leave him // a.i {au}

35

"I see you two have made up." Kaylee's voice made Stevie and Ashton jump apart. She was standing in the doorway of Stevie's room, arms crossed over her chest.

"Why are you here?" Stevie asked, trying to clean herself up a little. Ashton could tell it was bothering her to be in front of them in this condition.

Kaylee shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I thought I'd come check in on you."

"Again, why?" Stevie knitted her eyebrows together in confusion.

She walked further into the room tentatively. "Because we were best friends. I want to get back there. Don't you?"

Ashton felt awkward watching this exchange between them, so he stood up. "I'm going to let you two talk, okay?" He looked into Stevie's sad eyes, pleading for him to stay. He kissed her forehead before standing up to leave. His eyes met Kaylee's on his way out and he could feel the betrayal she was emoting.

On his way out, he had to pass by Bailey's room. Her door was cracked open and he could see that she was lying on her side with her phone pressed to her ear. Knowing he shouldn't eavesdrop, he began to walk away. Bailey's voice carried though and he heard, "I want to give the baby up for adoption. I'm not fit to be a mother, okay? And I know that deep down you don't really love me or this baby."

Ashton walked back to Bailey's room and stood outside, continuing to listen. There was a long pause before he heard her say, "I think we should end things. I don't want to see you anymore." He was shocked. This Bailey seemed like an entirely different girl, so he didn't know whether to believe what she was saying. When she hung up, Ashton pushed the door open.

"What are you still doing here?" she asked. It was obvious that she had been crying from the puffiness and redness of her eyes.

"I wanted to ask if you were alright," he said. Even though cheating with Aaron was horrible, she's only human and made an awful mistake. Ashton felt as though she needed someone to help her and guide her back onto the right path, even though he wasn't sure she was ever on the right path.

"Why would you even care if I was okay?" she snapped, slowly sitting up.

"You're Stevie's sister and I can't imagine what you're going through. Someone needs to ask how you are."

"Whatever. I broke up with Aaron. I've realized that I want to go to college and I know that I can't give this baby the life he deserves."

"It's a boy?"

Bailey nodded. "I found out two weeks ago. No one knows except for my mom and I. To be honest, I wish I didn't know. That way, I wouldn't be as attached to him as I am. It's going to be hard to give him away, but I have to."

Ashton nodded. "It's your decision."

"Thank you," she said and began to cry. Standing up, she wrapped her arms around Ashton the best she could. Tentatively, he hugged her back and knowing this is what she needed. "I don't deserve you being nice to me, but that's who you've always been."

Ashton chuckled. "I'm not that nice, but thanks." He thought back to how he got into his accident and that Stevie told him he punched Aaron.

"I guess not, considering that shiner you gave Aaron. He so deserved that though. I do too, but thanks for not punching me in the face."

"Don't mention it," he smiled. "I'll see you around, okay?" Bailey nodded and laid back down.

Once outside Stevie's house, he pulled out a cigarette. Where it used to relieve stress, it now made him feel nothing. He stamped it out on the sidewalk, deciding that it was a habit he didn't need anymore.

"Hey, stranger," Kaylee said walking out of the house.

"Hi," he nervously responded. "How was it with Stevie?"

"She's a wreck, but that's to be expected. Bailey's in there talking to her now. I think that's the relationship that needed the most fixing."

"Look, I'm sorry. I know we were together and maybe what we had was a good thing, but I don't feel anything now. I don't have any of those memories and I don't want to force something with us. That's not fair to you or to me."

"I figured. It's okay, Ash. I've realized not everything in life turns out how you want it to. Maybe I don't deserve to be happy with the only person that's ever made me happy."

He sighed, closing his eyes. "You deserve to be happy, Kaylee. Just because we aren't together doesn't mean you can't find happiness in something else, like running or finding a new hobby."

Kaylee nodded. "I know. And I think I've started to mend my friendship with Stevie, so maybe we can be friends again. Maybe I can even be friends with you too."

"Of course," Ashton smiled. He gently hugged Kaylee, her scent familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. He wondered how long this confusion would last and if he would ever get all of his memories back.

wow, it's been a long time. sorry for the lack of updates, but school is stressful and i've been having more health problems again. :/ anyway, hope you enjoy the update and please vote/comment. xx zoe