Retreat (A.I.)

66. Afraid

---Kelly---

"Confused about what?" he asks. His voice is full of concern and it eases my mind to be able to talk to him. But I don't even know how to answer him.

"Everything? I can't even start to process it right now." He nods his head and stands up.

"I'm not going to push you to talk, but just know that I'm here to listen if you need fresh ears to talk to, okay?" I nod my head and thank him as he walks out.

---Ashton---

Michael comes storming back into the room alone and sits in the chair in the corner by himself. What the hell happened? I'd ask him what's wrong, but I know that look on his face. He'll just snap at anyone who attempts to even say hello. When Kelly doesn't come back, I get up to go find her.

After walking the halls for a few minutes, I hear voices a few doors down.

"Everything? I can't even start to process it right now."

"I'm not going to push you to talk, but just know that I'm here to listen if you need fresh ears to talk to, okay?"

Niall leaves the room and I walk in, seeing Kelly in a chair with her head down, gripping her hair.

"Kelly? What's wrong? What happened with Michael?" I ask her. Seeing them both distraught is heartbreaking.

"I don't even know, Ash! That's the problem! I know something's bothering him, but he won't tell me. That's why I brought him in here to talk. But he just snapped off about me getting hurt by you again and stormed out. I mean, what he said makes sense, but the way he reacted doesn't. There's something else going on, and I don't know what it is." That's when it hits me.

"I think he's fallen for you."

"WHAT?! No way! He's my brother! He's just worried about me. He doesn't want to see me get hurt again." I really hope she's right.

"You might be right. I'm probably just over thinking and over reacting like I always do." She giggles.

"Yeah, you really do. That's what is making this so hard for me. I'm scared of something innocent happening and losing you again. I can't go through that anymore Ash." Her words strike me really hard. Luke told me the same thing, but hearing them from Kelly makes it so much harder to hear.

I pull her into my arms and hold her tight. "I'm sorry Kelly. I'm just afraid of losing you. You could have any guy you want and I can't understand why you choose me. One day someone better's going to come along and take you away from me, and I guess I'd rather push you away than have you leave."

"Ashton, I love you. No one is going to take me away from you. The only way you will lose me is if you push me away, which you keep doing. Over and over. You and me, right? Endlessly." God, how did I get so lucky to have someone as amazing as her?

"You and me. Endlessly." I repeat back, pulling her in for a kiss.

---Michael---

I successfully avoid Kelly and Ashton the rest if the afternoon. When we get on stage, I let all my frustrations out and give St Louis the show of my life. All my thoughts from earlier are finally out of my head and I feel great.

"Did you see that Tiger? I felt so alive out there?!" I pick her up and spin her around when she meets us backstage. She's laughing and I feel even lighter and better than before.

"You were on fire Mikey!" she says proudly. "It's good to have my Mikey back!"

"Yeah, about that. Sorry Tiger. I just, I worry about you, ya know?"