XIV

Chapter 18

November

Audrey's POV

By this time of year I'm used to wearing large sweatshirts with leggings under sweats to stay warm. But that was in Cali. It's different here in Mississippi. Here I'm still wearing shorts and tank tops with the occasional jacket.

"Are we going home for Thanksgiving?" Marisa asked picking at her salad with a sorrowful look.

"I might. What about you?" I asked taking a bite of my sandwich.

"No." She stated quickly without a second thought.

"Why not?" I asked as I scanned her expression to see if she was lying or not.

"I have nothing there I'm thankful for." A tightening feeling took its hold over my heart.

"I'm sorry babe." I whispered as she shrugged and started to rub her arm.

"You okay?" Again I only got a slight shrug from her as she laid down on her bed, her back to me.

Sighing to myself I leaned forward against my desk and opened my recent messages to my mom. I quickly texted her.

'I won't be in for ThanksGiving this year. Sorry.'

Tears prickled in my eyes as I pressed 'send' and watched as it sent. I was looking forward to seeing her and Johnny again. But now I couldn't. Not when M was in this state of mind.

"I'm going out." I mumbled before grabbing a jacket and rushing out of the dorm.

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Marisas POV

A painful burning covered my arm from shoulder to finger tips. It was almost unbearable when I wasn't busy rubbing it which seemed to soothe it slightly. But the pain was still there.

I guess it was getting noticeable because Audrey seemed to watch me carefully as I did so. Like she knew I was hiding it from her. But you can't hide some thing from someone when you don't know if there's something to hide.

But at the moment I had other things to worry about.

Making sure the door was locked I grabbed my phone and quickly opened it before dialing his number.

It rung twice before he finally answered. "What do you want?" He asked.

"Shut up Calum and give the phone to Mikey." I said straining my voice to sound angered when in reality I wanted to cry my heart out.

"Why should I?" Calum asked defensively.

"Because I said so." I countered.

A scoff came from his side of the phone before I heard commotion and soon Mikey's accented voice.

"Mikey!" I said suddenly happier.

"Riss! What's up?" He asked casually knowing Calum was still by probably listening in.

"I need to ask a question and favor." Maybe a little too blunt with asking but I didn't have much time. I don't have a clue where Audrey went or when she'll return.

"Start with the question." He sounded hesitant.

"What's up with our blonde bitch Luke?" It was silent before I heard Mikey and, possibly, Calum burst into a fit of laughter.

After they recomposed their sanity they replied. "He thinks Audrey's cheating on him."

"Why does he think that?" They seemed taken off guard.

"How come you aren't pissed?" Calum asked. I guess it's on speaker now.

"All due in time. Now why does he think that." They were quiet again.

"Well....."

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Kayla's POV

Throwing my bag next to the front door I made sure I had everything before walking into the kitchen and finding a pad of paper and a pen to write the note.

The sound of door opening and closing caught my attention before the sound of Ashtons loud shouts of anger that filled the house. Thank God Eli wasn't here.

"What the fuck is this!?" He boomed rushing into the room.

I gulped but stayed strong. "I'm going back to Australia."

He looked taken aback and just more pissed. "What the fuck do you mean your leaving?"

"As in I can't will myself to be here living in these conditions."

"Than what about your son?" It was my turn to be taken aback. Did he know? Was that why he was like this?

I took deep breaths as tears welled in my hazel eyes. "I'm leaving him here with his father. This is his home and I don't want to take him from you."

He smirked before scoffing at me. I watched as he shook his head slowly and disapprovingly. "No."

"What do you mean 'no'?" My voice was shaky. Tears streamed down my flushed cheeks.

"Take him. I don't want him."

It was like a hundred bullets to the chest. Each one seemed deeper and larger than the last. I knew my mouth was open partly, the taste of salt from my tears stung my chapped lips.

All air was stolen out of my lungs and it seemed like I couldn't get any into them either. I had nothing to say. But maybe because it wasn't sadness I felt anymore, it was pure anger.

"Well get over it you asshole because he's yours!" I shouted before grabbing the nearest thing, which happened to be a glass cup, and throw it onto the ground causing glass to fly everywhere.

"Are you crazy!" Ashton shouted covering his head.

"I don't know! Ask me when I get to Australia! Oh wait! You won't even fucking care even than!" My words were fierce and hard.

As hair fell from my pony tail I quickly shoved it out of the way roughly. "Kayla...?" Ashton spoke carefully.

"Don't you fucking dare pretend to be caring now. Fucking bastard." I muttered the last part before grabbing my left hand and going for my ring.

"Don't-" Ashton started before the hand slipped from my ring.

The warm piece of diamond and metal sat carefully in my palm before throwing it at him and storming out of the house.

"Kayla!" He shouted as I shoved my bags into the cab.

Don't turn back Kay. Don't turn back.

My eyes stayed shut loner than needed as tears kept falling.

Don't do it. Don't you fucking go back to him.

"You ready lady?" Nodding at the cab driver, I slammed the door as Ashton ran out of the house.

Tears were falling from his eyes like mine. Looking away from the window I told the driver to hit it.

Carefully I looked back out the window and saw Ashton screaming on his knees. He looked so defeated. Like everything he cared about had been taken from him.

"I hope you find someone you can truly love someday." I mumbled to myself before leaning my head on the window.