The Spill Over

[56] Can't Risk Losing.

So I'm going to be uploading really quickly since I'm just dying to get over with TPOMLH:P Song of the chapter is How To Be A Heartbreaker by Marina & The Diamonds.

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Zac heaved a sigh of relief when he thought he spotted Ashley on the beach, sitting close to the water. After peering at the silhouette in front of him for a while, and once he was sure that it was Ashley who was sitting a few metres ahead of him, he softly walked up to her. Zac stood behind Ashley and gazed at her while she, oblivious to his presence, continued sitting with her head buried into her hands.

"Hey, Ashley?" Zac kneeled down as he gently called out to the girl next to him. As she didn't give any signs of responding to him, he hesitantly tapped on her shoulder. "Ash? It's me, Zac."

Ashley jerked her head up, looking startled. She quickly pulled off her earphones, looking scared. The moment she saw Zac curiously kneeling in front of her, she visibly relaxed, relieved to have seen a familiar face instead of an unknown one. She stared at the ground and occasionally glanced at Zac, waiting for him to say something. Zac, on the other hand, waited for her to say something first.

"Hey," Zac started.

"Hi . . ." Ashley replied awkwardly. "What are you doing here?"

Zac raised his eyebrows. "I should ask you that, actually. Don't you know that the tide's gonna come in any moment now?" He frowned as his eyes roamed over her face. "And why does it look like you've been crying?"

"The tide's gonna come in right now?" Ashley asked anxiously. "I really didn't know that. I think we should go back now, c'mon." She began getting up, but couldn't go ahead because Zac had pulled her down.

"You still haven't answered my second question, Ash; have you been crying?" Zac asked her in a firm, yet gentle manner.

"Let go of my hands, Zac," Ashley said, her voice shaking. "Please?"

"I will, only if you answer my question."

Ashley nodded meekly. "I will. You leave my hands, and I'll answer you." She struggled to release her hands from Zac's grip. "Zac! I'm serious. Leave my hands."

Zac hastily left Ashley's hands and ran his hands through his hair instead as he sat down along with Ashley, to her right. "Sorry," he murmured.

"It's fine."

Zac nodded looking relieved. He turned to his left and looked at Ashley's face, taking in her red, and somewhat swollen, eyes. "Ash, answer me," he repeated, trying to speak as calmly as possible.

Ashley sighed exasperatedly as she rubbed her eyes. "What do you wanna know, Zac?"

"Why are you crying?" Zac asked bluntly. "It's pretty obvious you were crying, your eyes are all red and swollen. Just sayin', but there's no point denying that fact."

Ashley gawked at him. "Wh- What?"

"Seriously Ash, tell me."

"I was crying because I'm uh," Ashley paused. "Missing home?" she ducked her head, ashamed at her feeble attempt at lying.

Zac, being the analysing person that he was, saw right through her. "Really now?" He continued speaking as Ashley didn't reply. "So you aren't upset because I asked Shannon out?" 

Ashley was dumbstruck. She tried to speak, but no words came out of her mouth.

"It was a dare Ash. Shan's a really just a friend and I think she's a very nice person. That doesn't mean I'll ask her out though." Zac spoke sincerely as he gazed at Ashley.