Jade's mom was going to be home in two hours and the house was a mess.
Harry, Lauren and Ashton didn't have any of their stuff with them when they arrived exactly a week ago but there was two teenagers and two kids living in this house with no adult supervision. Of course the place was a tip.
As Jade was cleaning away at the living she refused to let her mind wander. Her eyes were red enough without having to add to it. She refused to let herself cry in front of Calum. After the phone call from Ashton last night she wanted to breakdown but she couldn't do it. Not in front of Calum. He was the real victim in all this, why does Jade need to cry? It should be him.
Jade had told Ashton not to come by, but that didn't mean say nothing. She expected a text, a call, something, anything! But ever since their phone call last night it has been absolute silence. Until now.
A knock at the door makes Jade jump. She nearly drops the empty pizza boxes from last night all over the floor. Jade sighs and puts them on the bunker. Jade was being extra quiet this morning because Calum was still upstairs sleeping. They, well only him, fell asleep pretty late last night. So it was actually this morning. He needed the sleep, but Jade didn't feel like she did. So she just lay with Calum in her bed for a could hours before coming downstairs and getting the place ready for her mom to come home.
Jade quietly passes through her hall to her door. She passes the mirror that hangs in the wall next to her door. She sighs when she looks at herself. She was pale and her eyes already had huge black circles. She had no patience for her hair this morning, as it just decided to tangle into one huge knot. She looked really bad.
Which was a shame considering who was on the otherwise of the door. But to be fair, he wasn't looking to hot himself.
Ashton's hair also seemed to lack any form of attention today. The normally neat, straight blond hair was the wavy, curly way it gets when he stops trying with it and leaves it natural. He had his hood up but took it down once he saw the door opening. Ashton also debated taking off his sunglasses but he didn't want Jade to see the red marks all around his eyes. He didn't know if it was from the drinking last night or crying just moments ago in his car, parked outside Jade's house. He also felt like he could be sick any moment. Like any sudden movement could cause it. So when his stomach dropped when he saw Jade's ghost like look he almost puked right then and there.
Jade beats Ashton to speaking first.
"I told you not to come by." She squeaks out.
"I know." Ashton replies groggily. "I thought I should though. Considering the way we left things."
Jade licks her lips and thinks of anyway to get Ashton to leave. Just anything.
"Can I come in?" Ashton asks.
Jade hesitates and looks over her shoulders and up the stairs to where Calum is sleeping.
"Umm..." she says unsurely. "That's not a good idea."
"Is Calum still here?" Ashton asks.
"Yeah." Jade replies.
"Then it isn't a good idea at all." Ashton nods. "It's best if I stay out here to talk to you then."
"Ashton," Jade sighs with tiredness. She jus felt so fucking tired. "I don't want to talk to you." She admits. "I don't want to even look at you."
Ashton takes the blows without protest. Mainly because he deserves them, and also because he wants them.
"I understand." Ashton says. "But I want you to understand that I'm not going anywhere until we resolve this."
"Have you seen your mom yet?" Jade quickly changes the conversation. She's not that sure if there is anything to resolve. After what he did... she's not sure she will forgive him that easily.
"Oh..." Ashton looks down at his feet. "No."
"Then go speak to her and then come see me." Jade begins closing the door but Ashton puts his foot in it to stop it.
"Jade," He also puts his hand up at the door
"Please can we talk."
"I don't want to." Jade replies back quietly.
"But we have to." Ashton pleads.
"No we don't." Jade shakes her head. "I don't want to talk, I want you to leave me alone."
"I... Jade..." Ashton breathes out. "Please just..." He sees Jade's lower lip beginning to quiver. "Please don't do this." Ashton practically whispers it.
"I'm not doing anything." Jade tells him with the same volume he had. "You did this."
"No..." Ashton shakes his head. "No... n-no... I d-didn't." was he trying to convince her or himself?
"Why?" Jade finally breaks and lets out a sob. "Why did you do it? Why did you tell me you were going to help him? You had no intention of helping him." Jade cries and it's breaking Ashton's heart. He just wants her to stop. He needs her to stop.
Ashton does the first thing that comes to mind. He cups Jade's face in his hands and smashes their lips together. For a moment Jade goes with it. She lets Ashton comfort her in the best way he can. It felt nice knowing that for that split second everything would be okay. But it won't be. And he caused it.
"Stop it!" Jade lets out and pushes Ashton back. He immediately backs off when he feels her resistance and they both just stare at each other for a few seconds.
Normally them being close or touching or just being together made everything better. They both knew that. They both felt that. But something was different now. Ashton felt only more sadness when he kissed Jade. and she only felt numb when the false comfort faded away.
Jade didn't say anything when she began to close the door but Ashton saw it coming. He took one huge step forward to hold it open but Jade was a lot stronger than she looked, plus Ashton was extremely hungover.
"Jade, come on." Ashton grunted as he slammed into the door.
"Please!" Jade yelled from the otherwise. "Please just leave!"
He hurt Calum. He promised he wouldn't and he did.
"Jade," Ashton bangs his fist against the door. "Open up, please!"
All this noise of course woke up Calum. It actually jolted him awake. He called out Jade's name but she didn't reply. She was too focused on Ashton.
"You hurt him Ashton!" Jade yells. "You hurt Calum!"
"I know!" Ashton was crying as well now. "I know and I'm sorry! If I could take it back I would!"
Jade shakes her head. That isn't good enough. He hurt Calum. So she has to hurt him.
"I love Calum," Jade yells. "I love him and you hurt him!"
Calum appeared at the top of the stairs totally unnoticed by Jade. He was just watching. He felt like he should help Jade but he knew Ashton was on the other side of that door. And if Calum was being honest, he was too afraid to be near him.
