Ashley's POV:
A few weeks later I was finally dis-charged with crutches, a broken ankle, I got away lightly, very lightly. Now that I was finally almost recovered physically I knew that this wasn’t going to be over. There had to be some sort of investigation into who pushed me, why I fell you know that sort of thing.
Ellie came downstairs with a towel wrapped around her head from just having got out of the shower, with no make-up and some Hollister joggers and a Jack Wills t-shirt on she still looked beautiful, she looked at me and smiled sadly sitting across from me. The boys were rehearsing until 5 today so were at the house alone.
“Heard anything from this Owen guy?”
I shook my head.
“Do you think it could have been him?”
She asked carefully. I thought for a moment then shook my head.
“No, sure he was there, but I don’t think it would have been him, what would have been his motives? I hardly know him and he hardly knows me”
She looked to the ground fiddling with the tie on her joggers.
“Well, you never know, just because you don’t know him doesn’t mean he doesn’t know you”
It was if she was trying to make out that it was him, why?
“Ellie, do you know something?”
She bit her lip remaining silent, she does know something.
I raised an eye-brow as she looked up at me worried.
“I don’t wanna scare you but…John, he was here”
I think my heart stopped beating for a second then, John. John is my auntie’s husband, well ex. I’m convinced he drowned her, was he back to do the same to me? That sent chills down my spine, something was never right about that man, and what did he have against me? I suppose I was one of the closest people to my auntie, I’m the one who was determined to prove it was him but then he disappeared, ran away and now he’s back, out to kill anyone who could ever think it was him.
“What? Ellie how long have you known this?”
“2 weeks?”
She almost whispered.
“Why didn’t you tell me? How do you know anyway?”
“You were still recovering and I didn’t think you’d need that then, Mum told me, she still doesn’t know about you by the way”
“She still doesn’t know?!”
“If she does then she’ll come home, we won’t be allowed to stay here or for that matter ever aloud out on our own, don’t you see what I’m trying to do Ash?!”
She did have a point, I could tell how much she wanted to stay here with the boys and we practically have no social life if they found out but we can’t hide this forever.
“We’ll just have to see, I don’t know Ellie, it doesn’t seem right lying like that”
“It’s not lying; it’s more like not exposing the whole truth”
I shrugged I couldn’t be bothered to argue anymore.
“Come on, you’re not just going to sit around all day again, I’m taking you shopping”
She grabbed my hand pulling me up to a sitting position.
“You know I’m not good on my crutches”
“Then all the more practice”
I sighed grabbing my crutches as I limped to the stairs as Ellie helped me up. I changed into some shorts, top and assorted jewellery, Ellie done my make-up trying her best to cover up the now almost gone bruises and cuts.
I grabbed my sunglasses and bag and we got a limo to the high street, I wasn’t going to drive with a broken ankle.
We got to the shops, hoping for a peaceful shopping trip when a bunch of fans and paps flashes camera at us I ignored the paps questions asking me why I was on crutches and my opinions on Chelsea Summer’s claims and my relationship with Niall, we were through the majority of the fans Ellie signing a few autographs along the way answering questions, I was about the stand waiting for Ellie when a girl shouted to me.
“Hey aren’t you Ashley Dawson?”
I nodded as the girl smiled at me.
“You’re dating Niall Horan, aren’t you?”
“No, we’re just friends”
“Oh, rumours huh?”
I smiled at her and signed a picture of me and Ellie for her. It was one from last summer, me and Ellie stood on the beach her looking amazing with a natural tan and a bright pink bikini on brightly painted blue toe-nails and her blonde hair scraped into a bun, me stood there next to her in denim shorts and a white top hugging her smiling at the camera she always looked better than me, she always was better than me.
We finally proceeded to our shopping I didn’t buy too much, a few t-shirts and some Hollister shorts, a new Jack Wills hoodie and some make-up. We had something to eat in Starbucks then we were ready to go, it was half past 5 so the boys would probably be home by now.
“Niall give that back, go and make your own!”
“No! Finders keepers!”
“Shut up I’m trying to watch this!”
Was all we could hear as we entered the door, the usual banter.
Zayn was tapping away on his IPhone occasionally looking up at Liam and Niall who were fighting over a sandwich while Harry and Louis were watching TV.
“Ashley! Ellie!”
Louis said running over to us both, I leant my crutches against the wall and Louis helped me to the living room where I sat down on the sofa next to Niall.
“What did you do, buy the whole street?”
Niall said glancing over at the many shopping bags by the door as he put his arm around me.
“That’s mostly Ellie’s”
I replied, he looked over at Ellie who smiled as she played with her hair chatting to Zayn about something on his phone.
“Harry, is Faye coming over tomorrow? You know since you know more than me now”
I teased Harry; he looked up as soon as he heard her name smiling at the mention of her.
“She said probably, she’s gonna text me, oh yeah she said for me to tell you to call her later or something”
I nodded and he went back to watching TV with Louis.
