The Purge ➵ a.i

16

Annalise

*flashback*

"What the fuck? Why would he do that?" Michael asked. "I don't know. I lost him. He hated me and he wanted another girl," I said, I covered my face. I was crying for about twenty minutes. I hated Ashton. Yet at the same time, I loved him.

"I can't believe he did that to my baby girl. He's going to pay for what he did," Michael said. "Don't, Michael. I don't want you to get hurt," I said. "He hurt you, I'll hurt him," he said.

I didn't want us to split up. He was the one that did. I didn't blame myself, like most girls do. I knew it was his fault. He cheated. He ruined what we had.

Michael hugged me. "Annababy, I know it hurts now. But I promise, your superman will swoop in and save you," he said. I looked at him. "I don't think any superhero can save me," I said, started to tear up again.

Michael looked at me angry. He stormed out of my front door.

That night, Ashton his ass beat.

*flashback ends*

6:27 a.m. thirty-three minutes until the end of the second annual Purge.

I shot him in the shoulder. Knocked him out. I didn't want to kill him. I love him like a brother, he's my best friend. But he isn't going to do that to Ashton. I heard everything that they had said to each other.

Ashton looks at me, then walks up to me and hugs me. This time, he's crying, not me. "Thank you, Anna. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything," he says. "I know," I say.

He puts his face in my neck. "Don't die on me, Ashton," I say. I feel him smile against my neck. I hear him speak but it's muffled. I think he said, "I won't, Anna. You better not die on me either. I love you." I smile. "What?" I ask. "I love you," he says, lifting his head up and looking at me.

"I love you too," I say, placing my lips on his. He smiles and pulls away. "I'm not letting you go this time, that's a promise," he says. "I wouldn't let you leave, even if you tried," I say.

Ashton smiles. I smile back. It's been a long time since I was happy. I'm finally happy once again.

***

Michael is laying down on the couch. We used carbon dioxide again on his wound. We also put anabiotic on it also. At 7 a.m. I'm taking them both to the ICU. Ashton was shot earlier, but P.D cleaned him up, it still can get infected. Michael was shot twice.

There's ten minutes left of this terrible night, and luckily, the three of us are still alive.

I might have lost my brother. I might have lost my parents. But I haven't lost everyone.

"Have you ever liked Michael?" Ashton asks me. I shake my head. I mean, I love Michael, but not in the way Ashton is talking about. I've always loved Ashton, he was my first love, and I haven't loved anyone else else since then. I fell for him when I was nine, and nine years later, I'm still falling.

"He obviously wants you. I was asking, because I didn't want you to want him while I'm wanting you," Ashton says. I look at him. "That's not going to happen. I want you, only you, nobody else," I say.

Someone or something knocks on the door. Our attention goes to the door. Ashton slowly stands up and walks to the window and looks out.

"What is it?" I whisper. He shrugs his shoulders. I walk over to him and look out the window too. I've seen Ashton with this guy. I know he knows who it is.

"You know him," I say. He looks at me. "That's Isaac. He used to be my best friend, then he moved schools and we kind of drifted apart after that," Ashton says.

"Answer the door, dickhead," I say. He nods and walks over to door and opens it. "Ashton. I know we haven't talked for a really long time. But I was passing through the neighborhood and wanted to see how you were doing on purge night," Isaac says.

"I'm doing fine. There were a few issues, but those are all cleared. I'm just trying to keep my girl alive for about six more minutes," Ashton says, looking at me.

I look at Isaac. He smiles at me at then looks back at Ashton. Ashton gives him a hug and says, "Good seeing you mate." Ashton pulls away from the hug. "You better get going, though," Ashton says.

Isaac nods his head walks away from the door, Ashton closes and locks it behind him. "He's nice, I guess," I say, Ashton nods.

"I'm scared that one of us isn't go to make it," I say. "We'll make it, Anna. That includes Michael. There's only six minutes left," Ashton says. "Do you know how much could happen within six minutes? A lot," I say. "Nothing's going to happen," Ashton says.

He didn't even see it coming..

Nobody did..