"You love me too, Jade," Ashton calls. "And I thought that we could get past this and talk because of that!"
She does love Ashton. She does love him and this is why it was so difficult.
"I can't ever look at you again!" Jade yells harshly. Her tears of sadness were now tuning into ones of anger as she tried to keep Ashton out.
"Jade, please!" Ashton cried. "I'm sorry!"
"He's my best friend Ashton!" She yells. "He is the person I love unconditionally!" That was definitely true. She will always love Calum. She wanted Ashton to know that because she knows it will hurt him knowing that her love for Calum isn't the same or any less of her love for Ashton.
"Don't do this Jade!" Ashton was also starting to feel angry. It was giving him a little more strength against the door.
Jade could feel him winning against the door. She had to do anything to get him to leave. She had to say anything now.
Calum was slowly coming down the stairs. He could probably sense where this was going and didn't like it. He knew where Jade's head was at. He knew what this might mean. And it didn't mean this would turn out alright.
"I loved him before I loved you!" Jade yells. "I hated you Ashton! I hated you!"
"I know!"
"Because you would do this to him!" Jade chokes back a sob. "You would beat up and laugh at my best friend." Her volume lowers. "The one person I can trust. The only person I really need."
Calum stops when he reaches the last step. He was once again frozen in his spot.
"I've done everything with him Ashton." Jade says. "We shared everything. More than us."
Calum gulps. His suspicion was right. She's going to do it.
"Jade, can I please talk to you face to face." Ashton begs.
"He was always there when I cried." Jade tells him. "Most recently over you. He was the first one to ask about my parents and tell me if I need a place he is always there. He was the first person I ever got drunk with," Jade gulps. Was she really going to do this? Was she really able to put Ashton through the pain? And what about Calum? What happens to him?
"I know. He's been there for you." Ashton was just going to reason with her now.
"He was the first person I ever loved that wasn't in my family!" Jade begins to yell again. She needs to or else she will just continue crying and crying and crying. "He was the first person I ever kissed!"
Ashton sucked in a breath. He knew that the first time him and Jade kissed probably wasn't her first. But he never thought it was Calum. He never thought that that's who she shared it with. Maybe he should have.
"He-!" Jade stops herself. The words getting stuck in her extremely dry throat.
I want to hurt him, like he hurt Calum. No, I want to make him feel the pain I'm feeling. He deserves that much.
"He was the first person I ever had sex with."
Jade can't yell it. She says it quietly and softly. And the banging and pushing from Ashton stops. Maybe she has actually won. Is this really what a victory feels like?
Calum must of anticipated what was going to happen next because he was able to rush forward and catch Jade from falling back as the door swung open with tremendous force.
And there stood Ashton. Jaw clenched, fists at either side of his body, his knuckles turning white. If only people could see his eyes. They were well concealed behind the sunglasses. But the usual bright hazel ones where replaced with dark brown ones, that have no shine, no glimmer. Just anger and hurt.
He looks and see Calum holding Jade up. Her eyes filled with tears and her face paler than when she opened the door. Her pressed up against Calum's chest. His hands wrapped around her waist. Her finger were clutching into his forearms.
Ashton lets out a fake breathy laugh when he sees them. "And," he points at Calum. "You wonder why people beat you up."
Calum sucks in a harsh breath. He still ached from yesterday. The cuts hadn't healed and the bruises won't be going away for a long time.
"Do you just sleep with everyone's girlfriend?" Ashton asks. His tone was cruel and angry. He was acting calm and collected though. But Calum knows he can explode any second. Any little poke will set him off.
"Ash-" Jade lets out a little breath.
"You can shut up." Ashton says to her with nothing but anger.
"Don't talk to her like that." Calum says to Ashton with confidence. He had no idea where it was coming from though.
Ashton lets out a cold chuckle. "Fuck you." he disregards Calum and looks at Jade. "You have the nerve to call me a liar." He was disguising his hurt and sadness with anger and rage. Jade knew that. She knew he did that, but she still couldn't get over the fact Ashton could talk to people like that. He could use that tone that seemed so cold. She wanted to hurt him so he would leave her alone, but this has had the opposite effect.
"You are a liar too." Ashton spits at her. "And I can't believe that you would do that. You know who would do that?" Ashton asks not looking for an answer. "I bet you Charlie would do that." He nods. "And Charlie's a bitch. So I guess that makes you one as well."
Calum moves faster than he ever has before. His fist contacts with Ashton's jaw, leaving him dazed and shocked. Calum grabs him by the collar and slams him up against the wall next to the door.
Ashton just stares down at Calum with shock. His mouth was parted slightly as Calum held him there.
"How does it feel being the one punched in the face?" Calum says in a low growl.
"Trust me, Cal," Ashton smirks. "I've had much worse."
Calum furrows his eyebrows together, not knowing what Ashton means. But it felt good. Punching Ashton felt amazing. He felt better somehow. He was afraid of him, because Ashton could bruise too. Maybe he needed to give Michael and Luke the same treatment.
"Stop." Jade pulls Calum's hand off Ashton and pulls him back. "Just don't." She says softly to Calum.
Ashton looks between them both for a second. Maybe Charlie was right. Maybe Ashton doesn't deserve Jade. Someone like Calum probably does.
"I guess I'll leave you both to it then." Ashton pulls his hood back over his head.
"Wait, Ashton," Jade takes a step forward.
"You wanted me to go." Ashton says to her. "So I'm going." He then slams the door loudly and walking back to his car, holding his jaw.
He's glad Jade don't try and come after him. He's glad that she stayed in the house with Calum. And he hopes that she feels like an awful person right now. He hopes that she will feel whatever she is feeling right now for a long time.
She was trying to hurt him and she did. But she also hurt herself in the process.