5SOS Short Stories

(1) Mistake |Mashton|

I stormed into the kitchen and dropped my bag on the marble counter. I went straight to the sink and started to splash my face with the cold, running water that came gushing out of the tap. I didn't care about the small amount of make up that was still on my face. I just needed to cool down. I didn't get a towel to clean it up. I let the water fall off as it pleased.

'Chloe please,' Ashton was behind me now, begging me. 'Just look at me, please, just talk to me.' He was grabbing at my elbows trying to pull me back around to face him. 

I pulled away from him, screaming, 'don't touch me right now, get off me!'

He retreated his outstretched arms and raised them to his face. He rubbed his eyes and sighed deeply. 'I'm really sorry, but the picture isn't what it looks like, you need to let me explain...'

I was clinging to the worktops, trying to stay upright. My head was spinning, making me dizzy. I just shook it not able to speak. Tears were escaping the corner of my eyes. I really didn't want to have to listen to any of Ashton's pathetic excuses. 

'Please Chloe,' Ashton whispered into his hands. 'I love you, I really, really do. Please don't give up on me just yet. It was a mistake. I swear.'

'A mistake?' I ran my hands through my mouse brown hair which had fallen out of my updo and into my stinging eyes.  

'Yes it was a mistake, I didn't mean it...' he began, nearing me again, hearing my voice soften. It wasn't enough though.

'You think that's all you have to say? That it was a mistake, that you didn't mean it?' I looked at him now, turning my quivering body to face him. I still used the kitchen's fittings to support myself. 'That's not good enough Ashton.'

His hazel eyes studied my puffy, red face for a long time. He'd hurt me so badly and all he could say was it was a mistake. 

'Tell me it won't happen again,' I said firmly. My blood shot blue eyes not lifting off his face. 

'Of course it won't happen,' he smiled, relieved thinking I had forgiven him. 'I love you so much...'

'Stop telling me you loved me!' I snapped at him, taking the smile off his face. The blurry picture that was doing its rounds on the internet was carved into my mind. I tried to scratch it out but it wouldn't go away. It kept coming back like a reoccurring nightmare.  Ashton's hands were around the waist of a model, one of them disappearing under the hem of her short skirt. They were in a club, and the picture had captured her with her lips on his neck. I imagined what else had gone on between them but the thought made me want to be sick.

'I love you though Chloe,' he took a small step back from me, 'I really, really do.'

'No you don't!' I began to cry harder, 'if you loved me you wouldn't have lied to me about where you were that night. You told me you were in the studio. Yes, you told me you were going to be home late...' The sudden realization hit me. My voice went quiet, 'Ash you didn't come home that night.' Everything inside me went numb. It was like someone had taken a scissors and cut me apart inside but the pain was so unbearable I couldn't feel anything. I'd known there was more to that story than the picture told but I didn't think they'd gone that far. Had they?

Ashton shock his head, 'Chloe, don't even think that that happened... I told you, I ended up staying at Mikey's place because we stayed out so late. I know I lied about going to the club but...'

I slammed my hands down on the counter, the bang startled both of us. 'You didn't just lie to me about that, you told me I was the only girl for you, you've said it to me a million times... Did you mean it? Any time you ever said it did you mean any of it?' I was shouting again, I felt like I had been shot. 'Do you think I am stupid? I feel it right now!'