chapter 24 ;; cashton

eighteen

He knew I knew how to get out of there, and we would fight about it all of the time. I'd end up saying that I swear I didn't, and I just wanted to stay with him. He insisted that I had to go. Do something. Be something. Feel something.

"Just tell me how to end this!" he yelled, his face going red as I hid my fists under my jumper. I stayed quiet and sat down on the grass. My jeans were satched because of it, but I didn't mind. I just had to try and pretend Ashton wasn't there.

"I don't want to leave you here."

"Fucking hell, Calum, you won't leave me here."

"How will I not?" I asked, looking up him. The way the streetlight shone on him made him look so perfect and cliché that I wanted to vomit.

"You'll tell Luke to put the story back up." The firmness in his voice made me want to believe him, but I just couldn't.

I didn't know why I had to go and tear up the single shred of hope he had left, but I did. "I can't. When Luke deletes things, he deletes things."

"Just name it the same. Write 'Ashton went out of the story' and it should happen."

I bit my lip, shaking my head. I knew it wouldn't work. But I didn't say anything. I could just give him false hope until the end. "Okay." I whispered, getting up and walking out of the park. I didn't want to talk about it anymore.

I went home and drank every alcoholic beverage in the fridge, as the author had no idea about how much alcohol you could drink until you're dead, and I couldn't die, so. I was pissed, laughing at myself as I saw Ashton. He looked disappointed, but grabbed the bottle I was drinking and drunk it all.

We danced around in the kitchen, Ed Sheeran playing on the radio quietly. We attempted a slow dance, and Ashton had to take me by the sides to get me to not fall over.

I knew it had only been a few hours, but I'd missed him already. I knew I was sobering up when the feeling of the carpet didn't feel so fucking weird to me, and Ashton's eyes were a lot clearer than they were before.

"Ash," I mumbled. "I'm gonna miss you if I leave."

"What do you mean 'if'? You will; I'll make you."

"Not if I don't let you."