I went upstairs and buried myself in my covers as I dialled Faye’s number and put the phone on the bed.
“Ashley, wazup?”
“Alright? Harry said you wanted me to call you”
“Oh yeah, I was wondering if you would come to this audition with me tomorrow, I know I’ve done loads before but I’m dead nervous it’s like a massive one, so please?”
“Course, but why don’t you get Harry to go with you?”
I asked her.
“Because he’s Harry and think of how many paps and you know, well, other girls there will be there”
I smiled at her in-security of other girls; she’s beautiful she has nothing to be worried about with other girls and Harry.
“You see if I was Harry then right now I’d give you a massive lecture about how you have no reason to be in-secure but thankfully I’m not”
She laughed.
“Hey!”
Harry’s voice came from outside, I glanced at the door.
“Going!”
Harry said quickly and I listened as he walked down the hallway, eavesdropping as always.
“Was that him eavesdropping again?”
“Yep”
She laughed; she has such a nice laugh.
“Harry wants to you to Skype him later”
“Well tell him he can’t because I look a state, I just got out the shower and I’ve been at a shoot all day and I’m tired”
She stated simply and I pictured her definition of ‘I look a state’, her sitting on her bed in her pyjamas with all her hair scraped back and no make-up and in fact she looked stunning, she’s always been the pretty one out of me and her, after all she is the model and again I’m just the thing on the side of Ellie Dawson.
-
I met Faye outside the audition place and she smiled at me, I smiled back and we walked to the main entrance chatting about nothing in particular. I stood there awkwardly as all the other models who were waiting in the waiting room stared at me, my clothes, my hair, my make-up examining every inch of me and not caring that I was aware of it I couldn’t help but feel ugly and out of place there.
“Faye Edmunds”
Faye said confidently to the women at the desk who flicked through some papers then wrote something down and nodded ushering us to our seats. The other models stared at Faye too as she was their completion but just looking at them and then at her she would win hands down, and I’m not saying that because she’s my best friend, she actually would. Faye knew they were staring at her but she just held her head high as her heels clicked against the shiny white flooring as we made our way to the seats, I wished I had the confidence that she had.
Time passed and girls were called in then re-appeared 20 minutes later, some crying, some looking mortified and some just had no expression at all. Faye still sat with a straight back confident as ever, she was told to prepare her shoot would begin within half an hour, she nodded smiling her perfect smile and I followed her to the dressing room.
There was one girl in there; she looked slightly older than me and Faye and over-confident as well. Her dark eyes perfectly framed with jet black eye-liner followed us in the mirror as we went to Faye’s assigned vanity which had make-up bottles, cans of hair product and clothes there; part of this shoot was to do your own preparation.
Faye began working on her hair when the other girl began walking over to us, her heels clicking against the tiles as she walked/strutted over.
Faye swivelled around in her chair not at all phased by the girl’s presence.
“Hannah Carter, global model and make-up artist, future face of Vogue, in other words your competition”
Hannah stuck out her perfectly manicured hand and Faye shook it.
“Faye Edmunds, I don’t put such labels on myself”
Hannah raised a perfectly plucked eye-brow at Faye, they locked eyes.
“Well, see you in there, good luck you’ll need it”
Faye forced a smile.
“Good luck to you too, sincerely”
Hannah rolled her eyes then walked away to the changing rooms.
“What a bitch”
I commented, Faye shrugged while starting to apply eye-liner pencil.
“I’ve had worse, you get used to it”
-The next day-
I woke up to the sound of the birds tweeting peacefully outside and the light spilling through my pale curtains the shafts of sunlight shone brightly through the gap at the top of my curtains highlighting the dust that danced on top of my bookcase again. I was on my own for today since Ellie was rehearsing, Faye was at a shoot and interview and the boys were rehearsing too. It kinda sucks to be the only non-famous one, but sometimes it’s kinda nice to have some time alone.
I haven’t heard a lot from Owen lately he’s text me a few times asking me how I am but I ignored all of them, I really wish I had never let him into my life, never got drunk that night and never let myself get back there and sleep in a stranger’s house, especially one like him, never.
I yawned and pushed back my covers swinging my legs over the side of the bed and wrapping my dressing gown around me and walking across the room to my vanity. I bit my lip as I poked at my hair which was in a slept in messy bun I rubbed sleep from my eyes and made my way downstairs.
I poured myself some cereal and sat at the seat by the island spooning mouthfuls of fruit flake things into my mouth the cold milk slowly waking me up. I noticed my bracelet on the island on top of a piece of paper; I pulled it over to me sliding the bracelet on my wrist and reading the note.
Found this in my jumper pocket, you’re hopeless;). Might be back earlier today maybe if you’re good we’ll take you out later. Have a good day.
Nialler x
I smiled at the note and shoved my bowl into the dishwasher and ran up the stairs to shower with the good weather I planned to go for a walk later.
