leave him // a.i {au}

25

present day

"I just don't know how to help her," Stevie said, referring to her sister. "She won't even speak to me."

Kaylee was sitting next to her friend on the couch, while Ashton was sitting on the couch opposite them. He hadn't said a word since he remembered something about Aaron.

"Maybe she just needs time to adjust. I mean, she couldn't have planned on getting pregnant."

Stevie nodded. "Yeah, I guess. I can't imagine what she's going through."

"None of us can. The only thing we can do is be there for her, support her," Kaylee said, her voice soothing.

Ashton couldn't take it any longer, with this new information he had discovered. He couldn't sit there and act like everything was going to be fine because he knew everything was going to explode sooner or later. He got up and went into Kaylee's bedroom, laying back on her bed.

He could hear their voices in the living room, but he had stopped listening. A few moments later the voices ceased and Kaylee entered the bedroom.

"Ash, are you alright? Ever since Stevie said her sister was pregnant, you've been acting weird." She sat on her knees next to him, placing a hand on his arm.

"I wish I'd never found Aaron. Everything would be a whole lot less complicated for me," he sighed, running his hands through his hair.

"Babe, you can't keep doing this to yourself. You have to remember that you can't control anyone's actions but your own. To be honest, I'm glad you stumbled upon what you did because now Stevie can learn the truth."

"She doesn't believe it though."

"Eventually, she'll have to. There's no way Aaron can hide this forever and we have to be there for her no matter when she discovers that he's an asshole."

Ashton just nodded, wishing he could tell Kaylee what he remembered. He just didn't want everything to become even more complicated.

"Now, I'm gonna run out and get something for us to eat. I want you to keep Stevie company, ok? I don't think she should be alone."

The couple made their way back into the living room. Stevie was mindlessly doing something on her phone, occasionally sniffling.

"Chinese ok?" Kaylee asked and Stevie nodded in response, not taking her eyes away from her phone. "Alright, I'll be back soon," she said giving Ashton a quick kiss. "Be nice," she whispered in his ear which he returned with an eye roll.

Once Kaylee was gone, Ashton sat down on the couch next to Stevie, but kept quite a bit of distance between them. "I'm sorry," he said.

Stevie stopped what she was doing on her phone and turned to look at him. Ashton found her eyes and noticed that they were empty where once they were filled with life. If Aaron made her so happy like she said, why didn't she look happy?

"For what?" she asked, breaking him out of his daze.

He shrugged. "I just wanted to do the right thing and I'm sorry if you felt I was trying to ruin your wedding. I want you to be happy, Stevie."

"I don't remember the last time I was happy. Sure, there are moments when I feel something close to happiness, like when Aaron holds me in his arms or when I'm teaching. But something always seems off, like I'm living my life all wrong."

Ashton wasn't sure what to say, but he was glad she was finally being honest with him. He always could tell when she was lying or only telling part of the truth.

"But I can't leave Aaron now, I need him. Even if he has cheated on me, I think I could forgive him, but I know he wouldn't do that."

Ashton sighed. "It is your choice, I guess, but I know what I saw. He's not a good guy, Stevie."

"You don't know him!" she raised her voice.

He didn't want to fight, so he went into the kitchen to get plates and glasses for when Kaylee returned, which was luckily a few minutes later.

"What happened?" Kaylee asked, noticing the tension. Both Stevie and Ashton just shrugged. "You guys are such children," she groaned, setting the food down on the table.

She grabbed Ashton's arm, almost causing him to drop a glass, and dragged him to her bedroom.

"What?" Ashton asked.

"Tell me what's gotten into you where you can't at least be civil," she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I just want her to open her eyes. She's acting delusional that Aaron can be a good guy and said that if he was cheating, that she could forgive him."

"That's her choice to make, but I understand where you're coming from. She does need to see that he's betraying her."

"More than you know," he muttered.

"What do you mean?" Kaylee asked, clearly confused.

"I know who he's having an affair with," Ashton said slowly, deciding that this information should be out in the open.

Kaylee's eyes widened as she waited for him to continue, but she was not ready for what he was about to say.

"It's Bailey, Aaron's the one that got her pregnant."

hi, hope you liked this chapter. (: did any of you figure out that stevie's sister as the one aaron was cheating with? please vote and comment. xx zoe