As we held hands and made our way down the beach, I felt content. I felt happy, something I couldn't really allow myself to feel ever since my parents passed away. In a way, over the span of our relationship that was filled with drama and heartbreak, I realised that it wasn't my fault at all.
It was a coincidence. A horrible coincidence that has affected me and will continue to affect me for the rest of my life. I couldn't exactly exhale and let go of them because they were my parents and nothing nor no one would ever replace them. The love of a parent is much different from the love of anyone.
"What are you thinking so deeply about?" He asked me, a smile lighting up his perfectly sculpted face.
"My mom and dad," I admitted as we swung our interlocked hands.
"They're very proud of you, Love. I know they are!" He smiled at me, "I love you, Ashley."
"I love you too, Brandon." I smiled before he picked me up and threw me into the salty and cold water.
"Brandon!" I screamed when I swam up to the surface and wiped the water off my face.
"Oopsie!" He laughed.
"Get in or I will pull you in!" I called.
When Brandon dove into the water we ended up just swimming around before playing volleyball against another Spanish couple that appeared to be vacationing in Valencia.
We won twice in three matches, they had won the last one as Brandon lost attention and appeared to be quite occupied by a certain blonde who was holding hands with a man, both were posing for the camera that had been set up in front of them. They were both clearly swimsuit models.
I could see why, the girl was perfect and was a real-life supermodel with a perfect body and pearly smile. Her blonde hair fell in perfect waves down to her waist, her body had a nice tan as she posed and showed off her pearly white teeth.
"Why are you even looking at her, Hawthorne?" I asked Brandon teasingly, wondering what could possibly be going on in his mind at this current moment.
I also wished I could read minds, then I wouldn't be wondering, but I'm no Edward Cullen.
"I think I know her. She looks really familiar," Brandon insisted.
"Why don't you get a pair of binoculars." I suggested with an eye roll, "You've been staring quite a bit. I don't want you to strain your eyesight hun," I added sarcastically.
"Don't tell me you're jealous, Ashley." Brandon said, "You know you're the only one for me. I mean I married you for heavens sake!"
"Marriage is just a piece of paper," I said, "What the marriage means to us is what marriage is."
"I'm fully aware of that Hawthorne," Brandon smiled smugly.
"I'll never get used to the surname change. I've been known as Ashley Hayes for practically my whole life and now I'm suddenly known as Ashley Hawthorne." I whined.
Brandon chuckled, "You'll get used to it sooner or later," He grinned.
"I'm sure," I rolled my eyes.
We walked back to the shore and grabbed our towels when I spotted a mini shop and realised that my mouth was dry and my body was in need of hydration.
"I'm heading to the shop to buy some water." I told him, "Do you want something?"
Brandon shook his head, "No." He responded and sat on the sand.
"I'll meet you here, okay?" I asked him.
He nodded absent-mindedly, "Of course!"
I walked to the shop, and the air conditioner that was on felt really nice on my heated skin. I headed to the cool drink section and decided on a peach-flavoured water. I took it to the till paid for my drink and headed back out to meet my husband at the place where we had agreed to meet.
I went to where our towels were and I saw they were neatly packed away in the mini bag we had brought along from the hotel. I sighed when I saw that Brandon was, indeed, nowhere to be found. I walked around a bit and was not surprised to see him talking with the supermodel girl he had claimed to know.
I watched from afar and was very shocked when she jumped on him and gave him a hug, that literally choked him. When I had asked him why he was looking at her, I meant it as a joke but seeing this scene made my mental jaw drop. My eyebrows furrowed when I saw him hug her back just as enthusiastically.
I stormed over to them intending to give both of them a piece of my mind. I tapped Brandon on his shoulder and he dropped supermodel chic on the floor, gently. Finally.
"Hey Ashley," He greeted.
"Who's this Brandon?" Supermodel asked.
"This is Ashley," He said, "And Ashley this is my ex-girlfriend, Stacey Hillbrow." He introduced.
"Lovely to meet you Stacey but Brandon and I have to head out. We need to feed the... cat!" I said.
"We don't have a cat," Brandon laughed.
"You're right, I meant the dog." I gritted my teeth before I grabbed his arm and walked in the direction of our rental car, fuming.
"We don't have a dog either," Brandon so kindly informed me with another chuckle.
"What's wrong with you!" I said.
"I'm sorry, what?" He said.
"You didn't even introduce me as your wife and you called me Ashley!" I hissed.
"That's your name, is it not?" He asked.
"You always call me Ashy!" I insisted rolling my eyes.
