The Right Girl

ASHTON'S POV
I woke up the next morning, a breeze coming from the air conditioning vent above me hitting my bare legs, exposed by the lifted comforter. My head pounding, I looked around slowly and took in the scene. John’s room. Early morning. Sheets a mess. Clothes on ground. No John in sight.

I stood up and swayed, catching myself on the edge of the bed. I stood up slower this time, then eyed the Advil and water on the side table. I took it and quickly devoured both, shutting my eyes for a few moments. I realized my whole body had gone cold, and I looked down, surprising myself when I saw that I was butt naked. I covered my mouth, but then relaxed. John was my boyfriend; this was perfectly acceptable. I put on my clothes from the night before, then headed outside of the bedroom, looking for John.

I found him sitting in front of the TV, watching some stupid news show about everything happening in Egypt. The volume was way too loud, and I moaned, gaining his attention, as I complained, “Turn that down, please. It’s blaring, in case you haven’t noticed.”

“Sorry,” John said with a half smirk as I came and sat down next to him. He lifted the remote to face the TV, and I saw the volume bar go down. John put down the remote, then put an arm around my shoulders, pulling me in so he could kiss the top of my head. “So, I had a lot of fun last night.”

I looked over at him, my head almost seeming to roll off my shoulders. “What exactly happened?”

“Well, we went to the club to celebrate Jared’s eighteenth birthday, and you, with all your charm, managed to score us some drinks at the bar. You had more than plenty, then we came back here and did what we do best,” John said, smiling at me jokingly.

I froze. “So, I was drunk?”

“Don’t worry, I only had one drink. I drove us home,” he said. I shook my head, putting my throbbing head in my hands.

“That’s not the problem here,” I said to him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw John looking, obviously confused, at my posture. I looked up at him and said, “We had sex last night.”

“I don’t see the problem,” John said slowly.

“You took advantage of me when I was drunk, John, and that’s not okay,” I said to him, putting my hands on my hips as I stood up in front of him.

He rolled his eyes. “Oh, please, Ashton. First of all, it wasn’t like you wanted me to stop. And second of all, like that’s never happened to you before.” I stared at him, gawking, before he realized what he had just said. “Oh, shit, Ash, you know what I mean by that...”

“Yeah, that I was a slut and a crazy, I get it,” I hissed at him, stomping back into the bedroom as I grabbed my stuff. He ran in behind me, turning me around as he held onto my arms, too strong for me to get free. I looked up at him and asked him, tears filling my eyes, “What do you want with a slut like me as your girlfriend anyway? Do you honestly just want to get laid all the time? Because it’s time you find a new girlfriend.”

His jaw flopped open and his grip on me grew slack as I pushed past him and began walking out the door. I heard rapid footsteps running after me, and his grip was on my arm once more as he turned me around.

“You’re not a slut, I understand that you’ve changed, and I was wrong to go down the past’s path. You’re my girlfriend because you’re beautiful and amazing, and I like no one more than I like you...”

I laughed, shaking my head. “And there it is.”

He tipped his head in confusion. “What?”

“You can’t even say you love me. I’ve told you I loved you, but you always somehow manage to dodge the act of telling me the same.” I shook my head, laughing again as tears flung from my eyes onto John’s carpet. “What a typical guy. I really thought you were different, John. You persuaded me I was, but I obviously didn’t change your viewpoint about anything.”

“Ashton, please don’t say that...” he begged me.

I shook my head, pulling away from him again. “I’m done playing this stupid game with you, John. I’m leaving tomorrow anyway-- perhaps it’s all for the best.”

“Don’t say that,” he whispered, tears filling his eyes now. I shook my head, looking at him, frozen to his spot with the realization that this was actually happening-- I was leaving him, and tomorrow, I’d be leaving town, too. I was leaving everything that was us, behind.

“Bye, John,” I said to him, turning and slamming the door shut behind me. I heard his fist hit the door, and tears streamed down my face as I sprinted down the stairs and got into my car.

I didn’t stop crying the whole way home.

JOHN’S POV
I hit the door with my fist the moment it slammed shut, cutting me off from Ashton, who was probably already down to her car by now. I walked back to the couch, putting my elbows on my knees as I leant over and placed my head in my hands, thinking about all the moves I had just made that had sealed the end to our relationship.

And that’s when I realized, I could’ve saved it. I could’ve saved it with three, simple words, the three words that scared me the most, but the three words that I knew would be nothing the truth when I spoke them to Ashton.

I love you.

But it was not your fault, but mine
And it was your heart on the line
I really fucked it up this time
Didn’t I, my dear?