Broken Hearted

It was like we were taking turns making each other jealous. First Shaun would wrap his arm around her waist, I’d have to bring it up a notch and hold hands with Oliver. He would set her on his lap, in return, I’d up the stakes and kiss Oliver, then Shaun would simply start making out with Ashley in plain sight, mainly in places he knew I spent most of my time in, then to make sure he’d win, because Shaun always has to win, he’d make sure I was watching when he dragged Ashley into his room. That one probably hurt the most.

Even Scotty and Mason were getting tired of our stupid games in trying to make each other completely jealous. Scotty almost seemed ecstatic to leave the Olympics when he got kicked out for taking racy pictures with his medal. Zane, Chris and Jake all felt the same way when they had to leave to keep practicing, they were all getting sick of it, they didn’t want to hear about it anymore. The only one still, slightly, wanting to hear about it was Mason. He was the only one still talking to Shaun and I about everything.

Mason was the only one really there for me for the last week of the Olympics, everyone had already left and went home. Even Shaun wasn’t around, he was too busy doing interviews all over the place, and he’d only be here for the closing ceremony then we would both head back to California.

“Shaun is doing an interview right now with Rachel Ray.” Mason laughed, as he sat down on the edge of my bed and flipped to Shaun’s interview.

“Seriously, Rachel Ray?” I laughed as I sat down next to him.

“Dead serious.” He replied with a smile as he pointed towards the TV.

Of course the whole beginning of the interview had everything to do with his Olympic win and his private halfpipe in Silverton, but what really got my attention was when they brought Ashley into the whole interview.

“So, who is she? How did you meet her?” Rachel gushed, if she had paid any attention to Shaun, or anything related to snowboarding, she’d know exactly who Ashley was.

Shaun smiled and laughed lightly before answering, “That’s Ashley and we met back in Vermont a few years ago.”

“You guys close?”

“I’d imagine we would be if we’re dating, but not as close as Alison and me.” He replied, catching me slightly off guard with his last comment.

“How long have you two been together?” She asked, a bit less giddy then before.

“Three years.” Shaun replied bluntly.

“Isn’t she upset at all that you’re closer to another girl?” Rachel asked, slightly confused.

“No, I don’t think so anyway. I mean, I’ve known Alison longer than I’ve known Ashley, I’ve known Alison for almost four years, she’s my best friend, so I don’t think Ashley minds, she seems to understand.”

“Alison, like the one who won gold for woman’s halfpipe?”

“Ya.” Shaun laughed, “It’s funny, y’know? ‘Cause Alison doesn’t get along all to well with Ashley.”

“Is she jealous?” Rachel laughed, causing the whole audience to laugh, making me slightly angry.

“No, it’s not like that.” Shaun laughed, “It’s just, Ashley is a lot more… conservative, y’know, girly than she is. Alison acts a lot like a dude does from time to time, she doesn’t always, but she does for the most part, and Ashley just isn’t too fond of that y’know? Like, Alison will burp, or swear, or whatever, and Ashley will kind of scold her and Alison absolutely hates it, it ticks her off hardcore. It gets kind of nasty from time to time, it’s not too bad now, but a couple of years ago Alison had to be strained back from knocking her out, it was pretty gnarly.” Shaun laughed.

“Now it is, but back then he hated me for it.” I whispered harshly.

“And Ashley is ok with that?”

“Well, they don’t get like that anymore. Ashley doesn’t scold her for not being ‘lady like’ anymore so it doesn’t piss Alison off too much anymore, but I can still tell from time to time that Ashley is getting on her last nerve.” Shaun laughed.

“So, they’re on good terms then?”

“For the most part, ya.”

“Do you love her?” Rachel asked, clearly catching everyone off guard.

“What? Who?” Shaun asked, clearly trying to find out whom she’s talking about so he wouldn’t look like an idiot on television if he were talking about the wrong girl.

“Ashley.” Rachel replied, slightly confused as to whom else she could’ve been talking about.

“Oh, um that’s a little personal isn’t?” Shaun asked, playing with the back of his hair like he always did when he got nervous.

“Is that a yes?” She laughed.

“No, no it’s really not.” Shaun replied flatly.

“So you don’t?”

“Um, I don’t think so, no.”

Just hearing Shaun say he didn’t love Ashley brought a smile to my face, as cruel and bitchy as that may seem, it did. I knew he didn’t love her, even if he didn’t say it or won’t say he loves me anymore or that he wants to be with me, I was ecstatic to hear him say he didn’t love her.

“You can’t tell? You’ve been together three years.”

“Ya, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I love her. And I don’t feel that whole lovey-dovey thing with her.”

“How do you know that’s what it feels like?” Rachel asked as if she had discovered something huge.

“Because I know what it’s like.” He replied, trying not to lose his cool.

“So America’s coolest guy has been in love?” Rachel laughed, starting a chorus of ‘ooh’s’ and ‘aah’s’.

“We all do eventually don’t we?”

“I suppose so, but do you still love that person?”

“Yes.” He replied, causing me to smile and play with my fingers, “Dude, I’m so going to get dumped.” Shaun laughed, lightening up the situation.

“Somebody still loves you.” Mason sang, poking my side as I continued smiling at myself and getting that same feeling he gave me all those years ago before Ashley came into the picture.