Rescued Ruins

The Proposal

I check my watch and it's past midnight, we've been here for hours. I hardly noticed.

"I'm so sorry," Ash says, " I never realised. I mean, wow , that's alot to handle."

I shrug, after hours of crying while to keep my voice steady enough to speak and having to recite stories of my parents' long and devastatingly horrible relationship. I am kinda drained of energy and am not in a speaking mood.

"I'm so sorry," he repeats.

I feel like rolling my eyes at him. Sitting here and listening to these three words being repeated over and over again is not at the top of the list of things I wanna do right now. I just wanna curl up into a ball, in my bed and sleep. It's sweet but, I hate being pitied.

"Yeah, don't be. It isn't your fault anyway and I'm fine."

He give me a "yeah right" kinda look and opens his mouth to say something.

I cannot take anymore of this!

"Would you look at the time! " I blurt, "It's getting late, I need to get going my dad'll get worried, I'm never out this late," I lie and stand to leave, "Thank you for -"

"Please don't leave, " he says, catching my wrist.

"I have to Ash, my dad will be worr- "

" No he won't. That's a lie and we both know it, Abi please just stay," he begs pleading in his eyes.

And I lose because he's right, my dad couldn't care less where I was. He probably wasn't even home and I couldn't go. Not when Ashton was looking and me like this, begging me to stay. I plop back down into my seat.

"Okay, " I sigh, "I'll stay."

He smiles, still holding my wrist. I look down at his and around mine and see the marks again, the ones I'd seen when we first met. I move I move my hand out of his grip and take his hand in both of mine. Slowly I push his sleeve up, skimming my thumb softly over his scars. His arm stills under my touch. I look up into his eyes and he quickly looks away but not quick enough, not before I see him, I mean really see him. It's all in his eyes. The anger, the hurt, all the unhappiness it makes my heart break. He tries to pull his hand out of mine but I tighten my grip on it.

"Ash," I whisper. He doesn't look at me. "Ashton, look at me,"

Nothing.

" Please, " I plead, " Please help me understand, tell me everything. I did, cause I trust you," for some odd reason I did trust him. I barely new him and I trusted him, " You can trust me too, Ash please just talk to me, please."

He turns around and his eyes are rivers. I move around to his side of the table and sit next to him. Pulling him close and cradle his head in the crook of my neck, brushing my hand gently up and down his back.

. . . .

He tells me his life story. Speaking in such a way that I don't tire listening to his voice. His voice is magical, making his sad story sound beautiful. Like the way light shines on broken shards of glass. When he's done talking I'm left breathlessly, speechless. I mean, I thought I've been through alot but he tops my melancholy by a ton.

I immediately go into therapist mode, " It's over now right?"

He looks at me for a few seconds then, as if losing a battle with himself, pulls his other sleeve up. I gasp, my eyes widening involuntarily.

"No, " he whispers , " It isn't over."

" Listen Ash, " I whisper trying not to cry. I haven't cried this much since I was born."We'll get through this together. You've got me and I've got you, " I smile, " That's all we need for now, just somebody to talk to. You don't have to hurt yourself because that's what others do. You're better than that Ash and your life's worth way more than you believe. I know I sound like I'm rambling on about nothing here but I've barely known you for two weeks. To be exact, I'm only just beginning to know you and already I know you'll be the best thing that's happened to me my whole life. You've brought value and purpose to my life and nothing anyone says or does to you will change that. Ashton Irwin, you are an amazing person with a majestic soul and a beautiful talent. That's powerful. I think you should live up to that," the words come out in a rush and by the end I'm smiling, amazed by the disbelief in his eyes.