Behind the Glasses || a.i.

Chapter 22

 I rush behind him down the path toward the busy road. I don’t say anything. What would I say to my best friend who just kissed me to make his now ex-girlfriend jealous? He pushes past people brusquely before rushing into a public bathroom at the edge of the park scenery. I see the sign labeled men, and pause for a moment. Not seeing many people around, I poke my head into the open doorway awkwardly. Ashton stands there gripping the edge of one of the two ceramic sinks attached to the wall. I gulp, walking in and hoping nobody else is in there. I stand at the sink next to him, leaning against it, not looking over. His face is pale from what I can see out of the corner of my eye. I know he sees me, but he doesn’t say anything.

 He takes a shaky breath, and my heart fractures. He is either crying, or trying not to. I look up from the sink and over to him. I purse my lips, thinking about how strange they felt against his, but it was strange in the most amazing way possible. I think back to how it felt, and confusion of how I feel floods my brain, and I can’t build a dam fast enough to keep them out. I close my eyes, and I feel physical pain afflicted on my heart by mistake because it was, indeed, the best thing that has happened to me. I can feel again, in a positive way. “You kissed me,” I blurt. He stays silent, and I am not sure if he heard me. I drop my head again.

 “Sorry,” he croaks after silence passes. “I shouldn’t have done that to you.”

 A tear falls, and his words cut deep, a poison-soaked dagger straight through my chest, a burn like no other. I stay quiet another minute, letting it all sink in. He didn’t want to kiss me; he only used me to get back at Skylar for cheating. He just wanted to make her jealous, and he knew I was the perfect piece to do so. I feel used, a rag doll that gets tossed around whenever their owner wants them to, manipulated in any which way. That’s when I shake my head and leave the room.

 I walk briskly outside to the road, and I don’t look back. I hate being mad at him, but I hate him even more for making me mad at him. I dig my phone from my pocket, calling Sierra. She doesn’t pick up, and neither does Ms. Farce when I try her phone. A sob escapes, but no tears follow. I feel guilty as I try the next contact. “Hey, Trin,” Calum answers.

 “Cal, can you come pick me up?” I ask, my voice strained.

 “I thought you were with Ash,” he says. “You sound upset.”

 “Calum, I just really need you right now,” I cry, hating myself for acting this way again. “I’m at the park on Long Lake.”

 “Yeah, sure, I’ll be right there,” he says. I know that the boys live only five minutes from here. “Where’s Ashton, though?”

 “He found Skylar with another guy,” I say elusively.

 “Wait, really?” he questions with a surprised tone.

 “I don’t know what to do,” I tell him.

 “How did he react?”

 “He’s in the bathroom right now. He’s just staring at the mirror. He got kind of angry with her, dumped her on the spot,” I explain, skipping over the part where he used me.

 “Is he upset?”

 “Yeah, I think,” I respond.

 “Right, where are you, again?” he asks.

 “I’m over by the gift shop at the park,” I repeat.

 “’Kay, I’m in the blue car,” he tells me. I see a blue car in the distance pull into a parking spot. I watch, unsure whether or not it’s him. The door opens, and he gets out, sticking his phone in his pocket. I take mine away from my ear, and mirror him by walking toward him. I wipe under my eyes, looking at my fingers in check for make-up – nope. “Where did you say he was?”