Thin White Lies | a.i.

Fifteen Part 2

Lily doesn't remember a lot. It sort of came and went in flashes.

Ashton running for her, the boys not far behind.

Darkness.

Being ripped from the horrible man's arms.

Darkness.

Ashton pushing her in the direction of the boys, Luke reaching out to hold her.

Darkness.

Ashton pushing the man.

Darkness.

Punch. Punch. Punch. Punch.

Darkness.

Punches. So many punches. Not a single one being thrown by the man. Only by a very angry Ashton. And the sound of something cracking, echoing loudly in Lily's ears.

Darkness.

Blood. Lot's of it.

Darkness.

"Ashton, you're gonna kill him, man!"

Punch.

"He's had enough, Ashton, let's go!"

Punch.

"Ashton!"

Punch.

Darkness.

Michael and Calum running towards the fray, wripping Ashton from the man's unconscious body. It was a complete blood bath, and Lily had never been more terrified in her life, and no longer of the now bruised and broken man laying on the floor. Ashton's white t-shirt was stained in blood, his knuckles a deep red, stained with chrimson. His face covered in spits and splatters of a man who was now completely unrecognisable.

Darkness.

He was right in front of her, reaching for her. Pleading. Calling her name. Begging for her. Lily cowered back, away from him.

"Dude, get the hell away from her, she's scared."

"Lily, please."

His hands were shaking. So were Lily's. She couldn't hear a thing, she could hardly even see. All she knew was that Ashton had just almost killed a man. She wanted him to be the one to comfort her, not to the one to scare her half to death.

"Lily," he begged, reaching out for her once more, his knuckles scraping her skin. Blood. He left behind blood. It was that man's. Ashton had beat that man half to death.

"Call the police," someone said, Lily wasn't sure who. She was too busy staring at the blood on her hands. Luke still had his arms wrapped around her, sheltering her.

She wanted to look at Ashton, but she couldn't bring herself to, afraid that if she did, she'd look at him differently. See him in a different light.

"Wait here," Luke said, placing Lily down on the side walk as he stood, reaching in his pocket for his phone and placing it against his ear. Lily had no idea who he was calling. It didn't matter. She looked back, towards the man as he lay unconscious in the alleyway.

She knew he was about to potentially hurt her in unspeakable ways. But . . . her lip wobbled at the thought of him. She'd never been scared of Ashton before, not until that very moment. Not until that night.

"Lily," Ashton pleaded, trying yet again to get to her.

"Please, don't touch me," she said, her tone urgent and sharp as she shook her head, refusing to look at him.