Rescue

Chapter Fourteen: Riley

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I hissed.

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“So you came to my fucking house? Do you realize how fucking creepy that is? Chill the fuck out, man.”

“Hey, your brother is the one that let me in! Yell at him.”

“You could have at least waited outside my room!” I shouted.

        I walked inside and started putting my stuff away. I dropped my bag at the foot of my bed and sat down at the desk.

“What do you want?” I asked, turning towards Ashton.

“I just want to talk to you.”

“I told you that I didn’t want to deal with all of this, Ashton.”

“I know, but…”

        He trailed off and stared at the floor.

“But what?” I asked.

“Can I talk, please?” he asked me. “If you say no then I’ll leave right now and I’ll never bother you again, but I want to tell you what happened today. I want to tell you what happened all together.”

        Ashton looked up at me with pleading eyes and I sighed.

“Go ahead.” I told him.

“After you left Calum walked up and made a comment and I ended up pinning him up against the lockers because I got so mad. I was mad at him for being better with the whole thing than I was. He was there for you and I wasn’t. I was being selfish and I only cared about what I wanted, I didn’t think about how any of it was affecting you.”

        Ashton looked down at the floor and sighed.

“Michael came up and told me to chill out and I realized what I was doing. I don’t know how that made me realize it, but it did. I let go of Calum and I apologized and I left the school and went and got into my car. I was just going to go home, but then the guys came out and got in and decided we were just going to get my mind off everything. Michael suggested going and getting wasted, he told me that I would be able to forget your name this way. Right before I pulled out of the parking lot, I looked up and saw you walking across the parking lot and all I knew was that I didn’t want to forget it. I still don’t want to.”

“What does this have to do with you being here?” I asked.

“I’m getting there,” Ashton said. “Just give me time, please.”

        I nodded and Ashton continued.

“We stopped by a store and Michael ran inside and bought some beer and then we headed to the beach. We sat there and we drank all 3 packs that Michael had bought, Luke didn’t because he’s still 17, but Calum and Michael and I did. Yet even after twelve fucking beers I still couldn’t forget you. I couldn’t forget you and I couldn’t forget your name and I couldn’t forget your hair and the way it falls over your shoulders and I couldn’t forget the color of your eyes and how they’re green but have little specks of blue and I couldn’t forget the way your laugh sounds and I couldn’t forget the way you say my name.”

        Ashton paused for a second and took a deep breath.

“I love how you say my name. I love how it sounds in your southern accent and I love every word that comes out of your mouth. I couldn’t forget any of them, I couldn’t get your voice out of my head. I couldn’t forget how it felt and how it tasted when I kissed you. I know you hated it, I know you had to have hated it, I know that’s why you’ve been so pissed at me, but I loved it. I couldn’t get it out of my head. I couldn’t forget the day when you ran into me at the pizza place and then again the next day at the beach and we were on the same beach so it just made it worse and it seemed to me that the more that I drank, the harder it was to forget you. I forgot every single last thing except for you and anything having to do with you and my mind was just filled with you and your scent and your voice and everything and it was driving me crazy.”

        I assumed Ashton was still drunk because he spoke quickly and his words were slightly slurred.

“I couldn’t take it anymore so I came here. I just got up and walked here and Luke kept calling after me but I ignored him and Michael and Calum were too shitfaced to see that I had even gotten up and I still don’t know how I managed to make it here alive, but I did and I knocked on the door and your brother let me in and I said I needed to talk to you and he told me to just go upstairs and wait for you and I don’t know why I came in but I did and I sat here and I waited for you and I sat here thinking and hurting because I know you hate me and I don’t blame you because I really hate me too and I don’t blame you for not speaking to me but I don’t want you to hate me. I want you to forgive me because I like you, Riley, I really really like you and I know I haven’t know you for very long, but I do! I’m sorry that I kissed you and I’m sorry that I made you so mad and I’m sorry that I hurt you and I hope you forgive me because I didn’t mean to hurt you or make you angry or anything like that.”

        Ashton looked up at me.

“I am falling in love with you, Riley Kane, and I don’t care who knows it and I don’t care if you don’t want anyone to know it because as long as you know it then I’m okay and if you never want to see me again then I’ll get up and leave right now and you’ll never have to see me again but I really hope that’s not the case because I want you in my life because you make everything so much better just by being around!”

        Ashton’s voice shook more and more with each word that he spoke. I got up and sat down on my bed and leaned against the wall.

“Ashton…” I said quietly.

“No,” he said. “Please don’t. I know I said I’d leave and I will but I really don’t want to because I want you in my life and I’m not 100% sure but I’m pretty sure that I need you in my life and I know I told Astrid that I would never hurt you and I know I did and I know that she wants to kill me right now but I promise that I will never hurt you ever again as long as you give me the chance to prove to you how good of a guy I am and how could that I can be for you.”

        I sighed and pulled Ashton towards me.

“Shhh,” I whispered. “It’s okay, Ashton.”

        Ashton pulled his feet onto my bed and curled up, laying his head down on my lap.

“Please don’t make me go.” he said quietly. “Please just don’t do it.”

        I ran my hands through his hair, twirling my fingers around the large brown curls.

“Shhh, don’t talk.”

        I felt something warm and wet hit my leg and looked down to see Ashton’s eyes close but he was crying.

“Please, Riley…” he said quietly.

“Shhh.” I said once more.

        I leaned back against the wall and sighed as I watched the tears roll down his cheeks. What the fuck did I do?