Ashley POVBy the time I came back to my senses after that, I was hiding the engagement ring in my pocket, having almost forgotten to come back with the bowl I was originally going to bring. While the rest of the boys were still glued to the projector screen, mesmerized by the thrilling scene that was unfolding, I knew that Jayden was looking at me in his peripheral vision. He then glared at Miles intently, a glare that Miles ignored as he passed out drinks to everyone before Jayden got to his feet and came to meet me in the middle of the living room.I was arranging the glass bowls in my hands as I stepped onto the couch. “I can handle it,” I whispered as I detected Jayden coming closer, my voice slightly strained.“Now it's your turn to stop being such a hero,” he told me sternly, then picked up half of the bowls, piling them on top of his injured arm.“Hey!” I hissed as quietly as I could. “Think about your arm, idiot!”He snorted before turning around and walking over to the coffe
Ashley POVEven Jean had stopped eating at that point, and Tyler stopped chewing frantically shortly thereafter. I bit my lower lip so hard that I lost the taste in it, tormented by the tension of the atmosphere, and I held the cushion half an inch below my eyes, ready to pull it up if anything in the movie jumped out at the audience. Second by second passed as I kept getting closer and closer to Jayden, who by then had crossed his left leg over the other. Taking a deep breath to muster up what was left of my courage, I sneaked a hesitant peek over my shoulder and looked at Jayden.In an instant, his piercing caramel brown eyes shifted from the screen to me.I swallowed nervously, but before I could open my mouth and ask Jayden about the exciting offer he had made earlier, he simply nodded. My eyes widened as he separated his legs, and once again let me into the space between his legs. He grabbed the cushion that was previously discarded during the movie, and placed it again over his
Ashley POVI started chuckling along with the others but stopped abruptly when I caught Jayden's response. He stiffened, his face frozen in either amusement or bewilderment.He almost looked... pissed off.Tyler stared intently at Jean. “Dude!” he barked. “Why'd you have to tell her that?”“He already has.” I stared at Jax in disbelief as he let out a long breath and held his forehead with one hand. “I caught him practicing while washing dishes.”“So it was like that?” Miles raised his eyebrows. “I thought you were practicing acting.”Tyler's eyes widened. “Dude, stop it!”“He did it in the middle of the night, twice,” Hunter grumbled. “He slept right next to me, I thought he was in a trance or something.”“Same,” Jamie said and shuddered dramatically.Tyler wasn't really blushing, but he was close. “Why should I have to live with you guys,” he muttered as he stepped into the elevator.Miles snorted, and the others joined in the laughter.“Jayden, I'll send you the address of our danc
Ashley POV “Jayden?” I croaked. “Hmm?” There was a small chuckle. “No, sweetie, it's just your old man.” I almost thought I was still sleeping when I opened my eyes to find my dad smiling serenely from where he sat on the edge of my bed. The panoramic window in my room was still covered by a curtain that blocked the sunlight from pouring in, the only light in the room was the table lamp that I assumed my dad had turned on. Jayden's bed is empty. He must have carried me inside while I was asleep, I thought. “Good morning,” my dad greeted, smiling. “Dad, why are you home?” I asked as I rubbed my eyes, forgetting for a moment that my dream wasn't just a dream. “Is mom here too? And where's Jayden?” “She's still in London,” my dad replied. “I'll be back to see her in Manchester after lunch, but I thought I'd check up on you first.” “You mean you're going back to headquarters to pick up some important documents or something,” I corrected a little more crisply than I intended. He sm
Ashley POVMy vision became blurry, and I almost burst into tears. I tried to say something, to admit that I was grateful to him and Mom, that I wished I could have helped him, that he should have told me earlier, that I was sorry, but he silenced me with a gentle squeeze of my hand.“Don't cry,” he said softly. “It will only make my conscience even worse.”“What?” I tried, my voice breaking even on a single word.“The fact that you were dragged into something against your will, it's all because of me...” He gave a sigh and looked down at my hands. “I'm sorry. I hope... I hope the choices I made back then won't make you too stressed, unhappy, or sick. Or make you hate me.”“Of course not!” I snapped, almost furious. I clenched my fingers around his hand and shook it in frustration. “I never will. Never.”He breathed a sigh of relief. “I'm glad to hear that. And are you sure of your decision? Your mom and I, both of us are not going to force—"“I'm sure,” I interjected, feeling more ce
Ashley POVOnce I finished washing the dishes, I went back to my room and picked up the cell phone that was recharging its battery on the table before sinking into bed. Knowing that Jayden was practicing with them made me contemplate giving Miles a call in person, so I decided to send a text message. It took a while to string together words that didn't sound awkward. Or so I hoped.10.32 - Hi, this is Ashley. I was wondering if you had time to meet up and talk about Jayden's past in private. You guys probably forgot to write down something on the master list of notes that could still help him recover his memories.I quickly erased the smiling emoticon I had added to the message, then clicked the send button. My heartbeat quickens as I wait, despite my efforts to ignore it, and it gets even faster when my phone vibrates after a few minutes.10.35 - Sure, I have some free time now. Want me to get there right away?Well, that's actually better, but I know I can't risk Jayden finding me w
Ashley POV“Anyway...” I took off my jacket and bag and hung them on the armrest of the couch. “How long do you guys usually do dances for?”“Anywhere from four to ten hours. Depends.”“Must be hard,” I said while giving a sympathetic smile. Mentally, I gathered the information I had, both from Eva and from general rumors, I knew an idol pop star's schedule could be much worse than that. Especially at the beginning of their career.Miles lowered his cup to his lap. “You'll get used to it,” he said. I couldn't tell if he was telling the truth or not.“What about today?” I asked. “Now they're with Jayden, who doesn't know anything.”“They'll probably go easier on him.”"I don't think he'll let them," I said frankly.He let out a small laugh. “I don't think so. Who knows, you might not see him until dinner.”So, I still had time. Still, I would do my best to get back home as soon as possible. I couldn't risk Jayden, or any of his other friends, knowing about my meeting with Miles.“Speak
