No Promises - New Hope Club Book 2 (George Smith)

Ten

"My head's still with you but my heart's just not" - Ed Sheeran

George's POV

The day after the boys went home, Ashley came over to my place. Though I hadn't seen her in a while I wasn't looking forward to meeting her because I knew I had to tell her today that I was breaking up with her.

After Ashley had arrived and I had brought up her stuff to my room, we sat down to watch a movie.

I had my arm around her while we were sitting on the couch watching Interstellar, though I wasn't really watching. Instead I was forming sentences in my head to say to her.

I'm sorry Ash but that thing between us is just not working out anymore.

Okay I'd sound like a total jerk if I said that.

Sorry but I've fallen in love with somebody else. No not what I should say.

It's not you, it's me. I don't like you anymore.

Okay that was pretty mean.

I looked down at Ashley and she smiled up at me. Her smile was so sweet and kind that my heart got heavy. How was I supposed to break her heart just like that?

"Why are you drinking coffee with a straw?" I asked as I noticed the cup of coffee with a straw stuck in it in her hand.

"I just had my teeth bleached, I don't want to ruin them." She answered and put the coffee on the table in front of the couch.

"Come on Ash, your teeth are perfectly fine." I said and she immediately shook her head.

"Thanks George but they are really not."

"Of course they are."

"They're not."

"Yes they are."

"Nope."

"That's pathetic." I said and pulled my arm away from Ashley.

"You're pathetic." She said. Well here we go again, fighting over stupid things.

"Okay, I'm done." I said and stood up, turning off the TV. "I'm not doing this."

"Where are you going?" Ashley asked as I walked out of the room. I didn't answer so she started yelling. "Where are you going??"

I still didn't answer as I walked into the kitchen. I heard Ashley sigh annoyed as she stood up to follow me.

I got myself a banana that I peeled, not paying any attention to Ashley who stood in the door frame of the kitchen, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"I don't want to argue with you." Ashley said and I looked up from my banana.

"We need to talk." I said and I knew this was the moment I had to tell her that I was breaking up with her. I gathered all my courage but when I looked at her, I noticed how frightened the look on her face was. She must have been guessing what I wanted to say because her eyes got big and glassy.

I opened my mouth but nothing came over my lips. No word, no noise, nothing at all.

"What is it?" Ashley said, her voice shaky and in that very moment I knew that I couldn't do it. I couldn't hurt her. I still liked her too much to do that to her. Just because I fell in love with Haley didn't mean I didn't care for Ashley.

So instead of telling what I originally wanted to say, I said: "You know Reece's parents own that cabin down in New Forest? The boys and I wanted to go there next week before the US tour to practise and I wanted to ask if you would like to come with us? Emma will be there too."

I had wanted to ask Haley to come with us because I had planned on breaking up with Ashley today and spending as much time with Haley as I could but I guess this wasn't going to work out anymore.

And I felt terrible for hoping that Ash would say no and not come along with us.

"Aww Georgie." She said and I hated that nickname but that one time Haley had used it to tease me, that nickname sounded like the most beautiful thing coming from her lips. "That's so sweet of you but did you forget that I'm in Paris for business next week?"

"Business means modelling I assume?" I asked and she rolled her eyes.

"Of course it does. I've been telling you for weeks about that job in Paris now! How could you forget about it?" She complained and I apologised.

"I wish I could come along though." She said. "Blake seems like such a nice guy."

Was she fucking serious right now? Was she swooning over Blake in my presence?

This time it was me to roll their eyes and I took a bite from my banana just to not have to talk to her.

In that moment Ashley's phone alarm went off and she looked down at her phone.

"Need to go now." She said, holding up her phone. "Tight schedule and stuff."

She gave me a peck on the lips and went to my room to get her stuff.

"What's going on, I thought you were gonna stay overnight?" I asked confused and she laughed.

"Haha no, I have a job in London today."

"So what is that huge bag for?" I asked, holding up a bag as big as the rucksack I used as my bag for school.

"Make Up of course." She said and went downstairs, leaving me behind. I followed her to the door to say goodbye to her. I was disappointed and relieved that she wasn't staying overnight at the same times and I felt guilty for feeling that way.

"You don't need that Make Up." I told her. "Have you forgotten that our song Make Up is about you? You should listen to it more often."

"Yeah maybe I should." She said, stood on her tiptoes and gave me a quick peck on the lips. "By the way, you can just ask a friend of yours to come with you to the cabin so you won't feel too left out with Emma and Reece making out the whole time."

"Yeah maybe." I said, already having one particular person in mind that I should probably not be thinking about. "Have fun."

"You too." She said. "I love you."

And then she rushed down the street where an Uber was already waiting for her to take her to the train station. She was so busy and in a rush that she didn't even notice that I hadn't replied the words 'I love you' to her.

I just couldn't get my mouth to say them because they weren't true.

I was in love with the wrong person and I knew that way too well.

Author's Note

I'm having a really important physics test tomorrow and I feel like I know nothing at all! 😑

What's your worst subject at school?
Mine is probably chemistry, I'm just not good at all this science stuff. But I just recently started liking maths.

Have a nice day
Xx
A