The Best Mistake

Nash.

I sighed in relief when I walked up to my house and saw the driveway empty. Maybe my dad hadn't noticed I was gone. I stay away from home a lot- before Ashlyn's, I'd stayed at Levi's usually. But I always made sure that I was never away for more than three days. I had to make sure my dad knew that I was still there; that I hadn't left him alone with his anger. The only thing I can imagine is him getting so mad that he had no one to take his anger out on anymore, that he'd track down Eric and force him to live with him.

My dad would win that case, of course. Disregarding all the shitty karma that my father deserved, he was insanely lucky. He'd never been in an accident while driving drunk, he's kept his job even though he's been late countless of times and he has enough money to pay a couple bills plus have money leftover to blow on liquor.

I opened the front door, not surprised in the least that it was unlocked. My dad never locked it, and even though I did, we've never been robbed. You could just glance at my house and see there was nothing there you'd want. I closed the door quickly after stepping inside, practically jumping to run up the stairs when I heard an angry, scratchy voice.

"Nash? Is that you, boy?"

I closed my eyes, clenching my jaw. If he's here, where the fuck was his car? "Yeah, it's me," I forced, making sure to keep my voice blank.

"Where the fuck have you been?!" He rounded the corner and I slowly looked at him. His white shirt was stained with beer- I'm guessing- and he was in a pair of pajama pants. When I looked at his face, I saw that his eyes looked tired, but they weren't even pink. Which meant that it was one of those rare occasions he was sober.

"I've been here." The lie slipped out of my lips before I could stop it. I knew lying was a bad idea normally; but it was an absolute terrible one when he's sober.

"What have I told you about lying?" I opened my mouth to respond but suddenly I was pushed back onto the floor, my head slamming against the broken tiles on the floor. My head started pounding immediately. He felt a hard kick against my good side. "Lying makes you worthless; just like your mother!"

"My mother was not worthless," I blurted out through gritted teeth. Though I didn't want the words coming out of my mouth, I didn't regret them even a little. I was lifted off the floor by the front of my shirt and shoved against the wall; I had to ignore the nail that was digging in my back.

"Your mother was the most worthless piece of shit to ever walk this earth," he said, his face dangerously close to mine. "You're following close behind her, boy. No wonder you killed her."

"I didn't kill her!" I exclaimed angrily. I was so sick of him trying to put the blame on me for something I didn't do. He's been trying to make me feel guilty for something he did.

"Wrong answer." His fist connected with my face and I felt blood start running out of my nose. There was blood coming from the inside of my mouth too. I guess one of my piercings scraped somewhere in my mouth when he punched me. I made a mental note to take them out later. He grabbed me against and threw me against the steps. I'd hit my head pretty hard again, and I felt blood behind my head. "Maybe this will help you remember what exactly happened."

Ashlyn.

I was starting to grow nervous, biting my nails and pathetically staring at the open window in hopes that Nash would fly through. But it's a little passed twelve, and there was still no sign of him. Three hours. He's been gone for three hours! I even called Jas to have her text Levi or something and ask him if Nash was okay.

But I was more or less shocked when I found out Levi was not only with her, but had no clue Nash was supposed to fight tonight. "Maybe it slipped his mind," I had guessed earlier, once Levi had gotten on the phone.

Levi sounded more distressed than I was. "No, I don't think so," he said. "You don't just show up at a fight alone; you always at least take one person with you, in case things get out of hand."

"Then where is he?" I asked.

"I have no idea," he said. "Nash isn't exactly a social butterfly and there's no parties going on tonight that I know about. I don't know where he could be. When'd he leave your house?"

"About nine."

"It's midnight now," he said, sighing. "Ashlyn, it's probably better you just go to sleep. I'm sure Nash is fine. He probably just-" He paused and I heard Jas talking. Her voice was muffled and I barely heard anything that Levi was saying back to her, before he cursed. "Shit, how long has Nash been having slumber parties with you?"

I rolled my eyes, but answered anyway. "A week, why?"

"No reason," he said. "He probably went home. Look, I gotta go. We'll call you if we hear from Nash, alright?"

Thanks to that conversation, I was now even more worried than I was before. I was gripping my phone in my hand that I wasn't devouring my fingernails on, too. Both Nash and Levi told me not to worry about him but I really couldn't help it.

Just as I thought I was ready to pull my hair out in frustration and worry, I heard something coming from below my window. I immediately shot up, knowing it was Nash. It had to be. I stumbled over to my window, leaning my head out. I saw Nash leaning against the tree in my front yard. "Nash!" I said as quietly as I could. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said, his voice sounding pained. "But I won't be able to climb up your window. I just came by because I promised you, and..."

"I'll be down in a second, hang on," I said, before shutting my window quietly. I didn't even bother putting my shoes on before I quickly- but quietly- ran downstairs and out the door, going straight to Nash.