"Right." He said and got in the driver's seating leaving me to load the stuff we had brought with us to the beach.
"Jerk," I muttered under my breath as I shoved them in the boot and got in the passenger seat.
"Ready to leave?" He asked.
I just ignored him.
"Don't tell me you're jealous!" He said as he geared the car into drive.
I rolled my eyes but kept quiet ignoring him as he reversed out our parking space.
"Ashley? Love? Ashley?" He tried and I stayed silent.
"Why are you ignoring me?" Brandon asked.
I remained silent, refusing to make eye contact. He drove to the hotel we were staying in, it wasn't a long drive since the hotel was quite close to the beach.
"Okay. I see what you're doing here. You're giving me the silent treatment. I can live with that." Brandon said and parked the car in our hotel-designated parking space, and left me alone in the car.
I sighed and got out before I headed to the elevator. I greeted the receptionist on the way up.
When I reached the room I saw Brandon texting someone as he lay on the bed.
"You came?" Brandon said looking surprised, as he continued to text.
I scoffed and decided to carry on with the silent treatment. I went and took a refreshing shower to remove all the salt water from the sea off my body. I allowed the freezing cold water to drench my hair as I soaped it with strawberry-scented shampoo followed by conditioner to improve the condition of my hair.
I got out of the cool shower and slid into white shorts and a yellow crop top before brushing my wet locks and heading out of the bathroom. I found Brandon dressed in tennis attire, a racket - from who knows where - was in his hand as he smiled at the cell phone screen.
"Ah! There you are!" He grinned, "Stace and I are heading to the tennis court to play a match. Would you care to accompany me?" He asked me happily.
I was tempted to just say no but I didn't want Stacey to try something on him. It wasn't that I didn't trust Brandon, I just didn't trust this mysterious Stacey that showed up from nowhere with him. Who knows if she tried something?
"I'll come." I finally chose.
"And she speaks!" He said throwing his hands up in the air.
I brushed my hair once again before I began to apply a coat of black mascara. I heard Brandon sigh but I just ignored him.
"Hurry up! I promised Stace that I would be at the court like thirty minutes ago!" He hissed impatiently.
"She can wait." I said shrugging my shoulders and fixing my eyeshadow.
"Ashley! Hurry! Please!" He practically begged his hand already on the doorknob, ready to exit the room.
I rolled my eyes, "Let's go. I don't want to keep your girlfriend waiting," I spat.
"She isn't my girlfriend besides, jealousy doesn't suit you, Ashy." He teased.
"I am not jealous." I huffed.
"Your behavior towards Stace tells me otherwise."
"Yeah 'your behaviour towards Stace tells me otherwise.'" I mocked him using a high falsetto.
"Whatever." He groaned, "I can't have a conversation with you when you are like this." He responded slamming the door behind him shut.
I followed behind him and we made our way to the court. Stacey and the man - her model friend - were there waiting for us. She flashed me a smile which I didn't bother returning.
I rolled my eyes when she launched herself at Brandon and threw her arms around him.
"Brandy!" She squealed as they pulled apart, "Are you ready to lose?" She challenged.
Brandon shook his head, "Prepare yourself to lose."
Stacey rolled her eyes, "Hawthorne men are so full of themselves!"
"I guess you would know," I grumbled but she heard me.
"He was way worse back in high school." Stacey said dragging out the word 'way' way too long for my liking.
"Was he now?" I asked her stiffly.
She nodded giggling, "He was. He was also so possessive! He would threaten every single boy that looked in my direction." She added as she skipped her way to the other side of the court.
"Ashley it's you, only you." Brandon said to me.
"I know." I said stiffly.
I couldn't help but compare her silky blonde hair to my own hair. Her shiny bright blue eyes to my hazel ones. Her slim, perfect and curvy figure to my one. I'm not completely a block but that doesn't mean I was half as curvy as she was.
"Don't you dare!" Brandon said as he jogged over to me. I was sitting on the bleachers by his side of the court.
"What?"
"Don't compare yourself to her. You guys will never ever be on the same level."
"I'm aware she will be on the higher level. She's absolutely beautiful."
"I love you the way you are. I happen to have a thing for brunettes only." He winked.
"I was a blondie once," I pouted.
"Thank heavens you decided to go back to your original hair color. The brown brings out the beauty in your ever-changing eyes. Not that the blonde didn't suit you. You look absolutely beautiful no matter what you do!" He said and placed a soft kiss on my lips and then... he was gone.
I smiled and looked away. Maybe I had overreacted a little.
"Besides, I'm so grateful you're nothing like her. There's a reason we broke up." He winked and ran off.