Relentless

Chapter 39

Juliet

"I'm going to throw up!" I scream, bending over Maris's bed and holding onto a bucket.

"Just take a deep breath." Maris says.

"HE'S SUCH AN ASSHOLE!"

"Juliet,"

"No! He made this decision for me! He was gutless enough to end things because he doesn't want me to get hurt?! He's such a selfish bastard!"

"You need to go see him, Jules."

"Why should I? Why am I the last to know?"

"Because he didn't want you to get
upset! He wouldn't be able to leave you like that."

"Does this not look like I'm upset, Maris?"

"Juliet, you need to go talk to him."

"I don't want to talk to him. I can't even look at him."

"He's leaving tomorrow for who knows how long! This is your last chance! You would just be talking to him, it doesn't change anything."

"No, this changes everything!"

"Stop yelling!"

I take a minute and try to calm myself down. He may still love me, but he's leaving. He promised he wouldn't.

Now I see why he did what he did.

But that doesn't make it acceptable.

It will take me a big portion of the day to get back to LA. I stand up and run out of Maris's room, grabbing my keys from her counter.

"Okay, bye!" She yells as I exit her house. I jump into the car and drive as fast as I can.

------

By the time I get home it's two in the morning and every house is dark. I park the car in my driveway and run inside, hoping that Lisa hasn't noticed my disappearance. I go into my room and close the door, sitting on my bed and shaking.

What if he tells me to go away?

What if he tells me that it was real and he never wants to see me again?

What am I doing?

I'm such an idiot!

I'm about to run into an airport to try and stop a man that I once loved from joining the army?

How stupid can I be?!

He cheated on me. All other reasons aside, he cheated on me. I have to be angry at him. I can't let him know that I would miss him.

------

"Juliet? Wake up." I open my eyes to see Lisa sitting on the edge of my bed. I sit up and shut my eyes tightly in reaction to the bright light coming through my window.

"What time is it?" I ask in a groggy voice.

"It's one in the afternoon. I'm late for work. Do you need anything before I leave?"

"Wait, what?!" I jump up and put my sneakers on.

"What's going on?"

"Ashton's joining the army and he's leaving today. I need to go to the airport."

"I thought you two were,"

"Lisa, please, don't say it." I grab my phone and car keys and run to the car, starting it and putting LAX into my GPS. As I speed down the road, I call Jim.

"Hello?" He answers.

"Jim! It's Juliet! What time is Ashton's flight?" I ask, nervous and afraid that he already left.

"One forty-five. Why, are you coming? Where are you?"

"I just left the house. Stall until I get there! Please!"

"I'll try. You need to get here, fast."

"I know. I'm coming. Just keep him in LA until I get there." I say, hanging up. I look in the mirror to see if I look presentable when I notice something around my neck.

The necklace.

How long have I had this on?

My stomach starts to turn as I remember all of the memories I shared with Ashton and how I felt when I was with him. He made me feel like I was someone, even if we were together for a few months. I stomp on the gas and try to maneuver traffic to get to the airport faster.

By the time I get to the airport, it's one thirty-eight. I park in the first open space and jump out of the car, running across the street and almost getting hit by several cars. When I get inside the airport, I call Jim again.

"Where are you?" He answers.

"I'm here. What terminal is he in?"

"3. Hurry up!" I hang up and run for the terminal. I get a few feet before a security guard steps in-front of me.

"Ma'am, you need to go through security to get to the terminals."

"What? No! My boyfriend is about to board his flight, I have to go!"

"I'm sorry but I can't allow you past this point." I feel everything inside of me shrivel up and die. I turn around and start to walk away, but something inside of me is screaming for me to turn around. Quickly and without thinking properly, I turn around and run past the security guard. I run as fast as my legs can carry me and finally arrive at terminal 3. I see Jim with Doctor McAllister and Antonia, but I don't see Ashton. I run over to them to see tears in their eyes.

"Where is he?" I ask them. I look to Antonia and see her pointing straight ahead. I look up to see the back of a military uniform. Ashton is handing his ticket to a woman standing by a door and is about to board the plane. He walks into the boarding area just as I call his name, running towards him.

"Ashton!" I scream. I see him turn around and lock eyes with me, but just as he moves to come to me, the door closes on him. "No! Open the door!" I yell at the woman.

"Juliet." Jim says, trying to pull me away.

"Let go of me!" I find myself screaming at the top of me lungs and crying hysterically. My knees contact the floor and my hands go to my face.

He's gone.

He's really gone.