Broken

• Chapter 82 •

I get to work on my essay for English class, and I've been avoiding Adrien's texts. I sigh as my mind wanders back to the events of last night for the hundredth time in the past hour. All lead back to one single person: Ashton. That annoying, confusing, mind-fucking boy.

I drum my fingers against my desk impatiently and huff, completely hating the feeling of being confused. I groan as I make a decision I'm probably going to regret and dart out of the house, jumping into a cab.

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I hesitate as the cab stops in front of his house. I take a deep breath in to steady my racing heart and walk out. My eyebrows knit together as I notice a black Jaguar in his driveway. Not Ashton's car. I shake it off and knock on his door before chickening out.

Ashton's eyebrows slam down abruptly when he sees me at his door, "Clementine... What are you doing here?"

I clear my throat, "I demand to know what your problem is. Last night was weird—"

"Who's at the door?" a man's voice echoes through the house. Goosebumps erupt across my skin, Ashton swears underneath his breath.

A tall man in a dark suit emerges from the living room and walks towards us. I notice that he has the same walk and aura that Ashton has. Same eyes, too. My stomach drops when I realize he can only be one person.

"Who's this?" the man barely acknowledges me.

"This is Clementine. Clementine, this is my father," Ashton says through a clenched jaw.

... Fuck. Good timing, Minty. The tension is so thick, I'm practically drowning in it.

He nods once, "Is she your girlfriend?"

Ashton's expression turns ice-cold, "No. She's just a classmate."

I frown and clench my jaw, I really need to tell him off. What the hell is his deal?

Ashton's father looks irritated, "So what are you doing here? Are you joining us for dinner?"

I open my mouth to speak, and Ashton cuts me off, yet again. "Actually. She was just leaving—"

"Ashton."

His father's tone of voice sends shivers down my spine, Ashton doesn't dare look him in the eye. His father turns his attention back to me and frowns, "Do you talk, girl? Use your words."

I clear my throat, "Um. It's nice to meet you, sir. No, I just came by to drop off some work—"

Ashton's father turns to Ashton with fury, "You're missing work, now? You're skipping school again? You're back to your irresponsible behavior?" he barks.

My eyes pop, shit. I try to apologize to Ashton through my eyes, but he won't meet my gaze.

"Could we talk about this later?" Ashton hisses through a clenched jaw, evidently trying to keep his cool.

"We certainly will," Ashton's father narrows his eyes at him before answering a phone-call and walking away from us.

I finally exhale the breath I didn't know I was holding in, my heart is hammering violently against my ribcage.

"Shit... I'm sorry I got you in trouble, I—"

"You shouldn't have come in the first place. Why are you here?" his expression is deadly.

I frown, "Ashton. We have to talk. You're being weird and I don't get it. I'm sorry I came now, it's obviously a bad time. I didn't know your father was in town—"

He rolls his eyes, "Yeah well neither did I. He showed up this morning."

"Can we talk?" I ask. He clicks his tongue in irritation, "About what?"

"About what the hell is going on with you! First, you tell me you don't care and you don't want to be friends, and then—last night—you acted so strange about me sleeping with Adrien. Do you care about me or not?" he winces as I say that, something wavers in his eyes.

I blink, and they're back to their typical expressionless state. "So?" I fold my arms across my chest and stare at him expectedly.

He studies me for a second and proceeds to show me to the door, "No, I don't. Now leave."

I shove him away, "No!"

He frowns, "I swear to God, Clementine. If you don't leave, you'll regret it."

"Why?"

"JUST FUCKING GO," he yells. I stagger back in shock, taken aback by his tone of voice. I stare at him in muted anger and brush past him, storming out of his stupid life.

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- ASHTON -

"Now what is this I hear about you missing work?" my father comes back, not acknowledging the fact that Clementine is no longer here.

I clench my jaw and remain quiet while he goes off on his tantrum to plant his power. He does this shit every couple of months. Comes back, sets down his authority and makes my life hell for a few days, then disappears for another six months.

"I don't pay for you to be fucking around, boy!"

I internally roll my eyes at him, he continues. "This is what I mean about responsibility! You're going back to your old behavior, Ashton."

I swallow my anger. Better let him talk shit and remain silent than retort and make it a hundred times worse. Responsibility. Pft. What a load of horseshit. He's one to talk about responsibility, leaving his child and two-year-old twins when his wife dies.

I clench my jaw as memories resurface, I cannot snap. I can't lose it.

"Now I don't pay for you to—"

I snap, "You don't pay, period."

His jaw almost drops, his blue eyes narrow to slits, "HOW DARE YOU RAISE YOUR VOICE AT ME, BOY?"

I clench my jaw at another one of my favorite nicknames. Boy. How degrading.

"Who paid for this fucking house, huh?" he's raging, "WOULD YOU RATHER LIVE IN THE STREETS?"

I wouldn't mind, at least he'd be out of my life completely. I wouldn't owe him shit. My mind is pulled back to the twins, and I somber my expression and swallow my pride.

"Sorry."

"Sorry who?" he roars.

I meet his eyes, the same eyes as mine, and feel an overwhelming sense of hatred for how alike we look.

"Sorry, sir."