Want You Back

Chapter 7

•Ashton•

Eliza and I sat comfortably on the ledge facing the beach. The salty night air whipped and brought the waves crashing. She loved the sound of the waves. She didn't enjoy actually going into the water or laying in the sand as most people did. She just wanted to listen to the gentle crashing of waves that pulled her to sleep. I promised her a home by the ocean. I wanted to give her everything she ever wanted, but in trying to achieve it I destroy everything we had. I knew I needed to become something for her. I should've done it the right way instead of losing sight of us as my band grew. Which meant we got more gigs and in turn went to more parties. I was fading into the person I was before her.

As I watched a couple stroll down the beach laughing and holding hands, I couldn't help but wondering if she was with someone right now. I knew she wasn't the kind for an one night stand, but she was naive when it came to guys hitting on her. She would just think it was them being polite and never listened to me when I told her otherwise. Maybe I was just overly jealous, but I was just so terrified of someone stealing her from me. Ironic when I was the one pushing her away.

"So Kangaroo Valley?" She asked.

I thought back to the day. It was the day I finally learned the truth about a lot of things. I had assumed so many things about her and what happened with Branson, Daniel, Landon and her. It was twisted and cruel what happened. Worst of it being she was drug into a situation that many would never even dream of. It made me furious, even now, that I had judged and hated her for it. I wish when it happened I could've held her and told her everything would be okay. Instead I came three years late.

That day I also showed my past to her. No one except the people present and my mom truly knew what went down that fateful day that caused an entire town to turn on me. No one till her. When I opened up to her and she did the same I knew from that moment on we were bonded by more than secrets and mutual hate. It had always been more than that. We understood one another in way that at the time was terrifying, but also comforting because we didn't feel so alone.

I nodded. "Yeah that day involved a lot of arguing and our pasts coming to light."

-two years ago-

I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel along to the song playing through the stereo. Elli was nodding her head along seeming to like it surprisingly. I pinned her as the type to only listen to Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran. Duality by Slipknot definitely didn't seem her type. It was an odd mix. A girl wearing her designer shirt and tight skinny jeans with her hair tied perfectly back did not seem into rock. I looked away and slammed on the brakes almost running a red light. She looked over with a raised eyebrow, but turned back to looking out the window.

The sign for Kangaroo Valley grew bigger as we neared it. She had the biggest smile as we passed it. She had finally gotten what she wanted. It was weird that the girl who I wanted nothing more than to have her get what she deserved for Daniel was smiling like a child on Christmas because I had taken her somewhere.

Everyone in the town seemed to be out on the streets being drawn to something. We had to drive slowly as we passed through an area that had stalls running down the street filled with food, art work, or clothes. I heard the sound of a live band playing in the distance. Some sort of festival seemed to be going on with the bright neon colors and smell of food whipping through the air. Elli had the window rolled down with her head sticking out like a dog. She pulled it back in and turned to me.

"Let's see what the hell everyone is doing," I said stopping the car. She nodded and jumped out of the car holding her phone and wallet tightly in her hand. She brushed the fly away hairs and looked around. She took a picture of the scene and I had a feeling she would be taking lots of pictures today.