A Dramatic Turn Of Events

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

(READ THE AUTHORS NOTE AT THE END, VERY IMPORTANT.)

I have this theory. About pain. It's like drowning and the surface being just inches above. So close you can almost taste it. Yet you can't reach it.

And here I am. Drowning, I can feel the surface just above my head. But I can't reach it, I'll never be able to reach it.

Walking next to him, his hand grasping mine, it all makes sense. We, meaning Ashton and me, were never meant to work out. And honestly, I don't understand how we ever fell for each other. It's like life takes everything away from me, and then dangles this shred of happiness in my face. But just as I reach for it, life snatches it away from me.

Life is a bitch. That's the cold, hard truth..

I look up at him for probably the 500th time in the past fifteen minutes as we walk to this motel. He has a sort of happiness in his eyes. And I never want to see that look leave him. All I want is for him to be happy. For him to live a full life, a life that he very much deserves.

"What?" He says, and I hadn't even noticed him looking back at me.

"Huh?" I say.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He says never breaking eye contact. 

"Like what?"

"Like an abandoned puppy or something." He says and I feel a pang of fear strike my chest. For a moment I think he knows. He knows that I'm leaving. But how could he possibly know that. I haven't spoken a word of it to anyone. 

"Oh, I don't know. I'm just tired."I shrug casting my eyes to the concrete beneath me. "Just not myself, I guess."

He stops, still holding onto my hand so I'm forced to stop with him. He looks at me as though he's disappointed.  Like he's scolding me.

"You're insulting my intelligence. There's obviously something wrong with you." He drops my hand, and crosses his arms over his chest, his expression hard as stone.

"How the hell do you expect me to act after seeing my mother, whom I assumed was dead. And waking up in a freezer with dead, bloody, disgusting animals hanging from the ceiling for god knows how long! And then.." I pause, dropping my voice to a whisper. "... killing my own mother." I finish, defeated.

He just looks at me for a moment, holding my icy gaze. He opens his mouth, an apologetic look in his eyes. But before a word escapes his lips I step around him and begin to walk the rest of the way to the motel. It's easier this way. If I hadn't made the decision to leave I would have let him apologize and hug the shit out of him, because fighting is ridiculous. But I've made my decision, and this just makes it easier. Telling myself that I'm angry with him will help..

Not even five minutes later we arrive at the motel. A large rectangular sign above the small, maybe two or three floors, wooden building reads 'The Chestnut Inn'.

It's a cute little place.

We walk into the parking lot and head towards the front entrance, neither one of us have spoken since the argument. Once we reach the front desk, I release a breath I didn't know I was holding. Ashton leans on the desk and speaks to the man behind a small computer.

"Excuse me, sir." He says trying to get his attention. The man holds up a finger without looking up from the computer, signaling for us to wait a moment.

"What can I do for you this evening?" The man says forcing a smile, his voice lacking in enthusiasm.

"We would like to rent a room for tonight, and maybe tomorrow, if that's alright." Ashton says politely.