Ashley POV
In that instant, I felt my heart stop beating. Or perhaps it was time itself that no longer made room for my brain to analyze and think about his words. I felt both awestruck and dazed, and my mind seemed completely overwhelmed and unable to comprehend what was happening, no matter how hard I tried.
Because, yeah, Jayden had an amnesic state. He couldn't recognize his girlfriend whom he deeply loved a week ago, but he knew he had her. But still, was that scumbag really trying to flirt with me?
I practically let out a sigh. Why is he making everything so complicated? Why can't he remember Blair, that girlfriend of his who is so dear to him? Why was he so cruel to me?
And worst of all, why am I starting to question the decision to let him go?
"What are yo
Ashley POVI darted quickly in and out of the room to grab a lighter purse from the wardrobe, then waited for him in the hall to get ready. I had finished shifting all my essentials from my backpack into the purse and was sitting on a stool that was combined with a shoe rack, playing a game on my phone about ten minutes before he was done.All he seemed to be doing was changing into a pair of tight black jeans, wearing a gray beanie on his head, and dangling a black mask strap over one ear. He carried a fashionably wrinkled black winter coat with a high collar in the crook of his arm and grabbed a pair of dark brown leather boots with his healthy hand.I frowned at him. "What took you so long? David hates waiting.""It's his job, isn't it?" he snorted as he tossed the coat onto my lap and the shoes onto the f
Ashley POVAt that spot, I froze and stared at him with an incredulous look. "What?" That I finally managed to speak.If he could see the panic that possessed me, I had no idea, but even if he did, Jayden didn't seem to give a damn. "You heard me," he said casually and leaned back in his chair. "I want a kiss. A proper kiss, to be precise.""Is this a joke?" I asked, still in shock. "Where are the hidden cameras?""You didn't see either of us break into laughter, did you?""But why?" I don't want to say it, but I force myself to say it. "You already have a girlfriend that you loved... no, you love even more.""I just need to confirm something."I lifted an eyebrow even as my heart skipped a beat. "Like what?" I demanded, hoping to sound a bit firm.To my surprise, Jayden looked young. Extremely young and extremely shy. "Do you really want me to spell it out for you?" he asked quietly, almost reluctantly.I looked at him intently. He pursed his lips steadily and didn't seem to want to
Ashley POVI had to admit that what Jayden said was true, but I knew that I couldn't back out at that point. He had already read my reaction, and he knew that he was onto something. I could not help but use his pride or his stupidity or maybe both to keep my plan, the plan to bring him together with her, on track.I just hope this decision won't come back to bite me in the ass later on."You've hurt my pride," I said dramatically as I clutched my hand to my heart. Though I was using an obvious tactic, I did my best to put out a lie that sounded honest in my tone. "And since it seems like you don't completely trust me, I guess I have to prove the truth to you.""I do believe you," he stated abruptly, his caramel brown eyes softened slightly. "But I feel like something is missing in this picture here. And your
Ashley POVThe atmosphere became eerily quiet as the two of us ate. Though it was awkward at first, seeing how our conversation ended. The atmosphere quickly came back to normal. Before long, we called for the waiter to take our plates and get us drinks. Jayden went to the restroom while the young waiter collected the plates and cutlery. I made small talk with him before he left and he returned."So," he began as he flopped onto the couch. "The best of three?"I nodded nervously. "We'll pick our own song.""High score or level system?""Level system," I said. "It's easier to keep track that way.""Well, ladies first," he urged me, moving his healthy hand toward the screen at the far end of the room.
