Affliction | cashton |

Chapter Eleven: misunderstanding

"So you just kissed him?" Nia asked as she stared wide eyed at Ashton. Ashton held his head in his hands, a pounding sensation still very much present. He felt like tiny elves were trying to claw their way out of his skull.

"Nia please stop talking so loud" Ashton groaned as he leaned back against his sofa. Nia was pacing around Ashton's apartment trying to understand what happened this morning and last night. Ashton had no recollection of how he got to Calum's or how he got the large purple hickey that lived on his collar bone.

"So you just kissed him?" Nia dramatically whispered. Ashton glared at his friend as he took another sip of his disgusting tea.

"Yes I just kissed him" Ashton nodded in confirmation. The dark haired girl plopped down on the sofa beside Ashton and sighed.

"Why'd you do it? What compelled you to just kiss him?" Nia asked.

"I was about to leave but I couldn't stop thinking about him, even though he was literally in the next room. I thought about his hair and his smile then I thought about his lips. I started wondering how they felt so I went and found out. By the way they felt amazing" Ashton chuckled by the end of sentence.

His mind was now back on Calum. How his cheeks felt hot and soft beneath his hands. How his lips tingled once he was in the hallway. How he could feel his heart beating in his ears. How his body felt hot when he was walking into the elevator.

"What did he do?" Nia asked, pulling Ashton out of his thoughts.

"He didn't do anything. Once I pulled away I left. I didn't really give him a chance to react" Ashton shrugged. Before Nia could ask another question there was a loud knock on Ashton's apartment door. Nia got up, walking up to Ashton's front door. She let out a soft chuckle as she opened the door. Ashton watched in anticipation from the couch.

"You have amazing timing. We were just talking about you" Ashton's heart skipped a beat, thinking it was Calum. But he relaxed when a short red haired girl walked into his apartment. She was sporting a red crop top, black high waisted shorts and red high heels, needless to say Ashton thought she looked like a hooker, well she is but that's not the point.

"Were you?" she asked with a face full of fake happiness.

"Nope" Nia chuckled, popping the 'p'. Sasha rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips.

"What are you doing here?" Ashton asked. Sasha's emerald eyes pierced into Ashton's as she started to speak.

"Marco want's to talk to you. Said you're not done paying what you owe. He wants you to meet him tonight at 9 at Hummingbirds, if you're not there well you kind of know what would happen" she said. Ashton cursed under his breath as he leaned his body forward so his elbows rested on his knees.

"What does he want from me?" Ashton asked. Sasha shrugged, switching from one foot to the other.

"Something about receiving the last of what you owe him" she said. Before Ashton could ask another question there was another knock at the door. Sasha took it upon herself to answer the door, her red heels clicking annoyingly loud against the tiled floor. She swung the door open staring at whoever was there.

"Can I help you?" she asked rather rudely.

"Um, I-I was-"

"Honey speak" Sasha interrupted the stuttering boy at the door.

" I was looking for Ashton" Ashton's head popped up when he heard that familiar voice, it was soft and terrified.

"Why do you want him?" Sasha asked.

"I just wanted to talk to him, I'm sorry I didn't know he had company" his voice was shaking slightly, Ashton jumped up from the couch, his heart beating faster once he saw him. He was about halfway down the stairs when Ashton pushed Sasha away from the door.

"Calum wait" Ashton yelled. Calum turned around once he was a level below Ashton's apartment. Ashton took a step towards him hoping he wouldn't step back. His heart broke as he did exactly that. Tears filled Calum's eyes as he stared at him.

"No, what's your problem Ashton? You make my life so much more difficult than it has to be. This is exactly why I don't trust you. First you get me kidnapped, then you show up drunk at my apartment with a fucking hickey, then you kiss me, then once I come to your apartment to tell you that the kiss meant something to me a girl answers your door. I wouldn't be surprised if she was the one who gave you that hickey" Calum yelled, his voice breaking here and there. Ashton shook his head, tears filling his eyes.

"N-no it's not like that" he muttered. Calum rolled her eyes as he started walking away. Ashton panicked as he ran after him again. He gripped his arm and spun him around, crashing their lips together. Calum hesitated for a second before harshly shoved him away. Calum brought her hand up and slapped Ashton's cheek, his head slightly turning with the force.

"I have enough problems, I don't need another one. Stay away from me Ashton" Calum said calmly before he started walking away again. Once his cheek started burning, he felt as if his whole world was coming crashing down. He collapsed onto the pavement, his shoulders felt heavy, his heart sinking into his stomach. His eyes were red and irritated, dripping with hot tears. Quiet sobs left his lips, his breathing coming out in short pants.

Ashton cried as his mind started screaming at him

He's right. You're confusing him and you're making his life complicated. You don't even deserve someone as angelic as him. You would just corrupt him, You would break and bend him until he was nothing, until the world had made him nothing, your world. You'd bring him nothing but pain so why try?