I Used To Always Be The Rejection

Chapter 11

Dedicated to everyone who's willing to take risks and start over.  

Chapter 11

Ashlynn POV

"Come on, push it!  You can do this!" Nick yelled.  I panted, sweat dripping down from everywhere on me as I pumped my legs harder, even though they felt like lead.  My whole body was on fire as I pushed myself to go on.  Everything around me was hazy and blurry, the sun's rays beating hard on me even though it was early in the morning.  I gasped for air, tilting my head up to the sky, before willing myself to go faster and faster, sprinting as hard as I could for the last 100 meters.  

I charged right past the finishing mark and moaned, falling to the ground like a hard lump of coal.  I had never been pushed so hard in my whole entire life.  I was always the wimpy and weak one, the one who got pushed and shoved around all the time.

Nick bent over me, his hair falling a bit into his face as he smiled, looking at the stopwatch in his hand, "Not bad, seven minutes, right on the dot," He said, his warm green eyes twinkling with encouragement.

I groaned and replied, "You mean not bad for a human," I sighed, my chest heaving up and down, short bursts of breath pouring out of my mouth.  My whole body was absolutely exhausted and everything just felt so warm and uncomfortable.  I rolled over onto my stomach, though it didn't help much.

Nick laughed, and offered his hand to me, which I gladly took, knowing that I wouldn't be able to get up without it, "Really, you did good,"

I snorted, though it was hard to since I was still out of breath, "Right, and you're not just saying that," I sarcastically retorted.

Nick smiled at me, turning on his charm, "You're too hard on yourself,"

"Yeah, and you're not.  You should be, though, why aren't you?" I asked, truly meaning my words.

"Well," Nick started off, "I guess that just isn't my way,"

"Your way?" I asked, clearly confused.  My hand was still in Nick's and I felt my cheeks and ears warm, though Nick didn't really seemed to notice as he stared out at the distance.

Finally, he sighed and answered, "My parents had always wanted the best for me when I was younger, I mean, whose parents don't want the best for their kid?  But maybe sometimes, what the parents think is best for their kid isn't actually what's best for them.  When I was a child, I had always been pressured by my father, he was Alpha after all, and Shadowlight pack was big, strong, and dangerous.  He had only wanted me to continue his legacy,"

I stilled, droplets of sweat still running over my skin, but I could care less as Nick continued on with his story, his voice hardening into stone, "He pushed me.  Hard.  I had to be the best at everything.  Every.  Single.  Damn.  Thing.  And still, that wasn't enough for my father.  I had to become even better.  Even stronger.  Even smarter.  But what my father didn't realize was that with every shove, every jolt, and every blow, he was pushing me closer and closer to the edge.  And that's what happened.  I got pushed over the edge.  Because if you push or shove or even nudge too much, the only thing that'll happen to you is that you'll fall over the edge, because there always is  one,"

My breath caught in my throat as I saw the true sorrow and pain hiding in Nick's eyes, whirlpools of hurt swirling deep down.  I closed my eyes, a small tear falling down my cheek, caressing it with utmost care, "Always," I whispered, "Always,"

"People say that the world is round, that it's not flat, that it's not possible to fall over the edge," I breathed out, my voice barely above a whisper, "But really, the world is the flattest thing that you will ever find," I opened my eyes, staring straight into Nick's, "Because without us even knowing, we can fall of the edge, and that... that's it.  People always say second chances, but how can we give second chances when it's already too far gone?  We can no longer reach that far after everything, and that's it.  There's only one chance, there always only is one.  Always,"