Chapter 42

334K 10.5K 22.1K
                                    

Smut warning!!
Once it starts it goes to the end of the chapter, you can skip if it makes you uncomfortable!!
<3

Chapter 42
• • •

My mouth fell open in shock as I realized what was going on. They ran to each other and he engulfed her in the tightest embrace I had ever seen anyone give. He held her as if he never wanted to let go, and she did the same.

After minutes of them sharing their emotional embrace, they pulled apart and he put his hands on the sides of her face- his eyes flickering around her face in utter disbelief.

"H-how are y-" he began, still at loss for words.

"My foster family said that if I found you, I could stay for a while," she quickly explained, smiling again.

"I thought I'd never see you again," his voice came out as a broken whisper.

"You look so much older," he commented, and she chuckled.

"You should see yourself! You like, doubled in size.." they laughed before she looked up at me and realized that I had been there the whole time.

"Who's your friend?" She asked with kind eyes. He turned his attention back to me, as if he had momentarily forgotten I was there. The fact that he didn't feel the need to cover up his emotions for me warmed my heart.

"I'm Crystal, lovely to meet you," I introduced myself, and before I could stick my hand out to her she had brought me in for a hug. I let out a slightly surprised chuckle and hugged her back.

"Are you guys like, a couple?" She asked me as we pulled away. Me and Ashton exchanged a look for a moment or two, neither of us knowing exactly how to answer.

"Yeah, you could say that," he answered with a slight smile in my direction, making my stomach feel all bubbly. Layla's face lit up, utterly excited. I could tell that her emotions were still on full speed from earlier.

"Oh my GOD I've missed so much! You need to fill me in on everything," she said. A sad looked flashed across his face.

"I still can't believe you were gone for that long. I really thought you were gone for good," he restated.

"Well, it looks like it's your lucky day cuz you're stuck with me," she replied and chuckled.

"So where's the bitch, anyway? I haven't seen her yet," she asked. I was confused for a second, but when I realized who she was talking about my heart sank.

She didn't know her mom killed herself..

Ashton looked as if he simply could not process what she had asked. It must not have registered to him that she wouldn't have known, and he could not muster up the words to tell her.

The pained expression on Ashton's face told Layla something was wrong, and her expression grew slightly confused.

"She, uh, she killed herself, a little while after you were gone," he stuttered out. Her mouth dropped wide open and her hands immediately went to her face.

She didn't know how to respond, letting her eyes wander in horrified shock. When her gaze met his again, a few tears fell from her wide open eyes.

I couldn't help but feel like I was intruding on extremely personal matters as I watched.

"I'm gonna take Jake in the kitchen and do.. stuff," I quietly told Ashton as I calmly walked over to the couch and took Jake's hand with a smile.

As I was walking away, I heard Layla begin to break down while repeatedly asking if it was her fault. I blinked away the tears forming in my eyes as we turned the corner into the kitchen.

Hopelessly DevotedWhere stories live. Discover now