One Step Closer (Sequel to OSAAT)

Chapter Forty-Nine

Lauren's POV

I had a problem with running from my problems, I realized. Considering I found myself in front of Luke's hotel room door ten minutes after leaving the dorm, I knew I also had a problem with dumping my problems on other people. I knocked on the boys' room door and waited for someone to answer it. As I waited, I tapped my foot and stared down at it. The door finally opened and I looked up to see Ashton.

"Oh, it's you."

"Not even a 'hey'? That's too hard?" Ashton asked and I rolled my eyes, walking in past him.

"Where's Luke?"

"Not here... I'm the only one here." I closed my eyes and breathed in slowly. I shook my head, feeling hopeless. I just wanted someone to talk to, why couldn't Luke be here the one time I'm actually going to want someone to talk to? "Lauren... what's wrong?" Ashton asked, closing the door. I looked up at him and sighed, figuring I could dump my problems on Ashton without much trouble.

"Ali likes to have sex."

"Whoa, okay, um, did you guys have sex or something?"

"No!" I exclaimed, slapping his shoulder.

"Ow, why'd you do that?" he asked, rubbing his shoulder.

"Sex is like her all time favorite hobby and I can't do anything about it. She's going to end up getting hurt and I've tried everything to help, but she won't listen. I think she's listening, but then I turn around and she goes and sleeps with someone. This might not be a big deal to some people, but she keeps telling me she wants to change. She doesn't want to be the person who just sleeps around with every guy she meets. But guess what she did today? She slept with Michael, why you ask? Because that's normal for her."

"Her and Mikey had sex?" Ashton asked, shocked. "Like, just today?"

"Yeah... why do you care so much? You being interested in if they had sex is not helping me right now." I sighed and rubbed my eyes, overwhelmed.

"I mean, I don't really care. I never really liked Ali or anything." I stared at him, laughing bitterly to myself. "What? Why'd you do that?"

"You're the kind of person that causes not only Ali, but everyone in Ali's position to have commitment issues, Ashton. Can you not see that? It's guys like you that just like to sleep around for fun that caused Ali to be the way she is!"

"Lauren, Ali sleeps around for fun, too."

"She didn't use to!" I said, finally connecting the dots. "If my first boyfriend was someone like you, well God, I'd probably be just like Ali."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'll give you an example." I pulled Ashton into what I was guessing was the living room. Once I realized I was right, I pushed him down on the couch. He raised his eyebrows and I took a deep breath in.

"Ali's first boyfriend was a football player. He was a dick, just like you."

"You do realize you're offending me right now-"

"Yes, I do realize that! But don't act like you don't deserve it. Just like you, her boyfriend was the kind of guy to lead a girl on. He got super close to doing a lot of stuff with Ali, but then he made a stupid move and told his friend he didn't even like Ali. He just thought she was sex-worthy."

"Lauren, I'm not like that. God, don't compare me to that, plea-"

"Then, the friend he told, told Ali, and they started going out. Ali and the friend. Now, the friend was a bit smarter, but he was exactly the same. He got Ali all the way there, and he was nice about it. He kept her around for a little while and then practically told her she was a nice toy, but he needed someone new. She was a sophomore. She wasn't even sixteen yet. No wonder why she doesn't believe in fucking commitment. Fuck boys like you cause people to question themselves so much that they don't even have enough self-confidence to commit themselves to one person."