Didn't Mean It

Didn't Mean It - Chapter 18

    I knew now that Jared knew were I was I wouldn’t be safe anywhere. I didn’t care though. I would walk around this small village on this island we were on. It wasn’t long before I was acting like living in fear was normal. It had only been two days since I had proven my love for Liam before I knew everything would change. It had only been two days since I revealed where I was to the general public. It only took two days for my life to change drastically.

***

     I was walking around the small town we had resorted to with Liam. It was early afternoon and the sun was shining high in the sky. The locals had stores open that Liam and I would look in. It gave us great interest in the simplicity of these people. They knew nothing of us. They knew nothing of Liam. They couldn’t have even known who One Direction was if they wanted to. There was no electricity on this island and I questioned if Jared would even find us.

     “Ashley.” I stopped mid in my tracks as we were walking down a cobble stone road. I knew his voice from every time before. From every fight, to every make up, to the time he showed up in the hotel lobby, to right now where he was standing behind me and Liam. I turned around slowly to face Jared. He looked mad and more aggressive than ever. “You think you can run away from me?” He asked me angrily.

     “No, I was just -” He cut me off.

     “Just what? Just thought you could end it between us. I love you Ashley. You never loved me. It was all a lie.” I watched as he reached in his jacket pocket pulling out a gun. I knew that that thing could kill you if it hit you in the right spot. He held it pointing it to me. “You fucking lied to me and now you’re in some secret hiding with him. You little slut.” He said not making any effort to fire the gun yet.

     “Jared, please don’t do this.” I was begging him to calm down a little.

     “Don’t do this? Ashley it’s over from here. I’ll kill you, just like my friends killed your mum.” He snapped at me rudely. I felt tears flood my eyes knowing my biggest fear had come true.

     “You killed her?” I said stuttering over my words.

     “Fuck yeah I killed her. She wouldn’t tell me where the fuck you were so boom, dead.” He chuckled with an evil laugh making the situation even more eery than it already was.

     “Please Jared don’t do this.” I begged again.

      “You fucking broke my heart. I warned you for what would happen if you left me.” He screamed and I looked over at Liam who gave me the signal. With one swift movement I turned a mic up that was set up by the police that was now sewn into my sweater. Immediately the police were contacted and were beginning to swarm the area. I knew what was coming next though from my risky move.

     “Jared, just put the gun down.” I pleaded calmly hoping he would just put the gun down and leave it at that.

     “No fucking way.” He said putting his finger on the trigger. I felt pain serge through my left shoulder and I fell to the ground with my hand covering the bullet wound which was pouring out blood. Jared dropped the gun and fell to his knees noticing what he had done. In seconds Liam was at my side pulling me into his arms claiming everything would be alright. My breathing was heavy and tears flooded my eyes as I tried to stay calm.

     “It’s going to be okay.” Liam cooed brushing my hair out of my face. I starred up at the blue sky waiting to hear the sirens that would mark my life being saved. In seconds, swat teams had invaded the area, followed by an ambulance to save my life. The last thing I saw before the ambulance doors shut was Jared being handcuffed and arrested.

      I listened as the sirens of the ambulance screamed as the white van shaped car rushed me to the hospital. Liam held my hand as the workers applied pressure to my steadily bleeding shoulder. I could feel myself fading slowly as the ambulance rushed into the hospital parking lot. It was only seconds until everything went black.

***

      I woke up to the steady sound of my heart monitor beeping and I opened my eyes to see the white walls of the hospital almost glowing.

     “Thank god your alright.” Liam said standing up and rushing to my side.

     “How long have I been out?” I asked him.

     “Only a few hours. Your brother is on his way here. They have all of Jared’s gang in custody. You’re going to be okay.” He said once again brushing hair out of my face and pressing his lips to my forehead.

      “Is my mum really dead?” I asked him.

     “No one’s too sure yet.” He said resting his hand in mine.

     “Then why did he say it?” I asked him nervously.

      “I don’t know why. They’re trying to get it out of him. All they know is that they did abduct your mum.” He said looking me in the eyes.

     “Ashley, what were you thinking? You could have died.” Josh said opening the door with the rest of the boys close behind him.

     “I don’t know Josh. I was thinking that that was the only way to find him.” I said looking over at my brother who looked more worried than upset.

     “You could have died.” He said quietly.

     “I know, but I didn’t.” I said reassuring him.

     “You should have told us your plan.” Harry said standing behind Josh.

     “That was kind of the plan not to tell you.” Liam raised his eyebrows at Harry.

     “I would have been in on it.” He said with puppy dog eyes.

     “Yeah well we didn’t want you in on it because we didn’t want the plan leaking to twitter.” Liam looked over at Harry who did a sad face to him.

     “I wouldn’t have put it on twitter.” Harry looked down at the ground.

     “Yes you would have.” Louis said patting Harry’s back.

     “The fans would have easily found him.” Harry added in in his defense. 

     “Now that’s probably true.” Zayn added in agreeing with Harry.

      “We still don’t need that on the internet.” Josh said looking over at them.

     “Did it hurt?” Harry asked me changing the subject. 

     “Did what hurt?” I asked confused.

     “Getting shot?” He said.

     “Harry!” Louis snapped at him.

     “What?” Harry asked confused.

     “You can’t just say that.” Louis said annoyed.

     “No, it’s fine. Yes Harry it did hurt.” I said finally answering his question to calm everyone down and not yell at Harry.

     “What’d it feel like?” He asked continuing conversation.

     “Like I was going to die.” I saw Josh swallow hard when I said the word ‘die’.

     “But you’re fine now right?” Niall asked noticing Josh’s tension.

     “Yeah I’m fine.” I said with a reassuring smile so my brother would be able to calm down.