An unexpected love. | afi

the truth pt. 2

*Stella's POV*

I don't know what to think. I'm back in Ashton and I's room pacing around trying to calm myself down after watching everything unfold outside between Calum and Ash. I've never seen Ashton so angry...at least not since that time Isaac had come over uninvited to my apartment that one time. But I don't think it was as bad at this. I stop pacing and sit on the edge of the bed and put my head in my hands, replaying the comment Ashton made to me earlier at the table.

*FLASHBACK TO EARLIER*

"Did you know?" Ashton asks me, as he stares at me with a gloomy face.

"Did I know what? I don't even know what's going on Asht-" I try to tell him. I can feel my heart start to race in my chest, my hands starting to shake and feel tingly. I'm so confused on what's going on, why isn't anyone telling me anything?

Ashton cuts me off before I can finish my question. "Did you know that Calum likes you Stella? That he HAS liked you for a few months now?" He asks me still keeping the same facial expression. I look down slightly to see him griping the table until his knuckles are as white as a ghost.

I can start to feel my heart beating even faster than it was before, but now it starts to sink to my stomach.

"What?...What is he talking about Calum?" I ask as I step back from him. I can't believe this. They're best friends? Is this why Calum was trying to get close to me in the water the other night? Was he actually trying to kiss me? I look Calum in the face and see that he has no answer for me. He looks at me with a worried but apologetic expression and is struggling to find the words to say. A million thoughts are starting to race through my mind but it's interrupted by Luke trying to get the guys to go outside and talk this out.

"Yeah why don't we take this outside Calum?" Ashton says walking towards Calum grabbing his arm, pulling him outside to the back patio. My heart starts to sink even further into my stomach. I feel paralyzed. I want to follow them outside but it's like my legs won't allow me to move. I look to my side and can see Michael running outside following the guys. I see him mouthing something towards them, but I hear no sound. Just a loud ringing in my ear and a tingling sensation in my fingers. When I feel myself start to come back to reality I feel a hand on my left shoulder, I look over to see Sierra and Crystal with worried expressions.

"Are you okay Stel?" Sierra asks me, but it sounds disoriented. I can see her trying to read my face as she asks.

I take a quick deep breath in and can feel myself start to slowly come back to reality. "Y...yes I'm okay. I'm sorry...I think it was just too much to take in all at once." I reply back. Sierra nods to me and I see Crystal look over to the back patio at the guys. I can start to hear yelling...it sounds like it coming from Ashton. "Guys I hate to cut this short but I really think we should get out there...it doesn't sound too good." Crystal says as she looks out our back door that leads to the beach. I start to get feeling back in my legs and so I start speed walking towards the door. I step outside and see Aston and Calum in the sand a few feet ahead of us, Michael and Luke are standing a few inches from us and the girls are standing behind me as we watch from the patio.

"How could you do this to me Calum? We're best mates." Ashton yells to Calum. I look down and see him make a fist. I start to feel my heart racing again and the sinking to my stomach. An overwhelming washes over me and I can't help but cry. I see Calum's eyes look over at me for a quick second as I stand here on the porch, which makes Ashton turn around also. We make eye contact for a brief second and I see his jaw clench. He turns back to face Calum when he starts to yell, "You think I wanted this? You think I wanted to fall in love with my best friends girl? I didn't ask for this either Ashton. Like I told Luke, I was going to deal with it. If you just fucking let m-" inching closer and closer to Ashton. His fist connected with Calum's left cheek. We watched on as he fell to the sand and Ashton climbed on top of him and started to punch him over and over. "I just wanted her to myself Calum, what is so fucking hard to understand about that!" Ashton screamed in his face, delivering yet another punch to his left cheek.