With My Last Breath

Chapter 5 *Ashton*

"It's really over then, isn't it?" her voice was just below a whisper.

"I'm sorry, Veronica."

"Please, Ashton, I can make things right if you just give me a chance! This isn't fair!"

"Not fair? You made your choice, Veronica, and I'm making mine here and now. Don't you dare try and drag me down just because you can't live with the choices you made."

"Then can I leave with one last kiss?"

I stood up from the couch, shaking my head. "If I kissed you right now I know I wouldn't be able to stop. I'm leaving this room with what's left of my pride and my heart. I hope one day you find someone who makes you happy and gives you everything you ever wanted in life."

"Ashton," she sobbed, grabbing onto my arm. "Please don't walk away. We can fix this! I know I messed up but please let me fix this!"

It hurt seeing her like this, she had never really been one for crying even when we were together. I don't even think she cried at her aunt's funeral. It was honestly almost enough to make me want to change my mind.

Shaking my head I pulled her hand off my arm. "I'll always care about you and be there for you, Veronica, but we could never be together again. I'm sorry."

With that, I made my way out the door as she fell on her knees continuing to cry. With each step I took back to the elevator I felt more and more free; almost like a weight had finally been lifted off of my shoulders. I couldn't say that it didn't hurt like hell to leave her like that, but we both knew what would have happened if we tried anything. Someone would have gotten hurt in the end. I wanted to cry, to let out what I'd been holding in since we first started falling apart. As much as I tried to prepare for this it still didn't keep me from feeling as though someone ripped out my heart all over again. There would never be a moment in which she wouldn't be on my mind, but with enough time maybe I could move on and just be happy again.

Stepping outside a rain that must have started while I was inside began to drench my clothes, soaking through to my skin. The rain that ran down my face made it impossible to tell if it was just rain water or my own tears; probably a combination of the two. Looking over at where I had parked I decided to go for a walk along the shore, not ready to go back home in case Krystal was still awake and noticed that I was crying. I know she means well, but this was just something I wasn't ready to tell anyone just yet; not to mention that feeling she gave me. Attempting anything with her or anyone else at this point was bound to end in disaster and she already has enough problems as it is without having to worry about me or a relationship.

There were only a few people walking outside, most of them running into buildings to take cover from the rain while the ones who remained outside were jogging to their cars. There were stairs leading down to the empty shore, waves that were once calm now harsh due to the wind. There was a point in time where I once loved the ocean breeze, a time when I still believed that nothing could ever go wrong; but that was before Dad became what he is now. Taking a seat on a large rock I let the warm rain wash over me as a bolt of lightning cracked in the distance followed by the crashing thunder. Closing my eyes I let out a long sigh and for a moment I felt almost happy.

"Ashton?" a faint voice called.

My eyes shot open, wandering over to the source of the voice.

"Krystal?" I answered. "What are you doing out here? You're going to get sick."

She shrugged. "I needed some air and decided to go for a walk. I didn't expect the rain."

She spoke with an almost matter-of-fact tone, almost as if I had asked the most obvious question. I opened my mouth, ready to tell her to go home, when she spoke again.