Changed Since Texas / Post Malone

6.2

I was hardly able to sleep the entire night, my mind continuously wandering back to what had happened with Ash earlier today. I couldn't believe that I didn't catch on to the fact that it was partly a lie sooner, and if I had maybe I wouldn't be in the situation that I was in right now. Not only that, but now I was faced with the fact that after the small strides that Charlotte and I took forward in our relationship, we just ended up taking that many more back and this time I was starting to feel doubt that I would be able to bring her back.

I pulled her closer into me, feeling relieved that she wasn't showing any type of resistance to my actions. Even sleeping, she had to know that someone was now lying behind her in bed, and that it wasn't Austy who was holding her so strongly. This simple fact gave me hope that things were going to work out. I placed a small kiss on the back of her neck, my head burying into her skin as I felt a few small tears leaking out of the corner of my eye.

I couldn't help but wonder how we turned into this. We were nothing more than young teenagers in love, desperately trying to hide from the other that we wanted to be with each other more than anything in the world. We fought through ups and downs most of the years after I left for California, but we had always somehow managed to stay in love with each other. Rather I should say she had always managed to stay in love with me, even when I thought I had lost her for good she would forgive me like no one had ever forgiven me before and it would feel like everything was right.

Now we were finally living out the dream that both of us wanted for so long, and nothing but set back after set back kept jumping into our path. Not that I was expecting things to go smoothly everyday of our lives, that's just not how relationships work, but I was expecting more ups however it seemed like all we were getting thrown at us were the downs.

She stirred slightly in my arms, my head popping up to see if she was awake only to see her tear stained eyes still laying peacefully closed as she let out a slow shaky breath, my assumption being it was still her body catching up from all the crying that she had done while I was gone, surely the tears not done flowing until she finally cried herself to sleep.

I laid my head back down on the pillow behind her, my thoughts now becoming preoccupied with the sick and twisted game Ash was playing. I knew that sitting down and having Charlotte hear me out tomorrow was going to be a hard task on it's own, but add in the fact that my ex is involved and I suddenly felt like I was going to be fighting world war 3 and I was going to be fighting it alone.

Ash was right, and that simple fact sent shivers up my spine. She had already had Charlotte right where she wanted her. She delivered concrete evidence that she was pregnant when I wasn't around knowing that Charlotte's curiosity was going to get the best of her and she was going to open the envelope before I got home, completely aware she was going to do all of this before she even called to talk to me.

I guess if I were Charlotte, I would find it extremely hard to believe my boyfriend who has done nothing but countlessly break my heart into a million pieces before, as he tried to tell you that the baby that you had physically seen in front of you wasn't his. I was pissed at Ash so much for what she did and the mess that she had created and no matter where this went she was nuts if she thought I was going to go back to her.

I had half a mind to pick up and call my Dad, knowing that despite the time he is always there for me to talk to, but I didn't want to bring this down on him just yet. I mean shit I already had to call him the first night we got back when things got heated between Charlotte and myself because of Ash the first time, I didn't need to drop the gauntlet on him that she was causing trouble yet again.

They had liked Ash, thought she was a sweet enough girl and all but they had their doubts about her, but Jodie and Dad were always the learn from your own mistakes kinda parents. They gave their input when they thought it was necessary but after they spoke their piece they let things unfold on there own. Most of the time it would happen just as they predicted, it might take a little while but most of the time they were right, and they had been right about Ash.