twenty one
"Shannon wait!" I heard a faint voice call after me as I turned away.
"What?" I mumbled softly. Ashton quickly stood up and followed after me. He pulled me back into the room and lightly pushed me up against the wall. His eyes seemed to wander across my face as he spoke.
"You were right, I was using you," I felt a pinch in my heart as I tried to shove him away. "At least I thought I was," he spoke softly. "I can't get you out of my head."
"I don't believe you," I mumbled.
"I think about you every minute of everyday. And I don't think I can pretend to hate you anymore, because I think I have feelings for you, feelings that won't go away." He spoke. His voice seemed angry yet meaningful. His eyes fell as he began to regret what he said.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and looked into his eyes. I planted a soft kiss on his lips. I felt his hands move down my back as our lips danced against each other's. He quickly grasped my hips and placed me on the counter. He stood between my legs and continued to kiss me. His finger began to lift the hem of my shirt. I soon felt his cold hands resting on my bare back. He began to lift my shirt even farther up my torso. I slowly pulled away and looked at him. He looked at me in confusion for a moment before he understood what I meant.
"You're a virgin?" He spoke quickly. I felt his body pull father from mine. I could feel my heart sinking as he moved. "You're seventeen!" His voice was frail but had a hint of shock. "I can't do this to you," He grabbed his jacket off of the couch and grabbed his cigarettes off of the counter beside me.
"Ashton?" I spoke softly.
"Stop!" He snapped. "I'm leaving while I can control myself." He quickly rushed out of the room and down the hallway. His anger was back, just as I keep thinking it's gone.
---
After Ashton's disappearance, I patiently waited for Luke to finish his observations so he could take me home. I couldn't help but feel my heart sinking with each moment.
Witching about an hour, Jenna had returned from her tests.
"What's the matter with you?" She chuckled. I smiled and sat down at the end of her bed.
"Nothing, Ashton went to catch some air a few hours ago, I'm sure he's alright," I said softly as she began to search around the room for him.
"Oh, alright dear. The doctor said she'd be back in a while to give us my test results."
"Sounds great, do you need anything?" I asked. She smiled and put a hand on my knee.
"No sweetie, I want to thank you for helping Ashton and I out the last couple weeks, I know it's been hard on you."
"It's really no problem," I answered quickly.
"You're saving my life dear, it's a pretty big deal," she chuckled. "You know if I go, Ashton has nowhere to go?"
"He's told me," I mumbled.
"So you know about his parents?"
"No, he hasn't shared." I quickly had flashbacks to the night Ashton had pressed me up against his car and told me never to speak about them again.
"Ask him about it, he seems to really like you and I think it's time you learn about it." She smiled softly. In that moment, the doctor walked into the room and set her binder down at the foot of her bed.
"Good news," she said quickly. Jennifer grasped onto my hand in excitement. "You can go home next week," the tumor has started to settle and we think you can stay home until you can seek treatment.
"Oh thank you so much!" She yelled. Her eyes began to water and she pulled me into a hug. "Go find Ashton and tell him the news!"
I nodded my head and stood up. I grabbed my things and walked out of the room. I had a grin on my face the entire walk to the front doors. I had grabbed my mother's keys out of her office and decided to take her car rather than waiting for Luke.
After a short drive, I pulled into Ashton's drive way. I sat there for a few minutes trying to decided if I should even consider speaking to him after what had happened earlier today.
I decided that the information Jenna had told me to deliver was far to important. I stepped out of the car and walked up to the front door.
After a few short knocks, I stepped inside and softly called Ashton's name. I walked up the small stairs and down the hall to his open bedroom door.
My heart sank, my entire body filled with regret and sorrow as I peered into the room.
Ashton and Amber.
She was picking up one of Ashton's flannels, the same one he had lent me a few times before, off of the floor and slipping it onto her body. Ashton was slipping a pair of black jeans on while he stood beside her.
The atmosphere shifted when his soft eyes met mine. They had been filled with guilt as he stared at me. My natural instinct was to flee, and that's exactly what I did.
"Shannon!" I heard his voice call after me. I continued to walk down the hallway as my thoughts came flooding through my brain.
Everything he said to me earlier, every moment we had shared was shattered within that moment, he was with her, he slept with her after he tricked me into thinking that we could possibly be something.
My thoughts were interrupted when I felt a large hand tug onto my sweater. I tumbled back into his arms. I turned around and pushed him away. My face showed no emotion. It was what I was used to. Disappointment.
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before anyone says this is moving to quickly, i would like to point out that this entire book should end up being thirty chapters.