A Broken Spirit

Chapter Fifteen

I gasped as I stood staring at my ex boyfriend. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, as my heart began to pound against my chest. He stared back at me, the silence becoming slightly uncomfortable.

"Hey babe." he said.

I just stared at him, unable to speak.

"I've come to apologise and ask you to forgive me." he announced quietly.

I opened my mouth but no sound came out.

"I'm sorry, I still love you." he said as he stepped towards me. I flinched and stepped back.

"I'm not going to hurt you anymore." he stated quietly.

"I can't do this." I told him staring at the floor.

"Please I love you, give me another chance." he said as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, causing me to flinch.

"Stop." I whispered.

I could feel Ashton's presence behind me. He positioned himself so that he was in front of me. He glared at Chris, who glared back.

"Go away Ashton, this is none of your business." Chris stated rudely.

"Protecting her is my business!" Ashton spat angrily.

I peered over Ashton's shoulder looking between the two of them. The air was thick with tension.

"Can we go somewhere private and talk?" Chris asked me.

I nodded. Ashton grabbed my wrist holding me back.

"No, Laura don't." he pleaded.

"It's fine, Ash, I'll be back soon." I said walking away with Chris.

Ashton's POV

I couldn't believe she had just walked away from me, and with Chris of all people. I had no idea what he wanted, or where they were going. I felt totally helpless. I began to get angry thinking about the fact that he could be hurting her right now, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. I was so angry, I threw my mug against the wall watching it shatter into tiny pieces. About an hour later she returned. I ran to the front door, as soon as I heard it close. I had to know that she was alright. I could see that she had been crying. I was so angry, a deep anger in the pit of my stomach that I had never felt before.

"What the hell was that all about?!" I yelled.

"I just wanted to hear what he had to say." she answered quietly.

"Why?!" I shouted.

She didn't answer.

"You just don't get it do you!?" I yelled.

"Get what?" she snapped.

"What he did to you, he controlled you and beat you; short of raping you, he couldn't have done much else!" I screamed.

She looked at the floor and began to cry.

"No-" I stumbled.

I walked over to her and tilted her chin up so that she was looking at me.

"He didn't-?" I asked her.

She shook her head.

"Laura promise me he didn't." I asked her softly my hands shaking with rage.

"No, he made me do stuff to him, but never that, he said I wasn't attractive enough." she sobbed.

I looked at her completely shocked by what she had just said.

"There's more Ash." she whispered.

I looked at her and waited for her to continue.

"He cheated on me." she announced sadly.

"What the hell!" I yelled.

I placed my hands against the wall on either side of her head as I tried to calm down. She squirmed slightly.

"I won't hurt you." I told her.

"Why do you get so worked up about him Ash?" she asked me quietly.

I sighed and said what I had wanted to say for so long.

"Because I love you." I whispered.