Confiding in You ϟ a.i.

Chapter 68

==Ashton's POV==

There is no wait at the Pennsylvania McDonald's when I arrive. I order a coffee to keep me awake and a hashbrown to keep me from collapsing regardless of caffeine. Once I get my food, I tiredly take a seat at one of the many empty tables, tossing my backpack on the ground, and kick my feet up on the chair across from me.

A man a few tables over me looks at me with disapproval, like he knows I should be in school. I scowl at him to let him know I don't give two shits. Besides, shouldn't he be at work or something? It's 10am on a Monday.

Whatever.

The entire ride down here, I kept imagining what it would be like to go on a long drive like that with Maddie. Just the thought of her curling up on the seat of my jeep and shoving her hands in front of the heater to keep warm, moving them every so often to mess with the radio -- it made me incredibly lonely.

Even while I'm here, in public, I still can't stop thinking about it.

We'd stop at this McDonald's on our way to New York or something. We'd split one of the croissant sandwiches -- her favorite -- because she'd insist I eat even though their breakfast is shit. We'd laugh about something stupid, playing footsie the whole time. When we finished eating, I'd take my coffee and she'd take her hot chocolate, and we'd be on our way.

I really miss her.

When playing with the salt and pepper shakers and studying my hashbrown closely while I eat it fails to keep me preoccupied, I check the time on my phone. When I turn it on, there's still part of me that hopes for a text from Maddie, but that's stupid. She's not even allowed to have her phone in the hospital.

Ethan should be here soon, so I try to focus on that as much as I can. Assuming he's about the same size as me, maintaining control of the fight I start and hopefully breaking his nose should be pretty easy. I won multiple fights against Luke in the past, and he's twice my size.

The switchblade should make it a lot easier, too. If he is stronger than me, all I have to do is pull it out and he'll be caught off guard all over again. I just have to hope he doesn't have his own and, if he does, he doesn't f*cking disembowel me with it.

The man across the room from me is still glancing at me every so often and shaking his head while he stuffs his face with a McGriddle. I roll my eyes, getting up to throw out the wrapper from my own food. Maybe I could practice my aim on this guy.

On my way back to the table, the bell on the door dings and I look up. Ethan saunters in looking exactly as I had expected him to: arrogant and clad in a leather jacket, his hair a mess of curls to show that he's too good to even brush it. We meet eyes as I'm sitting down and he waves. I fight the urge to run over and rip his throat out right now.

"Hey," he gives me a half-smile, sliding into the seat across from me.

I don't get up to give him some bullshit hug or anything. Hopefully he wasn't expecting a cheesy internet friend greeting. I take a sip of my coffee so I don't have to smile back and wave. "Hey man," I say before clenching my teeth, swallowing. "How was your New Years?"

"It was good. The usual, y'know?" he chuckles, "I hooked up with some girl at a party near campus. She's probably been with a dozen other guys but that had to be what made her such a great f*ck."

I laugh once, taking another sip. For all I know, he probably took advantage of her, too. Got her drunk enough to where she wouldn't even be able to say no. My body is heating up and inside I'm seething. The coffee is helping me bite my tongue and I have to get him into a more secluded area before I run out.