Without A Trace(Luke Hemmings FF)

Thirty-one

Zoey's POV:
I sent both Luke and Ashton home because I need time to think. Either way I decide, someone will get hurt.

Ashton is sweet. I really like Ashton. He's cute and funny and-and romantic. He makes me feel good about myself. I have a connection with him, but he's not Luke.

I love Luke. I really do. We've been through so much together. He's made me laugh, he's made me smile. He's made me feel like there was a point to life. He reminded me that there is life out there. That I'm not Molly St. Claire. I'm Zoey Anne Delany. I'm more than a human traffic victim. I mean something to people.

Then, on the other hand, he drives me crazy! He says things and does things that hurts me so bad! He slept with Maya, he said that he regrets saving me, he just says and does things out of anger and I don't know if I can deal with that anymore. I dealt with that enough with Mark, but I love Luke. Luke and I have so much history. He makes me happy. He's my everything. I just... I don't know who I choose.

Luke's POV:
"Why don't you just back off, okay? She was mine first." I tell him as we sit on the porch outside of my house.

"Why should I? I want to be with her, too. I'm not backing off. Why don't you back off?" Ashton retorts.

"Because I love her." I tell him.

"Well, then may the best man win." Ashton says and I shake his hand.

"May the best man win." I repeat.
...
Zoey's POV:
I grab my phone and dial Ashton's number. I've decided who I want to be with.

"Zoey!" He answers. A small smile appears on my face.

"Hey, where are you? I want to meet with you. I-I... I need to talk to you." I tell him.

"Oh, really? Y-you do?" He sounds anxious.

"Yeah. Are you home?" I ask him.

"No, but why don't I meet you at the diner on Sixth?" He says and I nod.

"Sounds good." I tell him, then hang up.

Ashton's POV:
"I'm meeting Zoey at the diner. She said that she needs to speak to me." I tell Luke.

"Are you shitting me? So, she picked you?" He looks hurt.

"I don't know. I guess I'll find out when I meet her at the diner. Although, I'm pretty sure that the odds are in my favor." I tell him.

"This is fucking ridiculous! Go. Just get the fuck out of here." He snaps, so I leave. I'm just really excited right now that Zoey is probably telling me that she is picking me. That she wants to be with me.
...
Zoey's POV:
"So, I wanted to talk to you about this whole situation..." I tell him as I pick at my plate.

"I figured that's why you called." He says and I think for a moment. I sigh.

"Look, Ashton-"

"You're picking Luke." He concludes and I frown.

"How did you-"

"I figured from the way you sighed and said, 'look, Ashton,' that you weren't picking me." He says and I frown again.

"I'm sorry." I tell him.

"Hey, don't be. You've been Luke and Zoey far longer than you and I were Ashton and Zoey. If you want to be with him, be with him. I will be here if you change your mind." He says sounding so sweet and caring and considerate. I stand up and so does he. He gives me a long hug.

"We can still be friends, right? I can't lose you." I tell him and he chuckles, letting me go.

"Of course. And I'll fix things with Luke. He'll be in a good mood once you tell him that you chose him." He says and I smile.