My Paper Heart Will Bleed (Andley)

We Knew We'd Have To Say Goodbye

Ashley woke the next day and dragged himself downstairs. Looking at the time, he realized it was nearly noon.
"Look who finally woke up." His dad raised an eyebrow, sitting on the couch with Ashley's mom next to him. Ashley grabbed a hoodie and pulled it on, reaching for the door handle. "Where do you think you're going?"
"I was going to CC's for our Walking Dead marathon. Remember? We've been planning this for a while.." Ashley frowned and dropped his hand back to his side.
"Mm, really? Are you sure you're not going to see your boyfriend?" His mom said, her voice icy.
"What?" Ashley could feel his heart pound in his chest, waiting for it to burst any minute. "I'm not supposed to talk to him, mom." He said calmly.
"That's what we thought too. Until a friend of yours dropped by." His dad deadpanned. "So care to tell us what you were doing at Andy's house last night?"
"I- We-" Ashley's bottom lip trembled. "I'm sorry."
"for what, exactly?"
"For- For lying to you and- and for sneaking out to see him... but you don't understand." he whimpered, trying his best to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.
"Oh we understand perfectly. You are grounded, now give me your phone. You're not leaving this house and you are not, I'll repeat this to make sure you heard me, are not speaking to that bastard again!" His dad spat, taking his phone from Ashley's hand. "Now go to your room!"
Ashley stared at his parents, shocked and angered. "No." he hissed and slammed the door behind him. Ashley ran from his house.
"Ashley? Are you okay?" Ashley turned, seeing the red haired girl who he thought was his friend. "You look horrible..."
"Don't talk to me." Ashley grumbled, turning on his heel and continuing to walk.
"Wait, Ash! What's wrong? What did I do?" Hayley frowned and jogged up next to him. Ashley scoffed bitterly through his tears and shoved her away from him.
"You told my parents about Andy and I! You told them everything! What kind of friend does that!?"
"I... Ashley, they deserved to know." Hayley stepped back, hurt. "They love you... they should know where their son was."
"They love me? Oh, isn't that hilarious. Just go away." he shouted. Before Hayley could say anything else, Ashley had ran away without another word. He ran as far as his feet could carry him, no direction or destination in mind. Strangely enough, he found himself on Andy's front porch and knocked on the door weakly.
"Hey, baby." Andy's smiling face wasn't enough to make Ashley feel better. Ashley threw his arms around him and buried his sobs in his chest. "Shit, Ash, whats wrong? What happened?"
"They fo-found ou-out." he cried uncontrollably, the tears streaming down his cheeks. "Ha-Hayley told th-them."
Andy was silent. He tightened his arms around Ashley and kissed his forehead. "That bitch." he whispered.
"Andy...what are we going to do?" he sniffled, looking up at him.
"I don't know that theres anything we can do, sweetheart." Andy closed his eyes. "We knew we'd have to say goodbye to each other sometime. It wouldn't last forever, but it was damn fun while it lasted."
"What are you saying?" Ashley whimpered.
"I think... we have to stop seeing each other." Andy cringed at his own words. "I love you, Ashley. I love you and I will forever, I promise, but right now... things just aren't working. I'm sorry." he let go of Ashley and looked at him apologetically. "I'm truly sorry, baby."
"No. You're not." Ashley stepped off the porch and shook his head.
"Ash, ple-"
"You never loved me! If you loved me then- then you'd stay!" he turned on his heel and ran again, going back home and locking himself in his room as he cried. Everybody- even Andy- was against him. The world hated him. He hated the world. He got up and looked at his reflection in the mirror. His face was red; tear stained. He couldn't seem to find himself in his own reflection, though. The broken boy looking back at him wasn't who he was, it was who he had become. What had Andy done to him? He had taken what Ashley once was and turned him into... a nightmare. He couldn't trust anyone or anything. And all because of a boy he thought that loved him.