Chapter 2, A New Start

"Love is the End," - Keane

Della Mason

I woke up in the morning hungover from last night. I noticed Ashton wasn't home, because his side of the bed wasn't ruffled. Normally I woke to the smell of bacon and eggs, but there was nothing. I started a pot of coffee, sat at the kitchen table, and tried to call him. No answer. I sighed, sipping the coffee quietly.

Then, I heard a car pull up the driveway. The door slammed shut and the scuffled sound of tennis shoes was heard walking up our walk way. He stepped into the kitchen, an unfamiliar plate of food in his hands. He placed the plate in front of me, and I noticed there was an omelet and sausage links on it. I ate it while he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Listen, Della. I know, I blew up last night. But...we need to spend less time with each other. I feel trapped." Ashton started. Fury brewed within, and I burst.

"You can't just, leave! Damn it, Ashton!" I argued him hard.

"Babe! We need time away from each other! That's all I said!" It escalated quickly. 

It was true, that I had cheated on him in the past. I was by no means a loyal partner, nor was I responsible. But I promised him I'd never leave him, and he shouldn't be doing this to me!

"You're not listening to me. You never do," He sighed. I sensed the defeat in his voice. It was...sad. He stood up, grabbed his hat from the hanger on the wall. No more words for me, he stepped out of the house and I watched from the kitchen window as his car backed out of the driveway. My insides felt as if they were going to explode; A part of me died just looking at his face when he reacted to my outburst.

I was alone.

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Maria Hayford

The front door swung open and closed with a bang. Ashton was heated, and he threw his keys on the couch. I finished frying another omelet up, and scooped the extra sausage on a plate. He sat at the foldaway card table in my tiny apartment kitchen, and sighed aloud. I grabbed a cup of tea and sat across from him, holding his hand.

"You talk to her? Did she like the omelet I made?" I asked him a few simple questions, with a sympathetic voice. He wouldn't talk at first. We sat there for a few minutes, silently.

"...She had the nerve...to say I can't leave her," He started. It was hard, I could tell.

Stroking his hand more, I said,"You still love her, I can tell. Maybe not the same, but nonetheless. You still do."

He nodded, wiping a tear from his eye.

"She's just too immature. Like I told you last night, she just goes out drinking and flirts with other guys. It's not healthy for our type of relationship," he looked at me, staring intensely as if to observe every feature of my face.

"Have you ever been so broken-hearted, that you couldn't stand to be alive anymore?"

I nodded, softly,"Yea. When..," I hesitated. Am I ready to reveal this to him?

"When I was a kid, my dad went into the army. We had our said goodbyes, and he was gone for 6 months. Mom didn't seem as sad as she should have. Over those months I noticed she went out often, claiming to be going over my aunt's house or something," I sighed," She had been seeing a man secretly.  A few weeks before my dad was supposed to come home, she found out she was expecting with my younger brother."

"Scott's your half-brother?"

"No, he's older than me. I have a younger brother who lives in another state."

"Ah. You...don't have to go on if you're uncomfortable about it."

       I hadn't noticed but there were tears streaming my eyes, and my nose was stuffy. He reached over and wiped the tears away, and smiled at me. I stiffened, I didn't want anything to happen yet. I mean he just lost somebody. Somebody that he obviously still loved. How is he going to get over something like that? Something so horrible and cruel. His heart is broken and I'm here as a friend. Just a friend.

"Want to go somewhere fun?" I attempted to lighten the mood, "How about bowling? Random pop music in the background. And throwing some stupid heavy ball to knock over those damn pins?," No matter what I said earlier, his laugh knocked me off the edge. He was so charming, but I can't. Not yet, at least. A good person would try to help him recover his relationship with his ex-fiancee.

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Ashton Westbrook

        I parked the car out front of the bowling ally. To be honest, I never bowled in my life. But who could pass an opportunity to hang out with an awesome girl like Maria? She's perfect in my eyes. She has this way abut her. Something new and fresh. She is also not bad looking; her walnut-brown hair doesn't clash with her fair skin or her cheery lips. But there's still Della and I'm not sure what I should do about that.

"Lane 5,  2 games please," she asked the guy at the counter. We walked over and chose a pair of shoes each. It seemed odd to me that you had to wear a pair of shoes thousands of people before you wore. I shrugged the feeling off and walked to our lane.

"I'll go first," she insisted. I was going to have to let her go since I have no clue how to do anything related to bowling. Her first run was a strike, and I laughed at her little victory dance.

"Let's see how well you can beat me," she teased. I stepped up to the line, a blue bowling ball in my hand. It felt smaller than I would imagine a bowling ball to be like.

"Uh, Ashton?" Maria started from a few paces behind me," You're using a children's bowling ball." Yeah. This was embarrassing.

"I knew that, I was just joking around," my nerves started to make my feet go numb.

"Ha, okay. Well, I'm going to suggest you use this one," and she handed me a bright pink, much larger bowling ball.  They were as heavy as the Tom and Jerry cartoons portrayed them. 

