The Underground

Chapter 47: Confusion and Chaos

"Oh, my god," I said, gasping for air. "Oh, my god, this can't be happening."

I heard Louis calling, "Ash, are you okay?"

I stormed into my room and whipped the phone at him. "Is this what you wanted to talk to me about?! Trying to figure out how to make a clean break after you screw me over? Or were you hoping you could get another hundred grand out of me first?!"

"Ashten," he said shakily. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Read the text!" I screeched.

His eyes scanned over the message and his face went white. He looked up at me in panic. "Oh, my god, Ash, I can explain-"

"So it's true?! You're not even going to try to come up with another lie to cover your ass?" I spat.

"Ash, please," he said, jumping out of bed and rushing to me, trying to pull me into his arms.

I yanked myself away. "No! I can't believe I fell for this! It all makes sense now."

"Ash, please calm down! I can explain everything," he said, trying not to lose his cool.

"Explain what? That you only pretended to love me so that you could use me?! No explanation necessary, thank you! I figured that out already!"

"It's not like that! Would you stop freaking out so we can talk?!" He said, finally breaking into a yell. "It's true, okay? That was my original plan and I was such an idiot! But-"

"Okay, good! You've told me the truth, now get out of my life!" I shrieked.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Preston standing in the hall just outside my room.

"Preston, I need to go home! Get my car ready!" I ordered him.

"But Ashten-"

"Just do it!!!" I shouted and I ran outside in my bare feet. I flicked the locks and climbed into the back seat and screamed and cried for what felt like hours. I didn't even realize how cold it was until I heard the door open.

"Leave me alone, Louis!"

"It's Preston," I heard his quiet voice saying.

"Are you ready to take me home?" I asked, my voice quivering and my body shaking furiously from the cold.

"Ashten, you're in your pajamas and you've got nothing packed. Let's go inside."

"No! No!" I shook my head violently. "I can't go back in there. I have nothing to say to him!"

"Then just come in to get warm. I'll tell him to stay away from you," Preston soothed.

I nodded, my teeth chattering. I followed Preston like a puppy dog into the house and towards my room. I saw Louis out of the corner of my eye, watching like a hawk.

"Ash," he pleaded quietly.

"Give her some space," Preston told him.

Preston threw back the blankets on my bed. "Get in," he ordered. "You're freezing."

I complied and he arranged the blankets back over me. Then he disappeared for a few minutes, coming back with a cup of hot tea in his hands.

"Drink this," he said.

I slowly sat up and took the cup from his hands. I sipped it, but I could hardly taste anything.

After several moments of silence, Preston said, "It's not what you think, Ashten."

"Don't tell me what I think," I said. "I know what this was. Some grand conquest. An elaborate revenge on my kind."

"No, it's not that, and you know it," Preston urged. "I know that he is madly in love with you. And you know it, too."