Ashley and Nash peacefully strode through the quiet streets of town, occasionally bumping into someone who recognized Nash, asking for a picture or his autograph. Though her and Nash were hanging out and they were supposed to be talking, she didn't really mind that a few fans stopped him to have a quick chat. She knew that all of the boys were quickly becoming more known and she understood that it was part of what they wanted to do.
Besides, the fans support them and if a fan was lucky enough to randomly sashay across him on the street, she was in no way going to jeopardize that. So as the fans came, she politely stood by, sometimes even taking the picture for the fan.
They continued to walk around town and soon it began to get warm out. Ashley glanced at her phone that said it was 1:37. She sighed to herself but quickly noticed that not many other fans came up to Nash, and in a way, she was slightly relieved. Now her and Nash could have a proper conversation without being interrupted every few minutes.
"Sorry about that." Nash said to Ashley as he turned away from the last fan that he learned was named Christina.
"It's fine," Ashley reckoned, flashing a smile at him. "This is what comes with being famous and I don't mind. Did you see how happy some of them were? It was incredible seeing their faces light up when they saw you. There's no way I'm going to let my wants to be alone with you get in the way of other people's happiness." She admitted, quickly glancing around the many people winding themselves around them.
"You're so awesome," He beamed. "You know that right? Most girls would probably get annoyed with so many people interrupting us, but you? Nah you're cool with it."
"Well I know what it's like to be with someone that makes you happy and I would never want to take that chance away from anyone."
"Me either." Nash smiled. "So, tell me. What happened last night? Do you want to talk about it?"
Instantly, Ashleys light mood shifted and the temporary happiness she felt was shattered. "Well, I told you most of it already." Pausing for a brief second, feeling light headed, Ashley took a deep breath and quickly strode towards the Bench at the end of the street, frantically sitting down on it. She waited for Nash to catch up and sit down beside her before she spoke.
"Okay, so I went to go to the store last night, and Jack was there. And he tried talking to me but I got angry, and we began to argue and I guess, us being the stupid people we are, didn't hear the teller announce that the store was closing and we got locked in. We were together all night, and he tried to apologize and I freaked out and I broke down and he tried to comfort me and it was just horrible. Everything was horrible."
Ashley's eyes began to slightly swell with tears, but she used all her might to hold them back. Looking at the sidewalk in front of her, she turned her attention to Nash, who's expression was twisted in a confusedly way.
"Well you know, maybe it was supposed to happen." Nash blurted timidly.
"shley rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she did so. "Why the hell would you even say that?" She barked, crossing her arms in front of her.
Nash let out an exaggerated sigh and waved his hands in front of her. "Think about it, Ashley. You both ended up going to the same store at the same time, got locked in there, and spent the night together. It's the most time you've spent together in months. Maybe getting locked in there was a sign from the universe."
Ashley rolled her eyes again. "That sounds ridiculous. Why would the universe-" She said, using her fingers to put air quotations around the word universe, "want to give us a sign trying to tell us we're supposed to be together? Nash, as much as I want to be with Jack, it didn't work out the first time. And if it didn't work out the first time, I extremely doubt it would work out a second time."
"Yea, but you don't know that." He said disagreeingly, shaking his head.
"Yes I do. Besides, the pain he has caused me will never go away."
Nash shook his head again, "It takes time."
"Maybe," She prolonged, "but I can't be happy."
"You're in denial."
"No I'm not," She argued.
"Nash sighed and looked her straight in the eyes. "Listen Ashley, when I say things like this, I mean it. I would never lie to you, and thats a promise. I'm going to keep that promise no matter what I have to do. You're my best friend, and I will always try to make you feel better. And you know what? You always talk about making other people happy, but what about you? You deserve to be happy just as much as anyone else, don't you know that?"
Ashley's throat tightened, she felt so overwhelmed by the anxiety and sadness igniting her bones that she could not hold back her tears any longer, something that seemed to be getting more and more complicated for her to do. As she began to quietly cry, she turned her gaze away from Nash as she spoke so he wouldn't see.
