Lakeview's Outcast {Wattys2015}

Chapter 18 - Comforting Juliette

"What did you just say?" I ask Ashton, my eyes wide and my tears no longer a major issue. All I could focus on was what he had just said, but there was no way he just said that. My ears must be deceiving me, they had to be.

"You heard me. We're going to take Justine's Prom Queen crown away from her... as a couple" An evil smirk forms on his face and my heart sinks just a little. Nothing good can come out of this and he knows it.

I jump up from my bed, shaking my head wildly as I walk backwards away from him. Ashton stares at me with that hard, calculating look of his as he stands up as well following my movements with slow, measured footsteps. I gulp as we continue walking until my back hits the cupboard door and he is only inches away from me, his hands on either side of his head.

Why the hell do we always seem to end up in this position whenever we're arguing?! I'm not exactly a huge fan of being backed into corners-or in this case doors. I openly glare at Ashton as he takes in my tear stained cheeks and no doubt red eyes. Once his eyes finally drift back to mine I quirk an eyebrow, using his words from earlier.

"Done gawking Knight?" I ask, slightly bitter. I hated that I was this vulnerable, that I was this scared at a simple notion we hadn't even put his plan into action yet and I was ready to run for it. And I hated the fact that Ashton had seen this side of me, the weak pathetic part one too many times already.       

"Not even close... babe" Ashton smirks and I huff angrily moving my hand to give him one slap to the cheek when his hand grabs mine, placing it above my head in a firm grip.

"You're an insane bastard, you realize that don't you?" I ask him as he continues staring at me like I'm some sort of puzzle. Bitch please, you couldn't solve me even if you had all the time in the world.

"And you looked scared. The only question is why?" My eyes widen dramatically and all plans of feigning nonchalance went out the window when he smirked triumphantly, I guess I wasn't that hard to decipher after all. And to think I always wanted to be that heroine in books and movies who was cool, calm and collected and a complete and utter enigma. There goes my childhood dreams...

 "Does this have anything to do with Brad by any chance? I mean I know the two of you dated but he's clearly moved on now... with Justine" My eyes shoot daggers into Ashton's, this was the second time he's brought Brad into the conversation and it's pretty clear that he knows the gist of the story.

"I'm going to say this once, and once only so listen up Ashton" I sneer when saying his name, the effect ruined by the fact that my hands were still in his unrelenting grip. "Whatever happened between Brad and I has nothing, and I mean nothing to do with you. So before you go mouthing off like you know everything I suggest you shut the fuck up and mind your own business" 

Ashton's eyes narrow in irritation as he leans closer to me, close enough that I could feel the hard contours and ridges underneath his shirt. I try to ignore the feeling as I continue to glare in the infuriating boy's direction. Up close I can notice the tiny details like the fact that he has a light smattering of freckles across his nose and some stubble along his jaw which would make him look adorable if he wasn't glaring at me right now. His eyebrows furrowing and his lips frowning as he continued to assess me causing small lines of wrinkles to form.

"Let me get one thing clear Isabelle" Ashton whispers as he tilts his head so that he's speaking into my ear, successfully breaking me out of my observation. 

"I don't do well with orders, you see I tend to rebel when someone who isn't family or staff at the school tells me what to do. So you can see why we have a problem now, don't you? You see, I'm not going to stop until I find out exactly what happened between you and Brad. Especially now, that you've piqued my curiosity, there really is no point in trying to stop me"