Arabella || Luke Hemmings

ACL

October 1, 1984 - Austin City Limits - Austin

"I don't understand how you could do this Haze?!" Ashton's angry voice filled the dressing room. "You didn't give a shit about what I wanted!"

"It's not like you give a shit about me anyway!" Haze yelled back. "All I was to you was some sex doll until you were able to be with your girlfriend again!"

"You know what's fucked? The fact that I had to find out through Arabella and not you."

The two stood in a heated silence. Ashton paced the room while Haze sat herself on the given couch.

"Gemma isn't even my girlfriend anymore. I ended things with her back in Sydney." Ashton let out a malicious chuckle. "Arabella was right."

"About?"

"You ended up getting feelings for me!" Ashton threw his hands in the air.

"For fucks sake, Ashton! Don't be so full of yourself for once!" Haze scoffed.

"Whatever, Haze."

"But that has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I ended up pregnant after one careless, drunken night, okay? We made a mistake and I fucking fixed it like an adult."

"An adult that didn't take into consideration the opinion of the other party involved!" Ashton pulled his fingers through his hair, still pacing the room. "Maybe I actually wanted the kid! Maybe I actually wanted a future and a family with you!"

Was that an admission of feelings that Ashton had for Haze? If that was, then it was a terrible moment to admit that.

"Ashton, we're only kids ourselves!" Haze's eyesight blurred over with tears. "We wouldn't have been able to make it work, not at the moment at least." Her tone was now quiet and full of sadness.

"Haze," Ashton sighed, sitting next to Haze.

"I'm so sorry, Ash." Haze dropped her face in her palms as she abruptly sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Haze. I promise you that." Ashton rubbed Haze's back. "Maybe timing was off..."

"The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you..."

"Look," Ashton was now deeply concerned for Haze and he felt bad for taking it so personally that Haze hadn't told him about the baby. "Everything's going to be okay, I promise."

"You don't need to make empty promises." Haze lifted her head, wiping her flood of tears with the fabric of her jacket. "You've made plenty of those already."

"I'm sorry, Haze. I really am sorry."

"Doubt it."

"I'm sorry that I got you pregnant, I'm sorry I stressed you out by indirectly making you believe Gemma and I were back together. I never wanted to hurt you. You are my world and I want to see you happy all the damn time, Haze."

Haze possessed no clue of what to say.

"Loch had every right to kick my ass back in London, I was deserving of that." Ashton observed Haze in her first most vulnerable state rather than the second state that was sex. "All I want is for us to start over and do this properly."

"I'm gonna need time."

"That I will give." Ashton replied. "I'm very sorry for blowing up on you. I should have saved it for another time. It was totally inconsiderate on my behalf because you are in no state, emotionally, mentally, or physically ready to deal with my asshole attitude."

"It's all right."

"No, it's not all right." Ashton groaned.

"I have to go re-string my guitar before tonight's show...I'll see you around." Haze sauntered to the door so she could head back to her designated dressing room.

"Haze?"

She turned to Ashton.

"Despite my words earlier..." He gave a small smile. "You did the right thing. You're right, we're only kids ourselves."

With that, Haze exited the room. She had no guitar to re-string since there was a special crew member who did that for her. She was honestly exhausted and needed to rest before the show.