"I know that Nash, but nothing is okay anymore. I'm a mess and my life is a mess and nothing is worth it anymore. I was already bad before Jack came around, but somehow he managed to make things better. But now that he's gone, part of me is gone, and I'm worse than I was before. It's like the tears of my sadness drench the insides of my soul, and everything I do seems like a long line of uselessness. I'm beginning to think this entire joke called life isn't even worth it anymore. Nothing is worth it anymore." She quietly said, her voice harshly cracking at the end.
Nash looked at her sympathetically and focused his full attention on her delicate features, gently grabbing her shoulders and turning her so she was facing him.
"Stop that, Ashley, don't do that. Stop living in denial. Life is beautiful and you are beautiful and everything will be okay. I know how hurt you are and I know how tough things have been lately but in order for things to get better, you have to ease up on your negative thoughts and move forward in life. Stop living in the past. Things will be okay, I know that for sure."
"But how can you be so sure?"
"Because," He persued, wiping the tears from under her eyes. "Life has a weird way of playing things out, and whether you expect it or not, things will take a turn for the better and everything will be okay in the end. If things aren't okay, then it's not the end. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Good. We all love you, and you are worth it. You need to realize that. But for now, please stop crying and put a smile on your pretty face. Let's go have some fun." Nash beamed, getting up from the bench and reaching his hand out for hers. "Okay?"
Ashley let Nash's words seep into her mind and she nodded her head. She wiped the remaining tears from under her eyes and reached for his outstretched hand, bringing another slight smile on her face as he pulled her up from the bench.
"Okay."
------
Meanwhile...
Jak was sitting in the living room of the house he shared with the rest of the boys. Everyone except Nash was home, but Jack was sat alone. He didn't know what everyone else was doing, but he assumed they were all in the pool in the backyard. He contemplated on whether he should join them or not, but he decided against it. All he could think about was the previous night and how bad he wished he could turn back time and fix everything with Christina.
He sat on the couch silently, reminiscing over the events from the night before which seemed like forever ago. Mindlessly, his hand inched into his jean pocket, pulling out the letter, turning it around in his hands a few times. He wanted to read it, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. When he opened it in his car earlier in the morning, all he managed to read was Dear Jack before guiltily refolding it and sliding it into his pocket. Despite how bad he wanted to read it, he just couldn't develop the guts to do it. He felt as if he was betraying Ashley and her private thoughts, and he couldn't do that to her. It just felt bloody wrong.
As he continued to sit alone lost in his perpetual thoughts, embracing the letter in his hands, he didn't even notice Matt sit on the couch beside him, nor did he notice Matt try to talk to get his attention multiple times. No, he didn't notice Matt sitting there at all until he felt a hand abruptly hit the back of his head, causing him to jump.
"Dude what the fuck, what was that for?" He barked, narrowing his eyes at Matt who was sitting on the burgundy couch cushion beside him.
"I've been sitting here for five minutes trying to get your attention, dude, what's wrong?"
Jacks cheeks instantly ignited into a tinted red and he scratched the back of his hesd. "Oh sorry dude, there's just a lot on my mind right now." He admitted.
Matt nodded his head as his eyes impassively traveled to the letter in Jacks hands. "I see," He said, lifting his hand and running it through his wet dirty-blonde hair. "And does it have something to do with that letter you're holding?" He inquired.
Jack glanced back at his hands and timidly chuckled. "Ah yea, kind of. Well not really, I mean- I don't know." He blurted subtly, letting out a deep sigh as he sank further into the sofa. "Yes, it has something to do with this letter. But it's more about how I got it and who it came from."
"Well obviously was it something to do with last night," Matt stated enticingly. "I mean you can't sit there and tell me it's not tied with last night because you never came back after you left." He chuckled, shifting his body weight so he was facing Jack entirely.
"I know, it's just complicated man. I don't even know what to think about it myself." Jack admitted, the words emitting from his throat frugally.
Matt rolled his eyes. "Okay.." he said sheepishly, his voice fading into an infinite distance. "Well what does it say?"
"I don't know."
"Well why don't you read it? Who's it from anyway?" Matt said jokingly, completely and entirely unaware that the letter was from Ashley.
"Because," Jack began to say, his eyes examining Matts face as his expression shifted abruptly while he let the words slip through his chapped lips.
"It's from Ashley."
⠀ ⠀