Chapter 24 -Â A Broken Heart & A Tired Soul
A/N: This is another really long chapter so sit back comfortably and relax!______________________________
"My grandmother Alissa Hayes was the best woman alive." I said into the mike staring at the solemn crowd who were all dressed in black, "She cared for me when no one else did. She helped me get past the death of John and Heather Hayes who were my parents. She opened me up and made me realize that I had a purpose and that is why I survived.
"My granny always was there for me when I needed her most. Often you take people for granted and don't realize how much they mean to you until you lose them." I cleared my throat and wiped my tears.
"She was my everything..." I said my voice quivering, "Losing her... is like..." I couldn't continue my sentence as my head began spinning, and the tears were thundering down my face.
I began to see spots as I placed both hands on the reader to steady myself before everything blanked out.
I woke up to the smell of disinfectants. I lifted my eyelids and took in the white ceiling. The room I was in had a steady beep that came from the heart monitor that was sitting right by my bed. The room had white walls and two peach couches. One of those couches was occupied by my boyfriend, Darren.
"Babe you're awake," Darren croaked as he approached my bed, his eyes puffy and red.
"Yeah," I smiled, "Why have you been crying hon?" I asked raising my arm and touching his delicate cheek. I ignored the sharp pain that rose from my head.
"My beautiful girl fainted," Darren said, "You scared me, Love."
"I'm sorry." I said, "I didn't mean to."
"I know." Darren smiled at me and brushed my blonde hair away from my face, "Your roots are coming out again," He commented.
"I know. I need to book an appointment at the hair salon," I sighed.
Darren smiled, "Or you could just leave it to grow in its natural color. I preferred you as a brunette better,"
"I like being a blonde," I said with a pout.
"Whatever you want babe." Darren said, "By the way someone is out to meet you, he said you know him,"
"Let him in," I said and Darren stepped out.
The person that was out there was none other than the person I had been avoiding for two months. The person I hated to think about. The person who had taken my heart and stomped all over it and then proceeded to pour acid all over it.
"What are you doing here?" I spat, glaring at him.
"Just checking on you," Brandon said running a hand through his black hair.
"I don't want you here." I said, "I don't want you to check up on me either." I added praying that Darren would walk in.
"Look Ashley I am so sorry," He whispered.
I shook my head, "I don't want your apologies, Brandon. What happened has happened. There's no way to change the past."
"But I can change the future and redeem myself," Brandon said as he ran a hand through his hair.
"I don't care. I'm not accepting you into my life. I have two amazing best friends and an amazing and loving boyfriend whom I care for very much not to mention Darcy and Hagatha." I told her.
"You replaced me?" Brandon gasped.
"It's not like you didn't replace with Sophia Lancross when you kissed her that day. So, yes, I did replace you."
"I did not do such a thing!" Brandon hissed.
The door suddenly burst open and my bubbly best friend walked in.
"Lina is in the house!" Lina yelled making me laugh.
"Hey, Lee!" I grinned, "I haven't seen you in a while,"
"Course you didn't!" She said with a fake Irish accent, "You were asleep forever!" She said extending her 'r' more than necessary.
"Wait who is this?" Lina said eyeing Brandon who stood at the end of my bed looking distressed. Good, he must be distressed. Maybe he would realize how terrible his actions were.
"Brandon Hawthorne," I informed her.
Lina's good mood turned sour immediately.
"Get out!" She seethed.
"No one placed in charge so I suggest you remain silent before I have you dragged out by security." Brandon gasped.
"How dare you?" Lina yelled, "You screw up her life and leave her to fend for herself and now that she is done with you completely you come back! Are you trying to create more chaos in her already hectic life! You are really-"
"Lina It's alright," I cut her off as she turned her murderous glare to me.
"No, he hurt you, Ashley! He thinks that he can just waltz back into your life and that you'll accept him with open arms!"
"Look Lee, I'll sort this out just trust me. I'm twenty-five years old and not three years old, but that is not to say I don't appreciate all that you do for me." I said with a smile.
She nodded, "Oh alright." She said to me before she turned back to Brandon, "I've got my eyes on you!"
"Thank you for coming to see me, Lina! I'll come pop by when Darren signs my discharge papers!" I said with a grin and Lina placed a neatly wrapped gift on my side table.
"See you then babes!" She called walking out.
"See you!" I murmured.
Then Melanie walked into my ward and gasped when she saw Brandon.
"What is he doing here?" She said with a frown.
"Apologising apparently."
"Why now?" She asked turning back to Brandon.
"She never gave me a chance to explain myself to her." He said calmly.
Melanie rolled her eyes, "She was heartbroken that you cheated on her. Not only did you cheat on her, you also humiliated her in public and in front of he press. They hounded her and taunted her!"
"I crushed the stories! I stopped so many from going to print!" He protested.
Melanie raised her hands in surrender, "Apologise to her."
"I am sorry Ashley. I would never cheat on you. I loved you then and still love you now from the bottom of my heart. I am willing whatever you want so that you can forgive me."
"You'll have to work very hard for my forgiveness," I said.
"Okay, I am prepared to do whatever it takes," Brandon said.
I gave him a tight-lipped smile.
"You married yet?" I asked him.
He looked startled, "No! Why would you think that?"
"Well, you and what's-her-name looked pretty cozy on the dance floor. I had to look twice to confirm that it was you who was kissing her with such passion!" I said in a menacing tone.
I knew exactly what her name was, I just hated saying it.
