. I can treat you better if you know what I mean," Dylan suggested.

"I have a boyfriend, and I will remain loyal to him," Ashley firmly stated before storming off.

Flashback ends.

"And that's what happened," Ashley concluded.

"Well, that's certainly different from what I heard," Myra remarked.

"You're a liar! I was never interested in you," Dylan protested, turning to Myra. "You've got to believe me; she's lying."

"I'm not," Ashley defended.

"Actually, what you said is wrong, Ashley," Thomas, who had been silent the entire time, interjected.

Ashley glared at him. "That's exactly what happened," Ashley insisted.

"Nah, I was there. I know that didn't happen," Thomas contradicted.

Flashback starts:

Thomas and Dylan were lost on campus, searching for the administration's office. Dylan, following a map on his phone, proved unhelpful.

"Let's just ask for directions," Thomas suggested. Dylan frowned, spotting a beautiful redhead walking by – Ashley.

"Let's ask her," Dylan said, approaching Ashley with Thomas in tow. Dylan tapped her shoulder. "Hello, darling. I couldn't help noticing you know your way around and was hoping you could," Dylan began but was swiftly cut off by Ashley.

"I'm sorry, but I have a boyfriend," Ashley said softly, feeling uneasy about rejecting him.

Dylan was confused. "Oh, I don't care about that," Dylan responded, and Thomas wanted to interject about the misleading statement.

Ashley frowned. "Excuse me?" she snapped.

"I just need—" Dylan was cut off again by Ashley.

"I have a boyfriend; get it into your head!" she yelled.

Flashback ends.

The table fell silent after the narration concluded. "That's not how I remember it," both Dylan and Ashley declared simultaneously.