I blow dried my hair and done my make-up simply and changed into whatever I found first. I scanned my bookcase and picked a new book and dropped it into my bag along with my phone, sunglasses and lip-stick. I ran down the stairs picking up an apple from the kitchen on the way.
It was surprisingly quiet for such a nice day as I walked down the quiet street, the sun beat down hard, I could feel my skin absorbing the heat and my feet burned as I walked along the heated tarmac, there was not a cloud in the sky and the birds swung sweetly, a perfect summer’s day.
I arrived at the park, a few kids were playing on the swings and a couple was sat on the grass making out a few teenagers were messing around nearby but that was about it. I couldn’t help but feel like someone was following me as I walked through the group of trees swaying lightly in the warm breeze, I glanced behind me but nobody was there. I dismissed the thought and carried on through the long grass until I reached my spot, a clearing of trees, once called ‘couples point’ it was supposedly where couples came to just spend together or have their first time or whatever, it was meant to be magical, a place where you could tell if your love was true or not, me; I never believed that stuff, it’s just my place to come when I need to think something off or spend some time alone
I leant against the oak tree and perched my sunglasses on top of my head as I took out my book while biting into my apple and opening my book to read.
A hand covered my mouth and my whole body went into shock, memories from the beach flooding back and I prayed that it wasn’t the same person as before, tears brimmed in my eyes threatening to fall when the hand let go and a person sat beside me, Owen.
I sighed in relief as I closed my book and placed it beside me. He laughed slightly.
“Who did you think I was? Some mass murderer?”
He joked, but it was serious in my head, I had no clue who he was really. I just smiled.
“You don’t know the half of it”
“Actually, I heard, are you okay now?”
I nodded slightly.
“Still a few cuts and bruises here and there but I got away lightly”
He nodded and I dug my nails into my palms as I remembered that night again.
“I wish I could have done something, but you know we’d been drinking and I wasn’t really paying attention”
He didn’t sound sorry but it didn’t really bother me, I don’t even know why I’m here talking to him I don’t even like him that much.
“It’s okay, I got out alive”
He bit his lip.
“Who saved you anyway?”
“Niall”
I said with no shame.
“That blonde kid right? From One Direction or something like that”
The way he scrunched his nose up as he said One Direction annoyed me slightly but I wasn’t about to argue, he wasn’t the type of guy you dis-agree or say no to.
“Yep”
He nodded looking to the ground.
“Is he your boyfriend or what?”
He asked and I was kind of shocked.
“No, we’re just friends”
“Oh, he seems to like you and I just thought that maybe you were dating, you talk about him a lot”
“Well we’re not dating, and he doesn’t like me like that”
I retorted.
We talked for a while longer then he invited me to his flat, then I got in his car, the stupidest decision of my life.
I walked into the flat, and it all began to come back, the dingy smell and the mint wallpaper that was peeling at the edges. I’m not going to lie to you here, I can be a bit of a snob sometimes but I felt out of place here, dirty and I wanted to leave but he wouldn’t let me. His attitude since the park had completely changed, he threw me against the wall and started kissing me, I tried to fight back but he was so much bigger and stronger than me it was impossible, I had no choice but to kiss him back, his kisses were hungry and sour it was horrible and I got no pleasure at all, I was struggling for breath at this point, there was no space between me and him and he was pushing me against the filthy wall so hard it hurt. His fingers wrapped around the strap of my play-suit and he yanked down the strap and then the other one so now it was only being held up by my bust, his hand crawled up the back of it beginning to yank it down, I stopped him and finally managed to break the kiss.
“No...Don’t”
I managed to choke out. He looked at me his eyes full with hate and shock that I told him no.
“What did you say?”
He snapped at me.
“No”
I repeated, standing my ground.
“You really want to do this Ashley? You really want to tell me no?”
I nodded trying to move from his grip but he tightened it.
“Fine, if that’s how it’s going to be!”
He slapped me hard across my face, tears streamed down my cheeks but I made no sound, just stood there. He snatched my phone from me throwing it at the wall, he then grabbed my wrists and forced them behind my back as he threw me against the wall in the bathroom, I hit my head as he slammed the door and bolted it up, I began to cry as I wiped blood from my face where he had hit me. Blood mixed with tears and through the pounding ache in my head and the stinging on my face I had this desire to see Niall, for him to hold me like he did that night at that beach, to make me feel safe and un-touchable like I had felt then, for him to kiss my cheek and tell me everything was going to be okay. But I had to accept that I may not see him or any other life ever again and that made me cry even harder and soon tears over-powered blood.
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A/N.
MORE DRAMA.
Coldplay, trouble. Because Ashley's in trouble lol. Slowly becoming obsessed with Coldplay, what is happening to me? It's all Rebecca's fault, you don't know Rebecca, she's a babe. <3
Ashley on the side-bar(y)
Eww back to school tomorrow: I'll try my best to edit and upload the next chapter tomorrow but I bet I'll get bombarded with homework-__-
Well, then. Stop being so quiet and give me a comment or two pleeease?;3
Love you all!
-Emily.