The Hot Coach

28. Toxic

"Please say something." After I told Ashton everything that's happened since I've been home he pulled over and we've been parked on the side of the road for about ten minutes in silence.

He just looks at the steering wheel, unsure of what to say.

"Ashton-" I reach for him but he moves and I flinch, sinking further into his leather seats.

"I thought you loved me." He turns to look at me and I see hurt evident in his eyes.

"It's more complicated than that." I try to reason with him but he shakes his head.

It's not that I don't love him anymore it's that I might love Damon too now. Now that that's settled into my brain I can't just forget about it because Damon screwed up this one time. He's become a big part of my life and I refuse to give it up because Ashton is here.

"I'm sorry Ashton, but you have to understand I never thought I would see you again."

"So you just fuck the first guy you met? Huh? Is that what we're doing now?" The disrespect in his voice when he talks to me makes me sick and pissed off all over again. He sounds almost disgusted.

"What is with you all thinking I'm fucking every one?!" I yell at him before unbuckling my seatbelt and getting out of his car making sure I slam it behind me. I start walking in the direction we came from, knowing exactly where I'm going when I hear another car door slam.

"You don't walk away from me!" Ashton turns me to look at him and I cross my arms.

"You have no right to be mad at me! It's been over a fucking year. Did you expect me to wait for you to come back for me? To find me and save me? Because I don't need you to fucking save me I am doing just fine!"

"You're fine? You're doing fine? Then why did you call me in a hurry to go get you and Hannah? Why were you hurt when I picked you up? Don't act so tough Elle, don't forget I know all of the skeletons in your closet okay? I fucking know!" He gets closer to me and yells back.

"Don't bring up my past! That's a shitty thing to do all things considered. You're not exactly a fucking saint Ashton. You were there too." I spit the words and his whole expression changes from pissed off to shocked before his face turns into a snarl. He moves closer to my face before speaking.

"I don't know what you're talking about Elle." My breathing is heavy as I watch him walk away.

"Ashton!" I yell at his retreating figure but he continues to walk towards his car.

"You fucking coward!" I yell at his back and he stops in his tracks. He turns to face me and the look in his eyes could kill. My teary eyes meet his own as he begins speed walking towards me. I shake my head and back up but he reaches for me, grabbing my face in his hands.

I try to move and break his hold but he just grips tighter.

"No no, stop! Look at me. Look at me!" I stop struggling as he hold my head still to look into his eyes. He puts his forehead against mine and my breathing starts to even out.

"It never fucking happened." I shake my head and start to pull away again but he holds onto my neck making me whimper.

*FLASHBACK **A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, New York

"Hurry up! We're running late!" Ashton yells from his kitchen and I open the curtain from his bathroom upstairs.

"Can't you fucking wait? Haven't you heard you never show up in time to a party?" I close the curtain again and Serena laughs.

"He's gonna kick your ass." I shake my head as I put all of our make up away.

"He loves me too much." I wink at her as we put on our outfits and look in the mirror one last time.

Serena is wearing a short black dress that comes mid thigh paired with Lace knee high gray boots and I'm wearing a nude dress with with matching heels.

"Can we fucking go now?!" Ashton yells again and I roll my eyes.

"Slow your fucking roll, we're coming!"

"Let's go before he throws a fit." We walk down the stairs and Ashton nods as he makes hand motions for us to hurry up. He locks his door and starts walking to his car without us.

"What's up his ass?" Serena loops her arm through mine and we follow behind him, taking our time.

"I don't know," I shrug, "he's been acting weird all day."

We get into the car and Ashton drives to his "friends house" to some party he's been talking about he HAS to go to. I wasn't about to come by myself so I invited Serena and I figured that's why he's been in a bad mood. I wasn't going to tell her that though.

"Wow, only the rich people live over here." Serena sits up between the seats as we gawk at the houses.

"Babe, who did you say your friend was?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"Uh, you'll meet him when we get there." He brushes me off and I nod, figuring to leave him alone. Ashton's never been mad at me before and it's kind of irritating me.

Ashton parks his car on a random street and I'm about to open my door when he grabs my arm.

"Wait. Both of you." He says making Serena and I pause.

"If anyone asks you, you're both 21 and that is ALL you tell them. Do you understand me?" I roll my eyes and Serena laughs.

"Okay DAD." he snaps catching both of our attention.

"I'm not fucking playing. Don't talk to anyone, don't take drinks from anyone, and do NOT leave the main room. I'm going to ask you one more time. Do you two understand me?" He looks frantic as his eyes linger on me for a minute before switching between the two of us. That should've been my first sign to get out of there.

** FLASHBACK OVER. CURRENT TIME** Texas

I wasn't expecting for those to be the words he said. I was expecting him to comfort me like he always tries to but he's being violent again.

I never liked this side of him. After that night he had a lot of violent episodes and it never ended good.

"Ashton please let me go." I whine and he pulls back as if my face and neck burned his hands. He glares at me one final time before walking away.

"You're fucking toxic." I spit the words at his retreating figure and he opens his car door, he shakes his head before looking me in the eyes.

"No baby, we're toxic." With that he gets in the car and drives away. I stand there for a minute, not sure what to do next.