Bend or Break

Twelve

Ashton's POV

"Tour!" Tour! It's time to tour!" Luke comes dancing into the room with Sierra, our flight set to leave in half an hour.

"You are exceptionally excited to leave your girlfriend behind for three months." Cal laughs.

"Except I'm not. She is going to come visit me plenty of times." Luke grins, turning to pull Sierra into a passionate kiss.

I close my eyes as they get all lovey. Not that I hate it, or even mind when they are cuddly. It just reminds me of the mess I am in, of the pain I caused. And mostly, it reminds me that Izzy hasn't contacted me since I left her last Wednesday. I was hopeful after the way she kissed me back that morning, but the radio silence is killing me. I knew she needed space, and I knew she needed time, but I was also stupid enough to hope that would be less time than this. That I would get to see her again before I left. That she would at least call me once in the last five days.

"Hide your eyes all you want, Ash, it's your own fault you don't have someone to say goodbye to." Sierra has been really short with me over the last week, and I know I hurt her with my actions too.

"I'm not closing them to ignore you two, I'm just tired. I may have been the one who messed up, but I still hurt myself too. And the pain of hurting both Kay and Izzy is also built up on me. Don't flatter yourself thinking you two make me uncomfortable. I still think you are utterly adorable."

"That's because we are." Luke giggles.

"And obnoxious." Cal chuckles, falling against my shoulder. At least he seems to still have my back, even if he's disappointed with me.

"You know I still love you right, Ashton?" Sierra speaks up like she can read my mind. "I am beyond angry about your actions, but I still love you. I still believe you can learn from this and do better. But you also broke my best friends heart, and I have to be on her side too."

"I would be mad if you weren't on her side. I know she didn't deserve what I did to her. And someday I hope we get to a point I can apologize to her face to face. But I'm not stupid enough to believe that is anytime soon."

"So how are things going with the other half of the problem?" Luke asks, getting me to open my eyes finally.

"She isn't a part of the problem. I am the problem, she got roped into the mess because of me." I sigh, "And I have no clue. She asked for space so I gave it to her. I haven't talked to her since Wednesday morning."

"Don't you have yoga with her?" Cal chuckles.

"Yep. It was weird not talking to her every morning. But I messed up and she asked for space."

"Smart girl. Besides, you cheated on all of our friend with her, I'm just saying it would have been weird to have you bringing her around after that. You need to find someone new, who you can have a fresh start with." Sierra's words sting as they hit me. Adding fear of how my friends will treat Izzy if she ever decides to give me a chance again. Guess I'll keep that one to myself unless it happens. I know if they give her a chance they'll love her, how could you not? But they may have a prejudice that is just too large to even try. And that is all my fault...

Izzy's POV

"Em!" I grin as I see her come into the teachers lounge.

"Iz! That week felt like forever without you." She grins, dropping beside me on the couch.

"Even longer since I only saw you for like two hours between my trip out to New York and your trip." I nod, falling against her shoulder.

"So fill me in? What happened with Ashton?"