One Last Chance

Chapter Twenty

Chapter 20

 Ashton

I quickly pushed off the couch, staring at Belle's back as she left with Blake. I cursed under my breath. I was chatting with her! I wasn't... but taking everything in consideration I probably behaved like an ass. Again.

I tried to go after her, but I felt someone grab my hand. I peered down in surprise to see Lily holding me back, she was looking away, refusing to look at me. “She means so much to you?” She whispered, and I could feel the sadness in her voice.

“Lily...” I didn’t know what to say and not hurt her. But I wasn’t going to let Belle go. I opted out to put things bluntly, just like Belle, Lily didn’t deserve to be stranded along. “She means a lot more to me than you could ever imagine.” I breathed, it was my turn to look away.

“Ash... I...” She tried to talk, but her voice shook and broke as she raised her eyes and peered into mine. “Stay.” She breathed, showing me how she felt with that one word. I sighed and closed my eyes, preparing for what I had to do.

“I can’t.” I whispered, and I felt as she winced, retreating her hand on mine as if it was on fire. “I’ve hurt her too much already, Lily, I couldn’t stand hurting her again. After all those years of not even noticing it... The hurt already built up. And I don’t know if I can sooth it as it is.”

After that, I walked away. Feeling anything else might be too cruel to say. I didn’t turn around as I heard her dash to the upstairs. Still, I winced in unexpected pain that came from knowing I hurt her on purpose.

I made my way in direction Belle went slowly at first, but it quickly turned into running. I spotted her on the dock, sitting in Blake’s hands. I froze, not really knowing how to react. I slowly made my way to the line of trees that followed the dock, making next to no sound.

I felt weird as I got closer to them, it made me feel as if I was spying on them, still, no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t force myself to just approach them.  “It’s not your fault.” I heard Belle whisper and I froze in my tracks.

“True.” Blake said with a chuckle. “Still, I’m sorry he’s such an ass.”

Belle giggled this time. “I can’t help myself. For once I thought everything will be okay, but then Lily.”

Blake sighed. “Well, at least you’ve got me, waiting here for ya whenever you need me.” I tensed, biting back a growl and the rising need to shift as I edged even closer.

“You can’t.” She breathed. “I wove him. But all he does is hurt me again and again. Am I stupid?”

He laughed. “No, you’re the smartest person around, but you’ve got a soft spot for that jerk, and he’s just a clueless douche sometimes.”

“Aren’t you his best friend?” She asked, but I could feel an edge of amusement in her voice.

“Yep, I am. But you know what they say. All is fair in love and war.”

I relaxed. For a moment there I thought I hurt her enough to push her into Blake’s hands. Don’t get me wrong, what I did was awful, but I was relieved it didn’t have any more consequences. I grinned, the awful mood I was in was successfully shattered.

Still, I wasn’t planning on letting Blake off the hook so easily. I resisted the urge to chuckle as I sneaked closer to them. I was just a short distance from them when something snapped under my feet. I stilled, as Blake started to turn around.

With a victory shout I rushed forward and pushed both of them right into the water. I laughed as Belle shrieked and pushed Blake deeper into the water by accident as she struggled to quickly get out of the water.