Confrontation

Jasper

Five years ago.

Having to confront the best friend I’ve had since I was three isn’t something I’ve ever wanted to do. But I had to. I had to know if he’s the one who hurt Aria. I sit here on my sofa and pray he’s not. Linc has my back and I’ll kill him if he did but I have to know.

The knock on my door causes me pain. I know it’s him. Linc is beside me, his arms crossed over his chest. The anger evident on his face. I had told Linc the severity of Aria’s wounds. He’s pissed he’s not there with her. Hell, I’m pissed we aren’t there with her. My girl deserves better than to be alone. I just know it’ll be a while before she wakes up so no big deal. I’ll confront her brother then go back to her.

“It’s open.” I say,

Asher opens the door looking down at his phone, “Did you ever hear from Aria, she’s still not answering her phone.” He glances up and pauses in the door frame. His eyes locked on us in confusion. “What?” he asks, his eyes locking on mine.

“Sit down.” I say, I can already feel my throat tightening in anger and fear. How can I hurt my best friend? Fuck, for her I’d burn the world down and make sure she never knows another moment of pain. She deserves the world. Instead, she’s stuck with me.

He closes the door behind him and leans against it, ignoring my request.

“What happened?” He asked, his green eyes so like his sisters staring into mine.

“Sit the fuck down Ash, you’re going to need to.” Linc growls standing up and pulling Asher into the recliner and putting himself at the door leaning against it. His arms locked across his chest.

“What the fuck man?” Asher yells. “What did I do to you to be thrown around?”

“Asher look at me man,” I say softly. My voice sounds harsh to my own ears. I can already feel myself becoming more and more agitated. His confusion about where his sister is seems genuine. And if it really is, I’m about to break his world to pieces. I know how much he loves his sister. How close they used to be. Until he stopped staying home and stayed at mine or Lincoln's house.

“What?” he growls.

I close my eyes, “Aria was attacked in your home.” I start.

He jumps out of the chair and runs for the door. “Where is she, I need to get to her now.” Linc stops him by grabbing him and holding him around the waist. Not letting him leave the room.

“Listen to Jas.”

“I need to get to her; I need to know she’s okay.” He yells straining to get out of Linc’s hold.

I can feel the tears coming to my eyes at the sight of him struggling to get to her. I know I was right. He wasn’t the one who hurt her.

“Asher, she coded three times in the ambulance. Man, when I found her. Fuck.” I pushed my hands through my hair.

His eyes locked on me as he fell to his knees in front of Linc and I.

“Is she alive...no I’d know if she was dead. I would feel it. Right? That twin thing. I’d know. There’s no way I wouldn’t know.” His green eyes are overflowing with tears. The pain, the ache in his voice is enough to break me. As his best friend I’ve never had to give him this kind of news. Never had to break him to make sure he wasn’t the one hurting someone. I feel ashamed for having ever thought he was the abuser.

“Asher, she’s at Harborview. But it was bad. So, fucking bad. I got to your parents’ house.”

He interrupted me standing up quickly, “She was at dads?”

“Yeah.”

“That fucking bastard.” he screams turning and punching my wall. Leaving a big hole in the plaster but I didn’t care. He knows who hurt her.

Linc spins him and forces Asher to look at him.

“Who?” he growls.

“Dad.” Asher cries. “He had to have done this. I didn’t know. Fuck I didn’t know. Why didn’t she fucking tell me.” He falls back to his knees and cradles his head in his hands as he cries. I have never seen him look so broken. I feel it in my soul. I can feel every moment of pain with every sob that tears through his body.

“How do you know?” Linc asks as his voice sounds like there is a knot caught in his throat and he coughs and wipes angrily at his eyes. Like he’s fighting the pain back.