Cupid's Assistant {Completed}

Cupid's Assistant - Chapter Nineteen

         “Can you drive?” I asked. He didn’t seem like he was well equipped to drive right now. Already one of his eyes was swelling shut and turning the color of a bruised blueberry.

         He nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

         I helped him to his feet, and he leant on me for support as I helped him into the car. I stood by the car-door worriedly; still unsure whether I should let him go in this condition. I didn’t want him to get into an accident and further his injuries.

         “Are you sure about this?” I asked uncertainly. He looked pretty banged-up, and I didn’t want to let him go like this.

         He nodded and gave me a half-smile, before wincing in pain as he spread his split lip. “I’ll be fine, Mia.”

         “I’m sorry, Hunter,” I told him sincerely. “God, I am so sorry.”

         He nodded. “It’s not your fault. I’ll be fine. I’ll see you soon?”

         I smiled in response, trying to keep up a semblance of a cheery mood, even though all happiness had been well and truly shattered by now. “Yeah, you will.”

         He started the car and drove off, and I stared after him, waiting for his taillights to disappear. When they were out of sight, I turned around and stared at the front of my house, where Ashton and Henry were standing. Ashton’s eyes never left mine, and his were filled with an unidentifiable emotion. Henry stood a little ways back, looking unsure on how to deal with this situation.

         “What the hell was that, Ashton?” I whispered, my eyes filling with tears as I remembered the way he had punched Hunter. “How could you? I really thought you were better than that.”

         “Mia,” he began, stepping forward and putting a hand up as if to grab onto me.

         I stepped back, wiping a tear away. “Please, don’t. You’ve done enough, Ashton. There is nothing I want from you.”

         I needed time to think. I needed to get away from all of this. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind and I wouldn’t be until I was away from Ashton and the memories of the fight.

         I shook my head at him disappointedly and walked down the sidewalk, letting my footsteps carry me down the path as I let a tear fall.

         ~         *        ~

         “Yeah, Mom. I’m fine. I’m at Charlie’s. I just need some time to think and get away from Ashton,” I told my mom thirty minutes later as I sat Indian-style on Charlie’s overstuffed, flowery comforter.

         “Okay, honey,” she told me, sounding worried. “You’ll be back tomorrow afternoon, right?” she checked.

         “Yeah. It’s just tonight.”

         I said my goodbyes and disconnected the call, before turning back to Charlie. She proffered me a hot chocolate, and I took it gratefully, taking a sip of the thick, sweet liquid.

         “You okay?” she asked, rubbing my shoulder soothingly. She sounded so worried and concerned.

         I sighed and dropped my head. “No,” I admitted. “I’m so confused.”

         “I know,” she told me quietly.

         “I mean, I was so ready to call it off with Hunter; so ready to be with Ashton, and now I just… I don’t know what to do anymore.”

         Charlie put an arm around my shoulder, and I sipped the hot drink. What was I supposed to do now? I was prepared to say goodbye to Hunter, and now I was beyond confused. Ashton had once again gone and complicated things tenfold with his immature actions.

         “Do you love Ashton?” Charlie asked.

         I nodded, feeling angry with myself for my weakness. What was wrong with me? “Despite everything, I still do.”

         “And what about Hunter?”

         “I do. I love him. That’s why it’s so hard. Every time I think I have a decision, something just gets more complicated. Is it meant to be this hard?”

         “Every couple goes through struggles, Mia,” Charlie told me, rubbing my upper arm in a soothing gesture once again.

         I laid my head on her shoulder and sighed deeply. Why did everything have to be so problematic? Why couldn’t I just have a simple relationship like Carrie and Lincoln did? Nothing like this ever happened to the quiet, understated couple.

         “Mia, you know how my skill is being honest?” Charlie asked conversationally, putting her mug on her nightstand.

         I nodded with a smile, knowing I was about to hear a quality Charlie lecture. I seemed to be the only one who received these lectures. Maybe I was just the only one stupid enough to put myself in a position like this. “Yeah.”

         “Wanna hear some honesty?”

         “I could really use some honesty right about now,” I admitted, glad someone in my life was still willing to be straight with me.

         “I think you need to think everything through. Just weigh options and decide whom you like more. It’s not fair to keep them both waiting for you. You need to be rational and decide which one you want. They’re both sweet, viable options, and you need to decide which one’s for you before they both get tired of waiting for you and you all end up getting hurt.”

         I nodded, glad for her advice. She was right, of course. Charlie was always right. I couldn’t string them on like this. I needed to make a proper decision and decide whom I loved. It was going to be hard, but it wasn’t fair on any of us to continue on like this. Maybe if I hadn’t started this in the first place, we wouldn’t be here.

         I sighed. I was in for a long night.

 ~      *      ~

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