It was dark, and the wind carassed everyone's skin and hair as they strode along the sidewalk, their feet hitting the ground, a definite purpose in each of their steps. The sound of their shoes hitting the pavement was methodical and repetitive, one foot after the other again and again. They could all hear one another's voices echoing each other through the dense air while they approached the restaurant, excitement and hunger thriving through their veins. Aaron eagerly grabbed the handle of the door and swung it open, stomping in before everyone else.
"Finally." He chanted, taking a deep breath as he turned to face everyone else.
Ashley and Matt were behind everyone else, quietly talking, Matt sympathetically explaining how Jack had found her letter. Ashley could feel her heart pumping and her blood rushing through her entire body, her breathing becoming heavy from exertion and emotion.
"It's okay, he didn't read it. He wouldn't." Matt said reassuringly, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. Ashley took a deep breath and sighed, shaking her head. "How could I be so fucking stupid? I left it there."
"Don't worry, Ashley, it's fine."
Ashley looked ahead and realized that everyone was inside the restaurant already. Pulling herself away from Matt's hold, she covered her face with her hands and quietly sobbed. "It's not though, Matt, you don't understand. I still love him and all I can think about is the fact that he's probably laughing at me because of how fucking stupid and pathetic I am. I keep telling myself that I can suck it up and act like nothing happened between us but I fucking can't and it's-"
"Ashley, stop. Look at me."
Matt cupped Ashley's face in his hands and looked into her eyes. "Don't touch me." She quietly whispered.
"Look at me."
Ashley shut her eyes for a few moments, shaking her head. A breeze blew softly against her skin. She opened her eyes and forced herself to look up at Matt.
The streetlight lamp shone down on his face, she could see that his brow was furrowed and his lips were sent in a descending frown. His dark hair was ever so slightly being ruffled by the breeze. He met her eyes, searching them. He reached up to wipe her tears with his thumb, gazing at something behind her for a moment before looking back at her eyes.
"You really do love him, don't you," Matt said, his voice coming out in an exhale. "I know you do."
"Yes," she said, fresh tears falling down her face without consent.
"Ashley, you need to stop this, you need to stop running away from him. Jack cares about you more than anyone in the world, we all know it. You have to listen to what he has to say and let him explain why he did what he did, it's not what you think." Matt breathed out, his hand retracting from her face.
"I can't, Matt, every time I look at him it just reminds me of what we used to have and it's driving me fucking crazy. I miss him more than anything, but I can barely even look at him without wanting to break down. If he really loved me, he wouldn't have hurt me."
"Fuck Ashley, he loves you, he talks about every goddamn day. He keeps pictures of you guys in his bedroom and he watches videos of you guys together all the time. He fucking loves you."
Ashley opened her mouth to say something, until someone unexpected stepped from behind her.
It was Jack.
Ashley choked, her throat becoming tight. She realized that Matt had known Jack was behind her the whole time, and she felt a pang of betrayal and sadness thrive through her body. She wanted to run. She wanted to run until her heart couldn't pump anymore blood and it burst. She wanted to run until she couldn't feel her legs and her shoes were worn through.
YOU ARE READING
us ➳ jack gilinsky
Teen Fiction"That's the thing; you don't fall for the people who know you, but for the ones who understand you. And maybe that's why I fell for you. Because no matter how upset you were, you still had the ability to keep a smile on your face and you still had t...