Ashley POVPinching the bridge of my nose, I pondered the real purpose of coming here— to find out more about Jayden and Blair's relationship. But all I got was a glimpse of the circumstances surrounding it. Even with the fact that Blair and Jean could have been a couple if not for Jean's decision to back out, or whatever the male actor did to her, I still didn't know much about how Jayden and Blair's relationship was before.However, from what I know now, does their relationship really sound good? If it wasn't for the brief encounter I caught between Jayden and Blair after the concert, if I had only heard a few but crucial details about their relationship, would I still feel so opposed to following my desires the way I do now?“This turned out to be a lot harder than I thought,” I breathed out wearily.“Did you really come here expecting me to have all the answers?” Miles asked.“No,” I admitted, albeit a little sadly. “But I was actually hoping to get something that didn't require m
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 Netflix 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
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
Ashley POVAll the attention from seven pairs of expectant eyes suddenly weighs me down. I rub my palms together, trying to shake off those stares, and then it hits me.I give Jayden a simple smile and bump my head against his. "Something embarrassing from your childhood, Jayden."He narrows his eyes, snorting. "That’s like a double-edged sword you’re playing with, Ash."I shrug. "I’m not the type who can’t tell the difference between fairies and dwarves in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.""Seriously?" Jax asks."Plenty more," I reply."Ash," Jayden says, his tone carrying a warning, yet there's a hint of embarrassment and worry in his caramel-brown eyes."If we drink, we’ll figure it out," Jean says flatly, not at all impressed by my suggestion. "That’s a bad bet, Miles. Don’t even think about it.""Not at all," I replied coolly. "I can handle my drink better than anyone at this table, I promise. So you’re not gonna get something from me that I don’t wanna share.""Sounds almost like
Ashley POV“Hey,” I said as I sat down beside Miles— the seat that had indirectly become my choice simply because it was the closest to where I had been standing near the door. Besides, I felt like I knew him better than anyone else here— except for Jayden, of course.Jayden had just taken a seat across from me when an argument broke out between him and Jean over what to order and how much. Miles set his half-empty drink down on the table and was forced to lean in closer to me just to be heard over their rapidly escalating banter— or rather, a full-blown dispute.“Did something happen on the way here?” he asked.“Just the usual traffic,” I said with a grimace. “For some reason, today felt unbearably long.”“We started without you two.”“Yeah, Jayden already told me. It’s fine.” I rubbed my arm. It wasn’t surprising that Miles smelled faintly of beer and food, but that scent was only temporary, merely clinging to him. This close, I could pick up a mix of coconut, aftershave, and the fr
Ashley POVIn the end, they won the award. I found out about it as I was stealing glances at Eva, who was watching the live broadcast in one of my classes, and almost cried when the winner was announced. She was so overjoyed that even when Jayden called during lunch to update me with the situation there, she was even bold enough to congratulate him, albeit timidly, which amused me. Since he was in a hurry, he hung up as soon as he told me about their victory... Needless to say, I had to mention it though, and as much as it left a bitter taste in my mouth, my mood turned to joy as I recalled Friday.The rest of the week passed by in a blur and before I knew it, it was time for me to meet the band members of Boyz Hits Bullet on May 26th.Four days left until the show began.Four more days until everything I had been putting in would come to fruition.Four more days until my place in Jayden Keller's life would be wiped out.It was between half past seven and eight in the evening, with tr
Ashley POVAfter hearing the sound of the front door key, I nearly snapped the pen in my mouth out of sheer frustration. But I didn’t. Instead, I put the pen down and took a long, deep breath. Pushing the pain in my heart out of my mind— something that felt both easier and harder to do each time.Easier, because I knew I could suppress the pain with sheer willpower, and willpower was something I rarely lacked. Harder, because a part of me, the part buried deep within my wolf, actually wanted the suffering to stay. It was masochistic, purely so, but the act of stitching my shattered heart back together was starting to feel comforting, even satisfying.Anything to fill the void Jayden left when he returned to the apartment he shared with his friends.Days turned into weeks. News about Jayden and Blair’s relationship swept through the entire city and the international world— Hollywood. The night their Instagram post went viral like wildfire. Before long, fans of both pop stars gathered u
Ashley POVFor a while, it was eerily quiet. The weather had changed, from cloudy to sunny, and a gentle breeze caressed my cheeks. As I sat there, I couldn't believe that I had told Eva everything. Nevertheless, an overwhelming sense of relief filled my chest as I reflected on my decision. For two and a half months, I had kept my thoughts and actions to myself with no one to talk to... and now, finally, I had her to share them with.I couldn't help but wonder, would I feel relieved by making a decision with Jayden after everything was over?Out of the blue, Eva got up from the bench, rubbing her back simultaneously. “Get up,” she demanded. “Why don't we grab some lunch?”“We should probably call the professors first and tell them about why we skipped class,” I replied as I looked at the campus building, guilt weighing on my shoulders.“Fine, do that while walking. I'm starving.”As I made the call, she took me to a cheap Chinese restaurant near the university. The restaurant was too