Only If She Stayed

23. Kiss me, dammit

AFTER PRACTICE, coach released us to the locker room, saying we were done for the day and could hit the showers if we wanted to. Picking up my step, I submerged into the middle of the group, not wanting to be spotted and stopped by Edgar. It would seem like something he'd do, snatch at my wrist and beg for me to talk to him.

I was done talking.

I said what I had to say. I wouldn't give him a chance or golden opportunity to make his way back into my life. It stung, knowing that I had thrown away so many years of our relationship in the trash, but I knew deep in my heart that I was making the right decision.

Was salvaging our relationship worth the pain and suffering I'd undoubtable have to endure once his 'I'm sorry' sweet phase was over with? Of course not. I had to put myself first, thinking of my mental health and physical health as well, knowing he had put a substantial toll on both since he started acting like a tyrant. I would be letting more precious time slip through the cracks of my fingers if I hung around him any longer. Our breakup was for the best.

I was well aware of what Edgar Townley was capable of. He would eventually stop and start dating a girl on the cheerleading team to spite me. I could see it now, walking into the locker rooms and thinking of which unfortunate girl would take my place.

Would it be Shelia Yusuf? She was cute. Her sleek black hair, tied up in a ponytail, bounced from side to side as she put in the combo to her locker, whistling a tune. She was taller than me though, way taller. She had set the lock on top of the locker, something I didn't have the ability to do. With Edgar's ego, he wouldn't be able to date someone who was that height. He'd explode with insecurity. Once realizing that, I dismissed her as a possible candidate in the running for Edgar's attention.

All of the showers were occupied, forcing me to wait at the entrance, peevish at how long they were taking. I had a small window of time. I wanted to get off of school grounds as soon as possible, miles away from Edgar and inside the comfort of my bedroom.

Once one shower got vacated, I did my best not to sprint to it. The last thing I wanted now was to slip and fall on my ass, banging my head on the wet tiled floor. Draping my towel to the hangers, I skirted to the handle, wearing a pink two-piece swimsuit I always brought to school for the showers.

The school provided us with something to wash with, but my skin was too sensitive for their liquid soap. Another homecraft my grandmother taught me was how to make soap. I popped out the pale pink soap bar out of the plastic baggy I brought in with me to the showers. Running it under the water, I ran my hands along the sides of the bar and work it up my arm, lathering it into my skin.

After rinsing off the suds, I ducked under the beam of warm water shooting rapidly out the showerhead. I shut it off and went to my towel to dry off, sneaking a peek at the clock inside the locker room.

Perfect, I only took three minutes.

Making sure not to jog, I walked as fast as possible to my locker and got dressed. I was out of the locker room in no time, struggling with my belt while rushing out the door. I had to leave, pronto.

"Hey, Rose," someone yelled from behind me. I wouldn't have turned around if it weren't for the fact that I heard the slight tang of accent attached to my name. It was Ashton.

"Oh, hey, I have to go." I blurted out, slowly my step. He kept up with my fast tempo and got to my side.

"Why the rush? I figured we could go over some guideline rules."

"Guideline rules?"

"Yeah, for this...this thing we're doing," he awkwardly stated, rubbing the back of his head. "I don't want to cross any lines and I'm sure you want to set up boundaries."