The Great Escape || a.i. *completed & editing*

1.4

Ashton didn't come to talk to me for the rest of the night. I didn't understand what had upset him, and it kind of hurt because I knew it was something I said.

Maybe he was upset that Calum was his friend from high school and I was intruding. Whatever the reason was, it made me feel bad about saying yes to Calum. And my dad probably wasn't going to let me go anyways.

I sighed and laid on my bed, wishing Ashton hadn't been so distant. Immediately I began dreading what this might turn into. What if Calum and I get together and then Ashton and I stop hanging out? Then what if I don't have a best friend anymore?

The thought of losing my first and only friendship brought tears to my eyes, and I turned over and stared out my window at the tree, trying to hold them back. Maybe Ashton was in his room and I could talk to him.

I climbed across to his house a couple hours after I'd come back to my house, I climbed across the trees to Ashton's window. Hesitantly, I tapped on his window, still fighting back tears.

He opened and let in, his eyes red.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said, turning away. "Lauren sprayed something in my eyes."

I didn't believe that but didn't have the energy to figure out what was wrong. "What happened earlier? You said you didn't have plans."

"Well... I remembered that I did," he said, sitting on his bed.

"You seemed upset," I said, my chest aching and eyes beginning to sting again.

"I'm fine." He wasn't making eye contact with me.

"I can tell you're not," I said. "Tell me why you're upset, Ashton. I know you don't just walk away like that, and you're being really distant."

"I'm not being distant," he persisted.

"Yes you are," I said, tears beginning to stream down my face. "But I guess it doesn't matter anyways. Whatever I did to upset you obviously upset you enough to where you won't even look at me. So I don't know what it was, but I'm sorry for it." I turned around to leave.

"I thought I actually had a friend," I said before climbing out the window and across the trees again, sitting on my bed.

My chest ached so much and the tears poured down my cheeks. There wasn't even any noise, it hurt so bad. I was sitting in silence and sobbing. When I finally couldn't cry any longer, I went into the bathroom and washed my face, putting on make up to try to cover up. I didn't want my mom getting involved because I knew she would only end up pep talking me and that really wasn't going to help.

"Sarah?" my mom called up the stairs. "Dinner's ready."

"I'll be down in a minute," I called back, making sure it was hard to tell I'd been crying.

I trudged downstairs, sitting at the table and picking at my food.

"Sarah?" my mom said. "Is something wrong? Your eyes are a little red and you've barely touched your food."

"No, I'm fine," I faked the best smile I could. "It was just a really sad book again, and I'm just not that hungry."

I tried to eat a little more, then finally gave up. "Can I be excused?"

She nodded, looking at me concerned.

I went into my bedroom and got my pajama shorts and a t-shirt and went in to take a shower. I got out, blow dried my hair and went back into my room.

I sat on my bed and stared out the window at the moon and stars. My eyes began to sting again. I'd grown too attached to Ashton. I should've known that having a best friend that easily was too good to be true.