Always

Chapter 15

Chapter 15
Ashton's pov
I knocked on the door, hoping she wasn't asleep yet. It was getting pretty late but I knew Emma would most likely be up, so I waited for someone to open the door. I heard the door being unlocked and smiled as it opened. "what are you doing here?" Emma asked, looking confused. "well, I wanted to hang out with you, not Ali. So I thought, if you were up for it of course, we could hang out now." She smiled in response and opened the door for me to come in. "you want to watch a movie or....?" She was in deep thought thinking of what we could do but I just wanted to talk. "can we just talk?" I asked as we headed up to her room. "sure" she laughed a bit. "i just feel like we haven't talked in a while and I don't know of anything that is going on with your life." She laughed at how dramatic I was being, but I really feel like I didn't know anything about her life right now. We reached her room and we sat on the bed. She had so many blankets and so we both got comfortable. "so," she started "why did Ali leave so early?" "well first its pretty late," I smiled at her a bit teasingly, "and I kinda broke up with her." I watched as Emma's jaw fell to the floor. "you kinda did what?" She asked, shocked. "well I was tired of her telling me that I needed to stop hanging out with you." "you mean to tell me, you broke up with Ali because of me?" She asked, still shocked. "well that was one of many reasons." I stated truthfully. "well spill, I want to know everything." And so for the next hour I told her everything. I told her about Ali accusing her and she didn't seem all that surprised to my surprise. "wow. I cant believe she said all of that. Thank you for trusting me Ash." She smiled a little. "Always. So whats been up with you lately? Anything with Blake?" I wanted her to tell me about the girl who has been bullying her. I wanted her to want to tell me. "Me and Blake are doing really good. We were actually supposed to go out last night but th-" she cut herself off. She was stumbling with her words and she couldn't figure out what to say. "Emma. Then what?" I asked softly. I wanted her to tell me what happened. She looked at me straight in the eyes.

Emma's pov
Well I have to tell him now. I don't want to lie, and he isn't with Ali anymore. I looked at him trying to decide if it were the right thing to do. "um...so," I looked down, he's going to be mad at me for not telling him. But it was for the right reason. It's time Emma. "on Blake's first day, when I 'passed out' I didn't actually pass out. I had gone in the bathroom and as I was walking out, Ali and her posse came in. I was just going to walk past them and leave but they stopped me. Ali said that I needed to stay away from you and I told her I wouldn't do that and so um, she cut my arm," I pulled up my sleeve to show him the scar, he held my arm and looked at it in disbelief. "she then made me hit my head on the wall and that's all I remember." I was trying to decide if I should go on to tell him the rest and I was like why not already half way there. He couldn't find words. So I kept going. "then last night, I was about to leave school and get ready for my date with Blake, but Ali and her friends stopped me again. She said the same thing she did last time. And I proceeded to tell her I wouldn't stop being friends with you. Um...." I paused, I felt a tear sting my eyes. I felt like he was going to be disappointed that I didn't come to him. He looked up at me and held my hand as a sign to keep going. "she knocked me down and I got up and punched her, she didn't like that and so she and her friends beat me up and I couldn't fight back, it was three against one and I couldn't. Before she left she cut me, and told me if I didn't stay away from you it would be worse next time." He had a tear in his eye and I didn't know why. "Emma, this is all my fault. I'm so sorry. I should've seen it, I don't know how I didn't." He held is head in his hands, crying. "Ashton, please don't blame yourself. There's no way you could've known." I hadn't realized I was crying too. "can I see the other cut?" He looked at me with puffy eyes and tears rolling down his cheek. "i don't think that's the best idea." If he was already this upset, I don't know what he would do if he saw my stomach all black and blue with a huge cut. "please Emma. I need to see what she did." He pleaded. I hesitantly raised my shirt, enough that he could see the cut. He froze.

Ashton's pov
I didn't know what to do. I felt angry, guilty, upset, frustrated and confused. As I looked at her bruised stomach I felt sick. Why would anyone do that to her. "why?" I breathed out, trying hard not to let anymore tears fall. I met her eyes and she had a few tears running down her cheek. I raised my hand and wiped her tears away. "she said that I was trying to steal you from her." She looked down breaking eye contact. I knew she would never do that. She then continued, "i promise I wasn't ever trying to do that. I was with Blake when all of this was happening. Ali didn't get that I only wanted to be friends with you. She assumed things that weren't true." "I'm so sorry Emma." I whispered and pulled her closer to me. She leaned into me and we stayed there hugging for at least an hour. I just held her and we both cried. I cried because I hadn't seen what was going on and then everything started rushing back. Emma got all tense at lunch when Ali walked up the day after she 'passed out'. And the reason Emma had been avoiding me was because she was trying to stay away from me so that Ali wouldn't hurt her anymore. And tonight when she tried to leave my house it was because she was scared of Ali. I held onto Emma as tight as I could without hurting her. How could I have let this happen to her. It won't happen again. I'll be sure of it.

"Can I ask you a question?" I needed to know one last thing. She pulled out of the hug to look at me. "Sure." "why didn't you tell me?" "i thought you loved her and that it would break your heart to find out what kind of person she is. I thought you would either break up with her and be heartbroken or.... Take her side over mine. I didn't want either things to happen because I want you to be happy." I saw tears fill her eyes and I felt so bad. I felt like this was all my fault. "Emma, I told you I didn't lover her. I never did," she cut me off. "why were you with her then?" I stumbled over my words a bit but finally made a sentence. "i honestly don't know. She was the closest thing I had to 'loving' someone as more then a friend, and them loving me. She loved me but I didn't love her, and I know that was wrong but I was being selfish with my feelings." "I didn't know, I thought you really liked her." I shook my head and continued on to what I was saying. "I would never pick anyone else's side to stick by. I know you wouldn't lie to me or make something up for your benefit or the destruction of someone else. You are so much better than that, you have a beautiful heart Emma." She smiled and looked down as the words fell off my lips. It's like I didn't even know what I was saying at the moment. "thank you Ashton, for trusting me and always being there for me. I love you." She said leaning into give me another hug. "i love you Em." I hugged her back trying not to hurt her. "you want to watch a movie now?" She asked and I laughed. "only you would ask that question at three o' clock in the morning." She smiled "you know it." She picked out Back to the Future which was a favorite of both of ours and we got back on her bed and laid down. She scooted close to me and put her head on my chest. About fifteen minutes in she was asleep. I pressed my lips to her forehead and whispered "I wish you knew how much I love you Emma." And not long after I was asleep too.

Word count: 1638
Feeling disappointed with this chapter:(
Sorry if it didn't make sense, it was getting late and Idk what happened lol but I hope you guys like this chapter better than I did haha
If you do enjoy it pls vote and comment!
Thank you- Bay💙