My Best Friend?

Chapter 10

Ashton's POV

"Alex and I might be done soon.."

Did that have anything to do with why Em was acting so weird? I'm still not sure if she actually meant it, or if she was just saying something to fill the silence. Yeah I really want it to be true, but I know how much she likes Alex. It doesn't matter how much of a dick he is, she still likes him and I don't want her to do something she'll regret.

But I honestly don't think it had anything to do with Alex. I think it has more to do with her realizing something. It was honestly killing me not knowing what's going on. I've even asked Luke what he thought, or if Sammy had told him anything. He just smirked so I knew she had told him something. I hate how close they can be sometimes.

I got out of my bed and headed to my car. I'm going to find out what's going on with Em, so maybe I can fix it. And I'm going to make Luke tell me. I finally got to his house and noticed that Emma wasn't there, so it was going even better than planned. I figured he'd be up in his room, so that's where I went first. He was in there, laying on his bed doing homework.

"Luke, you need to tell me what's going on with Emma."

"I can't. I promised Sam I wouldn't tell you."

"You have to, because I need to know how to act around Em, and I can't do that if I don't know what she's thinking."

He groaned. "Okay fine. Sam told me that Em thought she figured out who the girl was that you were talking about freshmen year."

"Who does she think it is?"

"Her. She thinks that you're in love with her."

"Oh no. Oh no," I said.

"Ash, you okay?"

"No. What do I do? I can't tell her that I'm in love with her.."

"Why not?"

"Because she's not in love with me."

"She is, she just doesn't know it yet."

"What do I do? Should I act like I normally do?"

"Obviously."

"How did she find out?"

"That I do not know."

"Is there anything else I should know?"

"I don't think so, but Emma hasn't returned from seeing Alex."

"She's with Alex?"

"Yeah."

"She told me she was going to break up with him.."

"Maybe that's what Em's doing."

I took a deep breath, and tried to relax. "I can't believe she knows."

"Everything's going to be fine, Ashton. Trust me."

"I do."

Luke nodded, and watched me for a second before he turned his attention back to his homework. My phone vibrated in my pocket and I was surprised to see Emma calling. I answered and before I could even say hi, Emma was already talking.

"Ash, can you come meet me at the park?"

"Yeah. Is everything okay?"

"I just need to see you..."

Her voice sounded shaky. "I'll be there in a couple minutes."

"Okay, thanks."

She hung up and I quickly said bye to Luke, then got in my car. I drove as fast as I could without feeling like the cops would have a reason to pull me over, and I finally got to the park. I could see Emma gently swinging so I went over to her.

"Hey, is everything okay?" I asked her.

"Um.. I'm not sure.."

I looked closer and noticed her red eyes, and red nose. I stopped her and sat down in front of her. "Em, what happened?"

"I went over to Alex's house to hang out with him, but he wanted to talk about us and I said okay.." She started breathing heavier, and I lightly rubbed her arms.

"Deep breaths, babe, deep breaths."

She took a couple and then started talking again. "He said that as long as I'm his girlfriend, I can't be friends with you and that I had to make my choice."

My heart sunk, and I can see where this is going. "So.."

"So I told him that I chose you, and he got really angry and kicked me out of his house.."

"What? You what?"

"I chose you.."

"Why?"

"Because we've been friends for years, Alex and I dated for months. You're my best friend Ash, and I would never forgive Alex for making me choose."

"Weren't you going to break up with him anyway? Why are you taking this so hard?"

"Because I wasn't going to break up with him. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I didn't want us to end. And then he gave me the ultimatum, which was literally out of nowhere... I'm so shocked."

"You chose me?"

She nodded. "But what I can't understand is why, if I was at least considering breaking up with him, does this hurt so bad?"

She started crying again, and I pulled her off the swing and into my arms. She cried into my chest, and I was really feeling the need to kick Alex's ass. This was exactly what I didn't want to have happen, and it happened anyway. Leave it to Alex to pull the biggest dick move there is.

"I love you Ash.."

"I love you too, Emma."

Just hearing her say that almost made me cry, because I know she only means it in a friend way every time she says it, but I love her more than she'll ever know.