I stepped back up to the line, eyeing the aisle down, aiming for the middle. My arm swung at full strength, but what happened next I did not plan for. The ball bounced up into the ally next to ours, rolled down and knocked one pin down over there. The party of 5 year old children clapped while the parents laughed to themselves and I stood there like a fool.

"Don't worry. I figured you were an amateur the second you took your position on the line," Maria laughed, and extended her arms. I hugged her, and this made me ecstatic.

"Lets order some food while we're at it," she continued. I grabbed my ball back, and let it roll down the aisle only to make it into the side pits, or what ever they're called.

For the next hour we played two games and she beat me worse than two schoolboys with baseball bats in a mosh pit. The burgers and fries were good, despite the unnecessary calories and grease it came with. After I was done making a fool of myself, we left and aimlessly drove around. This was the first good night I had in weeks.

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Della Mason

I tried calling everyone who still had pity over me; Gramma Jean, 2nd cousin Claire, Eddy from the gas station. Everyone one had mutually agreed that my relationship with Ashton was a disaster waiting to happen. It hadn't occurred to me in the slightest that it was all my fault it fell apart.  He never tried to stop me, and, and.....oh, who am I kidding? It is all my fault. 

I need to figure this out. I need him back. I need to...to change. But how? I grabbed the keys to my old Harley that sits in the garage and zipped up my warmest jacket. The roads were plowed this morning so I was in no immediate danger to go riding for an hour before it got dark out. It helped me think, that's for sure.

I passed the small development of apartments in the middle of town and literally stopped in my tracks. Ashton got out of his car at that moment and walking up the second floor with some, girl. I know for a fact he has no siblings, and I never heard him mention any female cousins to me. I glared for a minute, as the walked up the spiral staircase onto the second floor apartments.

I drove up and parked behind his car, running furiously up the stairs. Just before they shut the door, I stopped it with my foot and watched his startled reaction.

"You jerk! I can't believe you!" I was seconds from swinging my fist at him. But the girl stepped in front almost instantly.

"Don't you!" she started, but then backed up,"Della? Della Mason?" How did she know my name? She hesitated and started again," Eh. This must be, really upsetting. Trust me, I had no intentions-" I swung at her, but she dodged me.

Before I had time to respond, I felt Ashton's strong arms push me against the open door, which knocked over a rainbow colored potted plant. I simply stared at his face with great fear; It looked sincerely angry, the worst I've ever seen him.

"YOU DON'T TOUCH HER," He said with clenched teeth, and a few veins almost popping. He realized my fear, and lets go, calming himself. The girl looked like she was going to pee herself.

"I-I...I," Is all I could stutter. What was I to say?

"Let explain. I always let you explain yourself, so give me a chance," Ashton started,

"This is Maria, she's my friend. There's nothing going on, and besides. We aren't a 'thing' anymore. You have no right to be claiming me."

I sighed, and felt my eyes water. I looked up, and felt his arms again, this time holding me, like they used to way back when. Over his shoulder I saw Maria walk into the kitchen, to give us time to relax. Maybe, I've been wrong all along.

"We...we need to separate, Della. You see what just happened? This isn't good for either of us."

"I know, I know," I sniffled. The tears blurred my vision," It's just, I feel so horrible, all the things I've done. It's all my fault and-"

"No, no it's not. I have fault in it too. I should have been around, went out with you sometimes instead of staying home. Maybe we'd have a better future that way."

I sighed. He was right. We needed to part. For the greater good. We let go of an embrace, and I looked out the door at the setting sun. It was silent for a good 3 minutes, before I felt his grasp swoop me quickly and plant a soft, baby kiss on my lips. We let go, staring for a moment, and I dismissed myself out the door.

"Goodbye, Ashton," and we bade farewell.

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Maria Hayford

That awkward moment of silence that followed after Della left was short lived. We sat on the couch tiredly, and started the movie Finding Nemo (Yes, I own this movie. Who doesn't?) It got late quick and Ashton was so tired he passed out 20 minutes into the movie. I decided to shower and ready for bed. I had work tomorrow.

I got into the shower, scrubbed my hair a few times with shampoo. Despite the emotional roller coaster today had been, it wasn't the worst day of my life. Far from it, actually. It took me a while to realize the hot water was running down my back for so long my skin looked beat red. I got out, dried of. All this time I had been so miserable with my life, and in the past 2 and a half days transformed me; I felt new.

I wore my matching silk pajamas that my brother's wife bought me last Christmas. She was such a nice girl. And British too. The best is her tea; It's the best I've ever tasted. That moment of thought reminded me that a few days from now they were visiting. Maybe I could introduce them to Ashton, I think my brother would like him. 

I stepped out into the living room, and saw him sprawled across the couch. I took the blanket at the end and cover him with it, turning the television off. The time read half-past 8. Yawning, it was time for me to go bed.

This is a new start.

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End of Chapter 2

Author's Note

An attempt of the next chapter.

Reviews

[irishsam]

I LOVED this!! I can't wait to read more!!