Forbidden Love » a.i. (completed)

Chapter Twenty Nine

The feeling of dried tears were plastered on my cheeks as I woke up in my bed. At first, my mind didn't comprehend what my body was doing. Why was I crying? What could have happened that made me cry? I finally got the energy to get out of bed and go to the bathroom. I must say, the sight was horrifying.

On my left cheek was a huge red mark, you could see the purple starting to form around the outside. Then it all clicked. My dad was so drunk last night, he actually hit me. The one thing he swore a man should never do, he did. I sniffed up my tears, I was done crying. I was done.

My mind went back and forth with my decision. Should I stay or should I go? I was terrified of my dad, and my mum was only in London, which has great schools I could attend. But then again, I have Sarah and Ashton here. Ashton would protect me from anything, and Sarah was my life-long friend. I couldn't just leave them behind, could I? This was my life, and if they cared enough about me, they would let me go.

My mind was made up when I grabbed a random suitcase at the bottom of my closet and started to pile all of my clothes in there. I grabbed my phone and sent a quick message to my mum telling her I was going out there to live with her. I didn't give her details why, I just asked for the address so I could take a cab down to her place.

I was moving away from the country I grew up in. This held all the memories I had as a kid, as well as memories I am currently making. Ashton was the person I thought I loved, but now it was coming to an end. I don't think the distance would work, and the fact that he's starting to get famous wasn't helping. They just finished their first debut, and now are thinking about touring with One Direction. Now that I'm leaving, he wouldn't have to worry about his girlfriend. I was just disappearing from his life.

Once I zipped up the heavy luggage, I went downstairs so I could call a taxi to come and pick me up. I was expecting my dad to be gone, so I left him a note in my room if he ever decided to go in there, asking me for something. But here he was, in the kitchen, with tears down his face. When I stopped in my tracks, he heard the sound of my shoes against the wood. "Alexandria."

I held up my hand as he stepped closer to me. My eyes were closed as I felt the sting of last night across my cheek. It haunted me, "Don't. I'm going to visit with mum. I don't know when I'll come back, or if I'll come back. Just don't bother to call me."

I finally opened my eyes to see him drop his hands and break down. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know what happened to me. I would never purposely hurt you at all. I love you so much! I would never hurt my little girl." He pleaded and pleaded, but I wouldn't have it. He would say this, and then go out drinking again. He would never stop.

"I love you too, dad. I'll have mum email you every few months telling you how I'm doing. Have a good, alcohol filled, life dad." I finished as I stepped out the front door and called a cab. First stop, Sarah's house.

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"Why do you have to leave? You can live with me!" she cried onto my shoulder, as I cried onto hers. I've already been here for hours, but it was perfectly fine. I adored Sara, and I was upset I was leaving her for London. I didn't know if I would stay there forever, but I just needed to get away from all of this for a little while.

"I know it's hard, but we'll keep in contact every single day," I promised her as I got up, pulling her along with me. "I promise you'll always be my best friend. We'll call everyday, and we'll even Skype if we can. I won't forget you!"

She nodded her head and let the last few tears fall from her eyes, "I'm going to miss you more than Ashton will."

Ashton. He was the last person I wanted to see. I didn't want to end anything with him, but I knew it would be best. He's starting his new life, and I'll be starting mine. I would keep in contact with everybody, but I didn't want to bother him with the labels anymore. "I've got to go. We'll text everyday, right?"

She smiled sadly, "Wouldn't miss it for the world. We'll visit, too?"

"Of course."

With that, I hugged her for the last time and had to drag myself outside and away from the only friend I had. It felt like I was dying. Sarah and I were like one person. We shared everything together, whether it be about food, or maybe even our deepest darkest secrets. We were the best of friends.

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The cab stopped outside of Ashton's flat. I noticed his car parked outside, so I knew he was home. I didn't know what I was expecting to happen, but it needed to none the less. I had to get this over with. I made my way up their porch and knocked on the door. I waited and waited, it feeling like hours. Maybe it was the anticipation.

"Alex?" Luke's deep voice filled my ears. I stood there staring at him for minutes, not knowing what to say. I was literally frozen on the spot. I didn't know that tears were falling, but Luke brought me back to reality, "What's the matter?"

I shook my head, wiping away the fresh tears, "I j-just wanted to say g-goodbye. I'm m-moving to London with m-my mum. Do you k-know where Ashton is?" I choked out, covering my face with my hands. I hated crying in front of everybody, but right now, it was terrible.

My body was suddenly wrapped in Luke's big arms as he squeezed the life out of me, "We're going to text constantly okay? I want to know what happens, and when it happens. If you're being intimate with someone, I should know about it the second it happens. I mean it, Alex, we're never going to forget each other."

I smiled, "You're so much like Sarah," I said smiling up at him. He smiled back down at me a lightly kissed my forehead. I held back the tears as he stepped back and called for Ashton. It was like a brick hitting me in the face. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Ashton standing there with a look of shock on his face.

"What's wrong?" he asked me as he rushed to my side. I bit my lip as I thought about the way I could word this. Should I be blunt about it and just say 'I'm moving' or should I give it time and explain everything that has happened? Should I tell him that my dad slapped me and I was scared? No, because he would go to my house and beat the living shit out of him and tell me I could stay with him. He would try to persuade me to stay here, and it would work. I would crumble under his spell, and he would convince me nothing is better than Australia. Maybe there's not, but I'm not willing to give up that easily. I could explore the world, and maybe something better was out there for me to see. Maybe this small country wasn't where I was meant to be. "Alex?"

I looked up at his hazel eyes, and I cracked. Before I could say another word, he pulled me into his chest and let me soak his shirt with tears. I tried to pull back, but he wouldn't let me. This was only making it harder. "A-Ash." he pulled back and looked directly at me. I took a deep breath and just let it all out. "I'm moving to London with my mum today. I don't know if I'll ever be b-back, but I might visit."

His face dropped, "You're moving?"

I sighed and looked to my feet, "I just need space from everything. Stuff happened, and I don't have the energy to handle it. I'm not safe here, Ash."

"You're safe with me. You can live with me and Luke, no problem. We have an extra bedroom that you can take, and nothing would be bad. I'll protect you if you let me."

There it is. The persuading. "Ashton, I love you so much, but that's not how this works. It only happens in storybooks. Sometimes, you've got to deal with the reality."

He nodded sadly, "We can work with distance then." I let a few tears fall down my face as I shook my head 'no'. I had my mind made up and it wasn't going to change. 

"So, you're saying, we're over?" he asked slowly, as if he didn't believe it. It broke my heart hearing the sorrow in his voice, but I stood my ground and nodded my head yes. He looked at me with tears in his eyes, "Well, I guess this is goodbye, then." he held out his arms for me to get wrapped up in. I took the offer, enjoying the last hug I would probably ever get from him.

Once we hugged for minutes, I pulled away and leaned on my tip toes. I pressed my lips to his softly then whispered, "I've always loved you."

"I'll always love you."

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-edited-