after you left |ai|

11

I spend all week hiding at my parents house, all I did was go to work and hang out with Amber when I was home. For a week I didn't talk to any of my friends, I ignored the calls of Jackie and Ashton because their secret was the least of my worries now. I was aware that I had been unfair towards Ashton when I used him to chase Thomas away and when I kissed him.

It might have been unfair to Ashton but it was the best decision I had made in a while because finally I found out how much of an ass Thomas really was.

It took me 48 hours to finally block his number, to stop reading everything he send me again and again. Just the fact that he kept going on for so long was honestly terrifying me. I was scared what he might say or do when I run into him at the store. Or if he has been to my apartment since.

But it was friday evening and I desperately needed new clothes for the weekend so after work I went over to my mom's shop and sat down at the counter. I knew my dad would come here when he was done working too and my brothers were all on their way here.

When I walked into the store, it was quiet but the two people I hoped to see here were sitting at a table with a stroller beside it. They waved me over and I hestitated before smiling at them and walking over to them.

"Next time you disappear for five days, please let us know before doing so." Jackie said as soon as I reached their table and I sat down across from her.

"I was just trying to figure things out, I'll let you know next time I need to do that." I reassured her and she looked at me with a soft smile. Ashton kept his eyes focused on his hands that were wrapped around the cup of coffee.

"Are you still mad at me?" Jackie asked and I still vividly remembered the text I send her in the middle of the night, asking for an explanation but I was so pissed at the time.

"I think it was mostly disbelieve that I outed in anger that night. I can't really blame you for hiding something like that. You had every right to do so."

"I'm sorry for lying that just a few people would see your picture but honestly I don't even have that many followers so didn't expect this either." She said as she scratched the back of her neck.

"Your face made her profile explode. People seem to like it and I can understand why." Ashton said with the smallest grin but he still didn't dare to look at me.

"I don't really understand why." I admitted with a soft chuckle before looking at both of them.

"Elle you are goddamn gorgeous, that's why." Jackie said bluntly and with a serious look on your face. "And if that fucking ex boyfriend of yours never told you that or made you feel that way, he was dumb and blind." She added and I grew silent when he got mentioned and I looked down at my phone in my hands. "I know he fucked up Elle but you're going to have to move on one day." She said softly when she noticed the change in my mood.

"I was starting to get better, I really was but then he showed up again." I said before unlocking my phone and showing them the conversation I haven't been able to delete yet. "Just scroll up." I said and both their eyes were on the screen while Jackie held onto my phone and their smiles faded so quickly.

"Do you know these girls?" Ashton asked when they had reached the list of girls and very detailed stories about them.

"One of them is my best friend since we were 7, some are just friends and I met most of the others too." I said while I played with the bracelet I was wearing. My mom got it for me on my 14th birthday and I have been wearing it ever since. "I know I have to move on one day but it's going to take a little longer now I know all of this shit."

We just sat there in silence while they looked at the massive amount of texts until a pair of hands covered up my eyes and a smile formed on my lips without being able to control it.