Ashley POVJayden kept quiet as we made our way back to the front desk, putting on his coat and walking down the corridor that connected all the rooms to the emergency staircase or the two available elevators. He hooked the mask straps to his ears inside the mirrored elevator. I sneaked a glance at him through the mirror as he adjusted his beanie, and was startled by a pair of familiar caramel brown eyes staring back at me.But those caramel brown eyes were colder than the glacier on the mountains in winter.David was already outside by the time we finished returning the room key, which was fortunate considering the number of visitors to Sing-All. I hadn't realized that more than an hour had passed, but my phone screen showed that it was already half past ten in the evening, which meant that there would be a lot of people crowding the singing venue in the near future. Among the people who could afford a membership, there would definitely be at least one pair of eyes that would recogni
Ashley POVFor a moment, I almost thought I had expressed my despair, but was relieved that my throat was too dry to speak. Even so, it didn't really matter. I could feel our relationship was at a crossroads, in the elevator lobby outside my parents' apartment. Right then and there, I would decide how the next three months would go. I had to do the right thing. It was best for me and him.I swallowed hard. "You already have a girlfriend, Jayden," I told him for the hundredth time, leaning against the front door of my parents' apartment. "As soon as you recover from your amnesiac, you will remember how much you loved her, how much she meant to you.""You mean a lot to me too, Ashley."I smiled grimly. "We grew up together, J," I said. "I'm an old acquaintance of yours, so your feelings aren't surprising. Despite..."I trailed off as I saw hope blazing in those caramel brown eyes of his. The tears stung my eyes and my throat seemed to clench in on itself, but I forced them out and clear
Ashley POVIf it wasn't for his quick reflexes, my face would've been smashed into the concrete floor, or, if I was lucky, I could've crawled away and only suffered a few bruises instead of a broken nose. Luckily, Jayden rushed to catch me, and I found my face buried in the fabric of his coat, my hands clinging to his shoulders and arms as I struggled to regain my balance. He didn't even budge from where he stood, supporting me, and giving me an amused smile as I looked at him gratefully, before turning his attention to something... or rather someone, behind me."Uncle Smith," Jayden greeted politely as he nodded his head in respect.Soon, I broke away from him and walked quickly. My Dad seemed to be standing in front of the apartment door with his coat slung over his shoulders carelessly, with his shoes untied. Judging from the food box he was holding,
Ashley POVIt really felt like she had punched a hole in my chest. I dropped the glass of water I was holding, which was thankfully only an inch above the surface of the kitchen overhang, leaving only a slight splash of water coming out, and felt my jaw slacken.My eyes stared at her in utter disbelief. "You can't be serious," I managed to say. "This has to be a joke, right?"She looked away. So did my dad when I tried to catch his attention."Why?" I asked, my voice only sounding like a whisper. "How?""It's a long story," Dad finally said quietly, slumping down onto a barstool that was two stools away from me. "And sits so close to my heart and my past.""I think I have the right to know that story down to the smalle
Jayden POV23.02 - Fine, I'll go get your stuff. See you in five minutes?23.02 - Perfect! Hey, baby, you're not mad at me, right?Rolling my eyes, I replied with the word “No”. To be frank, I'm not mad at her. I'm just tired of her. Blair was prettier than most, very talented, and kind despite being more of a loner than Jean and overall she was a very nice girl. She is the kind of girl that guys dream about, because of her sweet and lovable nature, her graceful and slender figure. In fact, she was exactly what I wanted when I first laid eyes on her. I used to think I could finally fall in love, and it would be with her because she's almost perfect in every way. I mean, how could a guy not like a woman like Blair?At first, it was fun and exciting. I had never had someone... someone who I knew was definitely interested in me and talked to me for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. She made me break down my walls, to the point where I felt I could trust her. I thought I could
Jayden POV—Flashback a few hours before the accident after the concert in NY in February—“Good job, everyone! That's a wrap for our concert in NY!”Clark escorted the seven of us from backstage to one of the leather couches in the dressing room before darting off somewhere. Some of the other coordinators and managers who had been with us for a few months to a few years came next, all with smiles on their faces. I poured the last contents of my water bottle over my head to cool down as I sat next to Jax. The liquid dripped down my face, neck, and back, soaking the black T-shirt I wore at the end of the concert, and though it felt relatively warm, I was still able to breathe a sigh of relief.“There's a place called the bathroom.” Tyler leaned over to my right and tugged gently on my sleeve. “Man, you're soaked.”“You too,” I retorted as I stared intently at his hair stuck to his forehead.“I'm starving,” whimpered Jean as he fanned himself frantically with someone's magazine. He plop
Ashley POVJayden was checking himself out in the massive mirror, eyes trailing from head to toe. His dyed light brown hair was a mess, and he had just enough makeup on to cover the small scar on his left cheek. Titanium earrings dangled from his ears, and rings wrapped around his fingers. He wore a red bomber jacket over a teal patterned shirt, paired with tight— very tight— black skinny jeans and branded sneakers to complete the look.“Hey,” he greeted, locking eyes with me through the mirror.I pushed a rolling clothing rack filled with expensive-looking shirts and jackets. “No white tees? What’s going on?” I asked.Jayden let out a small laugh. “Sorry to disappoint,” he replied, adjusting his collar. “Anyway, where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”“I was at the mall,” I lied, trying my hardest not to rub my wrist. “I’m actually feeling kinda sick. I don’t know if I can stay for the whole concert.”He immediately turned to me. “You have to,” he said, a hint of