"You didn't let me explain!" Brandon said as he ran his finger through his hair again, "It was all staged. None of it was real."
"Staged? You consented to this thinking I'd accept you with open arms again?" I asked raising my eyebrow.
"Well no. I wanted to tell you when you came back but Sophia insisted that it was time to do it."
"You let her dictate your life?" I said.
"I... it was for Alessio. He begged me - they begged me. He wanted his happy ever after with Melanie and Sophia wanted her ever after with some dude whose name I didn't bother learning." Brandon explained.
"Why did you lie to me then?" I asked him, hurt.
"I had to. It was part of the contract I signed." Brandon said.
"I find it hard to believe you," I said, "But if you want my forgiveness you'll have to work for it. Maybe, we can reconcile and become friends once more."
"Friends?" Brandon gasped.
I nodded, "I'm engaged, Brandon."
"To whom?" He growled his eccentric blue eyes turning dark.
"Darren. He's the love of my life." I said nonchalantly.
"I'll fight for you!" He hissed.
"No use she's whipped for me," Darren said closing the door behind him with a mocking smile.
I saw Brandon get up and tower over Darren his face dark. I heard the SNAP before I saw it. Brandon had socked Darren in the jaw. Darren staggered back holding his jaw, his eyes were narrowed into slits as he glared at Brandon.
"Bastard!" Darren yelled.
Darren threw a punch that Brandon easily blocked before he punched Darren in the stomach, thankfully Darren blocked it and pushed Brandon to the floor. At this point, Darren had the upper hand as he brought down his face on Brandon's face. Brandon blocked before he rolled over gaining the upper hand as he punched Darren in the nose giving him not one - but two black eyes.
"Guys stop!" I yelled.
"Oh, c'mon Daniel fight like a man!" Brandon trolled as he looked at Darren, challenge glinting in his eyes.
"She's mine! You're fighting for nothing!" Darren yelled.
"She isn't yours! She was mine first! Didn't you know that?" Brandon laughed, "News flash! You're a rebound!"
"Ashley is this true?" Darren asked looking hurt.
"He's lying!" I hissed. "Darren I'm marrying and I love you! Not him!"
"Stop trying to fool yourself and poor Darwin over here," He pointed at Darren, "You're fooling no one! I see that you have something in there for me!" He said his voice softening at the end.
"No. I'm over you. Completely. Brandon, you messed us up! It's your fault. Darren and I are together don't mess my 'us' with Darren!"
"We're a united front, Hawthorne!" Darren spat as he held my hand gently.
"Leave her hand alone!" Brandon commanded, "Don't you dare touch what's mine!"
Darren smirked and kissed my cheek, this ignited Brandon and he lunged for Darren's throat.
"Brandon please stop!" I screamed looking at Melanie who looked out of it as she stared blankly in front of me, she was still in shock.
"Brandon stop!" I yelled again as I saw Brandon's face turn red and he continuously threw punches at Darren who was trying to defend himself and trying desperately to hit him back.
"Darren!" I called. "Stop! Both of you!" I cried out.
I started to unhook myself from the machines when Brandon saw me. He socked Darren in the chin causing him to fall on the floor as he approached me.
"Ashley stop this insanity!" Brandon commanded as he reattached everything to me.
"You wouldn't stop punching and beating up my fianceè!" I said emphasizing the last word of my sentence.
"He's no longer your fianceè. He fights like a -" Brandon began.
"Shut up!" I hissed.
"Ashley give me a chance!" He begged, "We can start anew!" He said.
"I..." I said trailing off at a loss for words.
"Please, Ashley! At least give it some thought. I'll do everything and anything to prove how much I love you and how much you mean to me!" Brandon said.
My heart lurched at his words. The words I had been waiting to hear for so long. Now that I had heard them, I was filled with absolute joy as I thought I would have been. I was filled with thoughts that were confused as I tried to make a decision.
Brandon had let me leave his life two months ago - two months is a long time when you are heartbroken and sad. My heart had mended and I know that Darren loved me with his whole heart and would do anything for me. He was my safe option, he was always organized and I could predict everything in our future. Darren wasn't spontaneous and he hated recklessness.
Brandon on the other hand had allowed me to live a life where I had to take risks. It was a fun, daring, and ecstatic way to live. Brandon owned my whole heart and although two months had gone past, there wasn't a day where he wouldn't make his way onto my mind.
Yet, I was engaged to Darren a man whom I barely love but Brandon was here practically on his knees begging me to take him back.
The decision I made was tough but I needed it for my sanity and the protection of my fragile heart.
"I'll give you a second chance but we're taking it real slow, You will have to prove to me that you are worth it though," I warned him.
I looked towards Darren who look pale, "You're breaking our engagement honey?"
I nodded, "Darren you're a great man. It's me, not you." I told him.
I internally gagged as I used that line. It was so cliche.
"Oh yeah!" Darren hissed, "Use that line on me. You're seriously leaving me for this douche?" He gestured to Brandon who glared at him.
"I- I love him, Darren," I said slowly.
"Well, I guess I owe Lina a thousand dollars!" Darren said with a frown.
Hey guys!
So Brandon finally made his appearance in the book, not going to lie I kind of missed him.
How did you find the chapter? It was slightly longer than anticipated. The original chapter was just over 4000 words but I split them into two chapters so that they weren't too long.
I wanted to ask if you were in Ashley's position what would you have done?
ÃÃÃ