I'm Gonna Push You Away, With Every Word That You Say.

Ashley's Point Of View

I woke up and looked around. I was in a hospital bed? Then the memories came flooding back. That truck. Kellin. I hissed out in pain clutching my ribs. Everything hurt. I put my arms down near my side gripping the bed. My right hand went over something smooth and glossy. I picked it up, it was a picture. No, it was the picture, the picture Kellin took of us and Copeland that night she was sick. A tear escaped my eye as I soon remembered what happened.

Kellin.

No. No, I couldn't deal with this right now. I saw my phone next to me as I quickly grabbed it. Surprisingly, it was charged. I clicked the home button as my lock screen popped up.

August 17, 2013? What! I've been in a coma? For a year?!

I quickly dialed Justin's number and waited for him to pick up.

"Ashley!" he screamed.

"I need you to come pick me up at the hospital now" I ordered sitting up out of bed.

"What? Are you crazy, you just woke up? Is Ronnie happy, how's Kellin? I can't believe you're actually-" he rambled before I interrupted him.

"Shut up. No, they're not here and I need you to come pick me up before they come. I can't deal with this life right now Justin. I want a fresh start and I trust you to help me get that" I said standing up slowly.

It felt like my legs were going to break in half. I ripped off the IV cords and heart monitor shit and walked around slowly getting used to walking as I waited for his reply.

"But, Ronnie, Kellin, and Copeland are gonna miss you Ashley. Copeland even said your name before she said dad" he choked out.

"What?" I whispered shocked as tears started to run down my face.

"She did and Ronnie's been so depressed, and Kellin-"

"Justin please if you were truly my friend you would help me" I whispered.

I heard him sigh, "Please Justin" I cried.

"I'll be there in 10" he said before hanging up the phone.

I immediately spotted a pair of basketball shorts, t-shirt, beanie, and sun glasses.

Perfect.

I held the picture tightly in my hand as I yanked off my hospital gown, throwing it to the floor. I put on everything I found and grabbed my phone walking out of the room. I braced my body as I started to walk normally ignoring the pain running through my body. I looked at the lady at the front desk and waved, smiling at her as she did the same. I quickened my pace to make sure that no one saw that I had no shoes on. I went down the elevator closing the door quickly to make sure that no one else would come in. Once it stopped at the lobby floor I ran out and started walking towards the exit. I saw Ronnie coming in with a toddler in his arms; I quickly ducked behind a plant and peaked over at them. I gasped once I saw the toddler's face.

"C-Copeland?" I whispered to myself.

I saw Ronnie grin, tickling her as she squirmed in his arms giggling. I let a tear slip from my eyes as I saw Justin car pull up. After Ronnie and Copeland got into the elevator I ran outside and into Justin's car. He immediately started driving once I put my seat belt on.

Once we were at a descent distance away from the hospital Justin abruptly pulled over and shut the car off.

"Explain what the fuck is going on now" he ordered facing towards me.

I sighed, "Did Kellin tell you what he said to me on the night.....of the...accident?"

He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, and nodded.

"I can't take this life anymore everything is just too much right now Justin. I mean, Austin and Kellin. I just can't deal with this it's too much. I need a new life" I cried.

"You don't understand Ashley, he divorced Katelynne. For you. And don't even fucking think about Austin cause I bet you he's fucking Gielle right now" he lectured.

That, that was all it took to crush my heart and make me sob uncontrollably.

"See! Right there that's what I can't fucking deal with! I want my normal life back, when Ronnie wasn't in a band and when my friends didn't bring so much shit into my life! I can't help but love Austin, I just need a new life." I shouted through my tears.

He pulled me into his arms stroking my hair, "Shhh, I'm sorry. Don't worry I'll help you. Okay? I'll help you get away."

"Please Justin" I sobbed into his shoulder.

After a few minutes of silence I broke the hug and sat back in my seat. He turned the car on and started to drive. He told me about everything that's happened this past year and we talked about where I was going to escape to. He talked about Copeland and I looked down at the picture that was still in my hand. I let a tear slip out of my eye onto the picture. Justin was currently taking me to his house since I still had to plan things out. His phone rang and he picked it up immediately.

"Yo yo yo this Justin!" he screamed imitating a gangster voice.

I giggled looking at him as his face dropped. He put it on speaker and held the phone and the wheel.

It was Kellin.

"Justin stop. Ashley's gone" he sighed.

I heard a child crying in the background and Ronnie yelling as guilt filled my body.

"What do you mean 'gone'?" Justin chocked out.

"She apparently woke up and left when we weren't in the room. The lady at the front desk saw her leave but Ashley was wearing regular clothes so she didn't realize that she was a patient," he said with his voice full of sadness.

"What're you guys gonna do?" Justin asked I knew by the look on his face that he felt extremely guilty not telling his best friend that I was sitting right next to him.

"I don't know I have to talk to Ronnie he's been too busy screaming at the lady at the front desk and security guards. Copeland's been crying this whole time. I don't even know what to tell her, she thinks that Ashley's gonna be gone forever and she lost her favorite picture of her, Ashley, and me."

I gasped looking down at the picture I held so tightly in my hand. Justin heard, glancing over to see what I reacted to. His jaw clenched once he saw the picture in my hand. He looked back at the road and said nothing to Kellin.

"Is it okay if Copeland and I come to stay at your place for tonight?" Kellin asked with hope in his voice.

I shook my head ‘no’ vigorously at Justin.

"I don't know man-" Justin said before Kellin interrupted him.

"Come on Justin, please I gotta get my mind off things and so does Copeland, please? My house is filled with picture of Ashley and it’s killing us" Kellin pleaded as I continued to shake my head feeling twice the guilt build inside of me.

Justin sighed, "Okay."

I looked at him shocked as Kellin said he was on his way. He ended the call and continued to drive, not saying a word.

"What the fuck Justin?!" I screamed.

"What was I supposed to do Ashley? Huh? What the absolute fuck was I supposed to do? Say 'no man you can't because Ashley's at my place and she kinda doesn't wanna see you'?" he yelled looking at me as we pulled into his driveway.

I flinched at his sudden outburst and stayed silent. We pulled into his garage and he shut the car off. We just sat there in silence not moving at all.

He sighed as he leaned back in his seat and rubbed his face.

"I'm sorry I screamed at you but really Ashley what was I supposed to do?" he whispered.

"It's okay you were right. We just have to figure out what to do" I said as we both got out of the car and walked into his house.

We walked up to his room and sat on the bed.

"So what's the plan?"