The Best Mistake

“You’re a bitter little bitch, aren’t you?” Nash shot at me, his words far more venomous than his stare as he pushed me away the nearest wall, holding me captive by my shoulders. He leaned closer to my ear, speaking in a harsh whisper. “Just because I don’t return you’re pathetic little crush, you think you can go around hitting me? You mean nothing to me, Ashlyn. Nothing.”

Feeling my blood boil, I lifted my hand up to slap him again, not caring about the consequences. I wasn’t going to let him be a dick like this. But right before my palm could make contact with his cheek; his fingers were wrapped tightly around my wrist, stopping me. “I hate you,” I growled through gritted teeth.

Something flashed in his eyes, and suddenly my hand was released from his grasp and he was gripping onto the sides of my face, his lips smashed against mine as they moved quickly, desperate to get a reaction. As much as my head told me to just pull away- that this is a terrible idea- my hands pulled him closer by his hospital gown, hoping I could get closer to him than humanly possible. He bit down on my bottom lip and I opened my mouth immediately, not even a second later his tongue was exploring every corner of my mouth.

A involuntary moan from the back of my throat is what snapped me out of it. This was the guy who just told me I meant nothing to him, and yet he’s kissing me like this? I knew I meant something to him but if he wasn’t going to admit it, then why give him what he wants? So I put my hands to his chest and pushed as hard as I could, watching as he stumbled back onto the end of the bed, gripping the end to keep himself steady. “What the hell, Nash?” I asked, breathing heavily. “I thought I meant nothing to you.”

A crooked grin spread across his face. “You just look so damn hot when you’re pissed off,” he commented, chuckling lightly.

I looked at him in disbelief, mouth agape. Seriously? I went to say something, when a nurse came rushing in. “Are you okay? The IV got detached,” the nurse said frantically.

“The IV?” Nash repeated, eyes wide. “That was like ten minutes ago, I could be dead by now!”

“Just please lay back down so I can reattach it,” the nurse said calmly.

Nash chuckled, shaking his head as he climbed back onto the bed, this time sitting himself against the wall, watching me while the nurse put the needle back into place. I tried to catch my breath and work everything out in my head as she did so. She gave Nash a weary look and reminded him to press the button for help, and then hurried out of the room.

I was the first to speak. “I can’t play your games anymore, Nash,” I said softly, not looking at him. I felt his gaze though. “I want to be with you, I really do. But if you don’t want anything to do with me… then I’m obviously just wasting my time.”

“Then go,” was all his response was. I felt my eyes burn; how could he be so nonchalant about everything? But I took a breath, reminding myself that I would not cry over Nash Carter.

“Okay,” I said, nodding. “Okay. I will. But I really hope you find somebody who makes you happy and make you feel better about yourself. Because you need to before it kills you.” I coughed, trying to fix my shaking voice. “Goodbye, Nash.” I hurriedly walked out of the room, shutting the door before I rushed through the waiting room.

“Ashlyn?” Levi called. I ignored him and continued walking toward the elevator. “Ashlyn!”

I’d clicked the down button when Levi grabbed my elbow. “What?” I snapped. All I wanted to do was get away from here.

“What the hell happened?” he asked.

“He hates me, okay?!” I snapped at the boy. “He hates me,” I repeated, in a softer voice.

Levi’s eyes softened. “What’d he say?” he asked carefully.

“After assuring me how I meant nothing to him, he told me to go,” I said. The elevator ding’d and I pulled my elbow away from his grip. “I gotta go, my mom needs me home.” I stepped into the elevator, ignoring Levi’s confused stare as the doors closed.

Nash.

I stared at the now shut door. I knew some of the things I told Ashlyn were out of line- and they weren’t true at all- but I wanted them to be true. So bad. I wasn’t planning on kissing her. I was planning on saying everything I could to get her out of my life for good- or more so me out of her life- but I had wanted to do that for the past week and she looked so sexy mad… it was more like a spur of the moment thing.

I was so torn between what was right and wrong it was pathetic. The right thing to do was to leave her alone and let her move on and forget about me. And maybe I was being selfish, but I don’t think I can do that, no matter how hard I try. As I replayed the last thing she said to me before she left, all I could think was how I’d already found somebody who made me happy and feel better about myself. I’d found her.

“What the fuck, Nash?!” Levi yelled, throwing the door open. Seriously, does this hospital not care at all about peace and quietness?

“Woah, déjà vu,” I commented.

“Yeah, it’ll be déjà vu when I beat your ass, too,” he snapped. “Why the hell did you tell Ashlyn those things?”

“It's impolite to eavesdrop, Lee Lee,” I told him, rolling my eyes.

“I didn't eavesdrop, she told me what you said,” he shot at me.

“Oh, great. She’s out there complaining about how much of a dick I am.”

“No, she did that before she left- ‘cause you told her to!” he said, pointing at me accusingly.

I felt my heart drop. “She really left?” I asked.

“Didn’t you tell her to?” he asked. “What’d you expect?”

“Well, yeah, I did. But I didn’t expect her to listen and actually leave,” I admitted.

“Yeah, definitely a grade A dumb ass,” I heard him mutter.

“How’d she get home?” I asked.

“Um… I don’t know?” he asked. “She doesn’t have her car with her. I assume she called a friend or one of her parents.”

“Then she still might be down there,” I said, removing the IV from my hand again.

“Whoa, what the hell are you doing?” he asked.

“Going to get her,” I said, standing up. Luckily there wasn’t much damage done to my legs, but the aching coming from my ribs told me that it would hurt to run.

“First, you look like an idiot as is,” he said. “Second, you’ll look even more idiotic running. And third, you need to lie down and chill. Your ribs aren’t fully healed.”

“I don’t care, I need to see if she’s left yet,” I said, before hurrying out the door and straight to the elevator.