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more time and see what happens.”
    She just giggled and said, “Your loss, asshole,” and with that she walked away from me. Of course she had to shake her ass, look back at me and wink. But at least the bitch left.
    Before I could think about where I wanted to go my feet were moving. One in front of the other. Walking back up to our table to grab my wallet I saw Maddox and Isabelle and Gabe and Sarah. Of course they were snuggled up in one another’s arms.
    They must have heard me because Maddox looked over in my direction and asked, “You ready?”
    Walking up the rest of the way to the table I grabbed my wallet and said, “Yeah, I’m getting ready to leave.”
    I didn’t even get to finish my sentence before Isabelle was jumping up saying, “Oh no Jason don’t even think about it. You’ll be staying in our room tonight.”
    I looked over at Maddox but he nodded his head in agreement with Isabelle. I feel like such a dick for cockblocking Maddox and Isabelle but what are my other options? I figured since I wouldn’t be able to apologize to Ashlynn tonight then I might as well have a few more drinks and get completely wasted. Nobody agreed with my decision, but I didn’t give a shit.
    After hailing a cab we finally made it back to the hotel. Maddox and Gabe had to help me because I started wobbling around and slurring my words together. I started to pull out my swipe card but Isabelle placed a hand on top of mine. Looking into my eyes she said, “Remember Jason, you’re staying with us tonight.”
    I started shaking my head saying, “No,” but Gabe said, “Come on man. You just need to lie down and go to sleep. You’ll have a shitty hangover tomorrow but at least you’ll have a clearer head then you do right now.”
    He started to pull me down the hall but I said, “I want to see Ash. Ash. ASH!”
    I tried to push Gabe and Maddox off me because I needed to see Ashlynn but they began to pull me down the hall. We didn’t get more than five feet before I heard a door open. My heart jumped up and down and I turned around in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, the door opening would be Ash’s. I pushed off Maddox ad Gabe to see Ash and the view broke my heart. Ash’s mascara was all over her face, her eyes were twice their normal size, and her nose was all red from crying.
    I staggered over to Ash and wrapped her head in my hands whispering, “I’m so sorry Ash,” over and over again. It broke my heart that she was crying over me. Because of me. That’s the reason I can’t date Ash, because I’ll break her heart over and over again. It’s really that simple. It’s not that I want to but with a past like mine I question everything and I can’t hurt someone the way my dad hurt my mom, Jade, and myself.
    Seeing more tears escape her eyes I thought I was going to cry for a second but I gulped and swallowed them away. I could hear footsteps from behind me. At first they were walking towards us but then they quickly vanished. I just kept running my thumbs up and down Ash’s cheeks on either side trying to comfort her. I wanted to kiss her again, but I didn’t think that would go over too well with her. So I moved away and put her hand in mine and walked us back into our room together.
    I couldn’t take the mascara all over her face any longer so as soon as we got into our room I walked her into the bathroom and placed her on the counter. I heard her breathing loudly but I needed to do this. I needed to show her that I could take care of her. In some sort of way at least.
    While I looked for her make-up removal wipes I had an inner battle with myself. I wanted to show her that I could be who she wanted, but I also knew that I would end up hurting her the way my dad hurt my mom. I let the first win because I wanted her to be happy and I knew at least a small part of me could do that for her.
    Walking back in the bathroom I placed the cool wipe to her cheek and began to wipe off her black mascara. I wiped