Ashley POVChugging his water bottle, Jayden turned his attention back to his friends. Miles, however, kept sneaking glances at me, his expression unreadable. I gave him a small smile anyway, hoping to reassure him that I was fine.A lie, of course. I was fine. I just had no idea how.“Are you and Miles having a thing or...?”My jaw practically hit the floor, and I gawked at Blair in disbelief. “What?” I blurted, unable to hide my shock. “Of course not!”She tapped a finger against her chin, flashing me an apologetic smile. “Sorry, that was kind of fishy.” She came closer, the scent of her strawberry perfume stinging my nose even more. “Come on, we’re friends. You can tell me.”I was this close to telling her that friendship didn’t work that way. Hell, I wanted to punch her square in the jaw. But I managed to hold back and just shook my head. “No, really,” I said, sneakily shifting away from her. “There’s nothing going on between me and him. Or anyone else in this group, for that matt
Ashley POVAs Clark and I stepped out onto the empty stands on the east side of the arena, the music was blasting.He left me alone when a female staff member hesitantly approached us, wanting to talk to him about something backstage. He apologized for having to leave so suddenly, but I assured him I’d be fine. Honestly, he could’ve walked away without me even noticing.Because there were seven guys dancing in the middle of the brightly lit stage, I couldn't take my eyes off them.Or, more specifically, the one wearing gray sweatpants, a loose white T-shirt, and yellow-branded boots.Jayden Keller.The last time I saw him dance, I was honestly shocked. Not because he was bad— far from it. It was just… before, I’d seen him dance like there was nothing else in the world except the stage, the audience, and the rhythm of the music. When he performed, he became someone entirely different… No, he transformed into something more than just a regular person. His singing and dancing wove togeth
Ashley POVMonday was chill. I spent the day wandering around the area near my hotel, snapping pictures of the city. Somewhere along the way, I stumbled upon a hobby store packed with all kinds of trinkets and ended up buying some dolls and tiny figurines for Eva before heading back. I also swung by a small shop to grab some snacks.A hot shower melted away my exhaustion, and soon enough, I was lounging on the bed in a ridiculously oversized bathrobe, binge-watching N*****x for hours. I meant to change into my pajamas, but I crashed before I even got the chance.For a moment, I floated in darkness— no real-life drama, no danger, just peace.Then, a buzzing noise across the room yanked me out of my sleep. Still half-asleep, I clumsily rolled out of bed and made my way to the desk where I'd left my phone charging. My eyes fluttered as I tried to shake off the drowsiness. It was bright outside, but I didn’t really stop to think about it.Not until I, still groggy, picked up the call and h
Ashley POVIt wasn’t jealousy or some masochistic urge that led me to my newest idea. No, seriously, it wasn’t. Honestly, I just wanted to know more about her, because she was the reason behind everything that happened that night at the stadium back in February. Because I could swear she had planned every single one of those so-called coincidental meetings between me and Jayden, which eventually led to the accident and his amnesia.I mean, I had no solid proof, but judging by the way she acted and spoke… something felt off. My gut just told me so.I didn’t think Blair had planned for Jayden to go on a drunken rampage afterward and get hit by a car— especially judging by how damn annoying she was in the Silvercross Healing Center parking lot— but she sure as hell wasn’t innocent, either. But I also knew she hadn’t known about my engagement to Jayden at the time, which was obvious from Jayden’s own words and what she said to me after he kicked her out of his hospital room.Besides, I st
Ashley POVThe streets weren’t exactly empty, but David had been circling the block for the past half hour, worried about my safety. That’s why he managed to pull up right where he had dropped me off just a few minutes later. Before getting into the car, still a little tipsy, I waved goodbye to the BHB band members— except for Jayden and Jamie, who were still upstairs looking for something they’d left behind.Even though it felt kinda weird leaving without saying goodbye to everyone, maybe it was for the best that I didn’t see Jayden again. At least, not that night.I had to wipe my eyes more than a few times on the way home. Not even the alcohol could numb the sharp ache in my chest.The moment I got back, I collapsed onto my bed and passed out.The next morning, fighting off a pounding headache, I came to the conclusion that my trip to Milan needed to be about more than just Jayden’s concert. I had to make this trip for myself too. And since Eva was too busy to come along and Jared
Ashley POVIf my brain wasn’t so clouded with exhaustion and alcohol, I might’ve reacted properly to what he just said. But right now, I was way more drunk than I wanted to admit. I pushed aside every thought fighting for space in my head, whether real or not, because his body heat and the scent of white musk, soap, and just him made something inside me shiver with longing. I didn’t trust myself in this state. I didn’t trust myself when my lips were this close to his neck, where his scent was strongest.So instead, I focused on one thing— holding on."Ash, I have a question."He had already reached the second floor, adjusting his grip on me. I glanced at him, curious, urging him to continue. "Shoot.""I was wondering if you’d come to our show at the end of May," he said quietly as he stepped onto the last staircase. "I know it’s around finals, but..." I felt him swallow hard. "I want you to be there. To see us, to see me... perform."I pretended to think about it for a second, but hon