Falling Backwards (Sequel to Moments)

Chapter 25: Broken Up

CHAPTER 25

"You have to talk to him, Janelle," Ash says glancing over to me.

"Him who?" I ask keeping my eyes on the road in front of us.

"Niall." I look over at Ash and his eyes have returned forward.

"Why?"

"Do you not see it?"

"See what?" Here comes that irritation again.

"You're hurting him." And like that the irritation disappears.

"No I'm not," I say looking down at my hands, starting to pick at my nails. Ash stops the car and looks over at me. I look out my window and I see that we're already at the boys' mansion.

"Janelle... yes you are. You've forgiven almost everybody, everybody but him." I stay quiet. I avoid eye contact with him. "Look at him, Janelle." I look over at Ash and he's looking out through the windshield. I follow his gaze and I see him looking at Niall, who's taking out the trash.

His eye bags are bigger than usual. The rims of his eyelids are bright pink. His eyes are red shot. His cheeks are puffier. His hair is sticking in all kinds of directions.

He's broken.

"Janelle... I'm breaking up with you."

"What?!" I say shooting my head towards him.

"I'm just not the one for you," Ash simply says.

"Are you kidding me right now?" I wanted to laugh, but I was so angry at the same time. "You're joking Ash."

"I'm not," he says with a straight face.

"We just had brunch with my parents! They loved you! They approved you! I fought for you!"

"And I appreciate that, but Janelle, it's obvious that they would rather see you with Niall," he says laughingly. Is this some kind of sick joke to him?

"What the hell is happening here?!" I shout.

"Look Janelle," he says grabbing a hold of my hands, "I see the way you talk about Niall. You're mad at him, but at the same time you're hiding your feelings for him."

"I'm not hiding anything! I don't have any feelings for him! Why does everybody keep saying that?!"

"Janelle, I saw the way your face slightly blushed when you were talking about your duet with him at brunch. I don't know what happened, but I do know that something did happen between the two of you. I also see how happy both of you guys turn when you're around each other, when you don't hate him. I saw it the day all of us went on the hike. You're happier when you're with him."

"No. I'm-"

"Ok then tell me that you love me." He looks me in the eye.

"What?" I ask.

"Tell me that you love me and we'll forget everything, that this conversation never happened." I can feel his thumb rubbing on the back of my hands. I can see the slight hope in his eyes, but at the same time I see lost hope. "I've told you that I love you, Janelle, and I do so much. But I can feel that you don't feel the same way. You've only said it to me once, and I could sense the hesitation. I know you care about me, Janelle, I do. But I know you also care about Niall."

I didn't know what to say. My mouth opened, but nothing came out. I couldn't say it.

"I'm gonna go inside." Ash kisses my cheek and steps out of the car. What the hell just happened?