The Best Mistake

Ashlyn.

“Mother fucker!” I cursed, dropping to the curb and resting my head in my hands. Nobody would come pick me up. Mom, Jeremy, Aurora and Alex all went out to lunch, because it was their day off and they wanted to spend time with them, all of my friends were either not answering their phone or at work and I am not taking a cab. I saw a movie once about this cab driver who killed all of his passengers, so cabs are just a huge no for me. I thought about going back upstairs and asking Jas for a ride, but that would be rude. Plus, I do not feel like going all the way upstairs just to hear a possible no.

I sighed heavily, before standing up and walking over to the bench that was against the hospital. I guess I’ll just wait until my family’s done eating- although they’d just gotten their food and they not only take forever to eat, they also take their time with desert. Well, except Alex- he’s done in about three minutes tops.

“Ashlyn?!” I heard a deep voice call my name. My eyes widened, that can’t be… “Ashlyn!”

I looked up and saw Nash standing in front of the entrance to the hospital. I would’ve laughed at the sight of Nash- a usually intimidating looking guy with fifty thousand piercings, standing in a hospital gown, out of breath- but concern washed over me before I could even giggle. “What are you doing out here?!” I exclaimed, standing up. The bright sun made his pale skin look paler and his injuries stand out bright.

Suddenly a huge, child-like grin spread across his face. I watched in half-shock, half-amusement as he ran over to me. I opened my mouth to speak when his lips captured mine. I kissed him back for about three seconds before I removed his hands from my face and stepped back. I stared at his face, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. My heart nearly dropped when I noticed a red, fading hand print on his cheek. “You didn’t leave,” he said, chewing on his bottom lip, still grinning.

It took everything in me not to mirror his contagious grin. “I’m waiting for my ride, actually,” I said. “So I’m in the process of leaving.”

“Don’t,” he said, quickly. He stepped forward, pulling me to him by my waist. His grip wasn’t tight enough to hurt me, but it was tight enough to keep me from going anywhere. “Please don’t go.”

I looked down, biting on my lip as I stared at the pattern of his gown rather than his face. “I can’t keep up with your mood swings, Nash,” I murmured. “You need to figure out what you want.”

His hands moved to my face again, forcing me to look at him. “I know what I want,” he whispered. “I want you. Earlier, when you were talking about you hoping I find somebody that makes me happy and feel good, all that popped up in my head was you. Because you make me happy and feel good. I know I probably make you feel the complete opposite, but I can try to change that. Because even though you’re a huge pain in my ass, the thought of you being somebody else’s… that’s not allowed.”

I couldn’t help the smile that was forming on my face as I grabbed his hands and intertwined them with my own. “What are you trying to say, Carter?” I asked, tilting my head to the side.

He laughed. “I just said all of that- which is more than enough to completely strip me from my hard earned bad ass image- and you can’t take the hint?” he asked.

“What hint?” I asked, innocently.

“I really hate you,” he muttered, causing me to laugh. “Ashlyn, will you be my girlfriend?”

I opened my mouth to give him my answer, when a voice from the door cut me off. “Sir? I’m gonna need you to come back inside.”

“Yes, I will,” I said, grinning. “But only because you look so cute in that gown.”

He rolled his eyes, before tugging my hand to follow him as he walked back inside. “So you’re gonna call your ride and tell them that you changed your mind, because you’re gonna stay here with me for a little bit,” he instructed.

“Are you asking me or telling me?” I asked him.

“Telling. So you have no choice in the matter.”

“Okay,” I said, eyeing a little girl who was currently glaring at us. “I think your bossiness is making that little girl angry.”

He followed my gaze before laughing and pulling me into the elevator. “No, I just accidentally bumped into her on my way down here,” he said.



“Are you sure about this?” I asked Nash. I was- very carefully- laying beside him in the small hospital bed. He had to stay overnight and visiting hours were over in about a half hour.

Nash groaned. “Why do you always feel the need to ruin nice moments?” he asked. I went to answer him but he continued talking. “And I already told you four hundred times that you’re not hurting me, so ca-“

“I meant about us,” I cut him off. I felt him staring at the top of my head, but I didn’t dare look up. I knew he probably didn’t like me questioning it, but with how he is… could he really blame me?

“I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t sure,” he said slowly.

Sighing, I sat up. “I know, but- what if tomorrow you realize you made a huge mistake?” I asked.

“Then it’d be the best mistake I’ve ever made,” he chuckled.

I shot him a glare. “I’m being serious, Nash,” I said.

He sighed deeply. “I know,” he said. “And I don’t blame you for having doubts, but I’m being 100% real here. How can I make you believe me?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know,” I mumbled. “Maybe once I process all this I will. I’m sorry for doubting you though.”

I watched him as he chewed on his lip, looking deep in thought. I started to feel guilty- he was trying, so why couldn’t I just bring myself to believe him? Why’d I have to think he wasn’t being serious? “My mom was stabbed to death,” his voice brought me out of my thoughts and made my breath stop.

“What?” I asked. “Nash, you don’t have to-“

“I do,” he said. “Just… don’t cut me off, okay? Any disruptions and I might not be able to finish.” I nodded, reaching for his hand and lacing our fingers. He took a deep breath, staring at our fingers.

Nash.

As I started telling the story to Ashlyn, it was like I was thrown back six years into that day, every detail replaying itself clearly.

I watched the twelve year old boy excitedly move around his bedroom and looking for his baseball. He was going to go to the park with his mom and they’d play catch, since his mom didn’t have to work and his dad didn’t do this sort of thing. He slipped on his shoes and grabbed the baseball before running out of his room and toward his parents.

I watched him as he stopped abruptly outside of the cracked door, listening to the shouting on the other side. He called out for his mom, but either she didn’t hear him or she chose to ignore him. His dad was screaming at his mom for never being home and taking care of him. Not bringing home beer like he asked. Not having enough money to order a wrestling pay-per-view. His mom finally cut him off and told him that she was taking the kids and filing for a divorce. A loud smack was heard after this, then crying.

I watched him as he listened to his mother’s pleas to not do it. Do what? The boy wasn’t sure.

I watched him as he listened to his dad’s sadistic laugh and his voice telling his mother it’s too late.

I watched him push the door open a little bit more.

I watched him look at his mother in sadness; his mother who was sobbing and bleeding everywhere.

I watched him see his dad laughing as he plunged the knife into her stomach repeatedly.

Finally, the crying stopped. The knife stopped. And his mother fell limp to the floor.