When Winter Comes

Chapter 22: Winter Flies

IGNORE ALL ERRORS

Chapter 22: Winter Flies 

The week flew past far too quickly. It felt like only a day had gone by before Austin's family and I were boarder on their plane and flown back to Connecticut. Sitting on the plane, holding Austin's hand, my stomach twisted. Going back to school meant going back to Jace. A week had gone by without me thinking about him, except that one conversation that Aidan and I had. 

"It's a shame we didn't work out back at school," Austin whispered as our hands intertwined. I stared at our hands mixing together, breathing heavily, while he watched me closely. He was always one who could never let go. 

"Yes it is," I responded quietly, not really knowing what to say. It was my fault we didn't work out. Purposely, I pushed him away because I was feeling alone. Nobody understood me, and I wanted him to know that. But also, I didn't understand him. The one year apart changed both of us, and it was clear that we were both trying to push our separation. 

"I'm sorry I didn't try harder," Austin confessed and pressed his lips against my bare hand. Chills went down my spine, feeling guilty for giving myself to him again. 

"It isn't your fault," I muttered, but a part of me didn't believe that. He was toyed by Taylor and gave her what she wanted. He let himself be played, and I felt no guilt for him. Taylor was always cruel, and he should have realized what she was doing. 

"I know it wasn't my fault." Austin spoke with force, and I was shocked at his new emotion. A second ago he was rubbing my skin and wanting us to work again. At his words, I was believing that he was blaming me for the fall out. My mouth opened to protest as our hands parted. "It was that kid Jason's fault," Austin spat and pushed himself up in the bed. His skin rested on the cold white wood. His brown hair was too short to be messy, but I imagined it would have been if longer. His eyes stared openly at the window looking upon the clear sea. The waves crashed below us, and I was calmed by the noise. 

"Jace had nothing to do with our break up," I said and joined him against the bedrest. Tugging my t-shirt over my chest, I squeezed his leg. Austin turned to me with a look of sorrow. 

"Yes he did. He was trying to steal you from me. I saw him talking to Taylor one day. She told me that he wanted me to break up with you." He stared at me intently and joined my hands again. At his confession, my stomach turned. What was I supposed to believe? Jace would have told me if that was true. Still, him telling Taylor that didn't mean that Austin had to follow through with it. He didn't have to break up with me. He chose to do it himself, and for that I made him into an enemy. "He wanted you for himself, Winter. Don't you see that?" 

"You're being ridiculous, Austin," I told him and crawled out of the king-size bed. My shorts wiggled me into them. Shaking my head, I walked to the door. "Stop forcing our break up on Jace. It was you and you alone who did it," I proclaimed. "You couldn't take the new me, and I understand. Stop pretending that you want us to be together." With that, I left our room and headed for the beach to take a walk. Austin waited in the bed until I came back, but I didn't speak to him. I simply went to bed, and then in the morning I acted as if the conversation never happened. 

Austin was being irrational. He couldn't see past his ego. To busy with his status, he was blinded by the fact that he was  being pushed around. He didn't see it, but everyone around him did. I saw that Taylor was pulling strings, and Taylor was being pulled by Jace, who was in the end being ripped a part by me. So I guess in the end, I was truly the blame, but obviously I was too stubborn to admit that in the near future. 

"So, what's going to happen," Austin asked as the plane dipped back to land.