Eva's POV

When I woke up, I'd thought it was a dream. There was no possible way Ashton text me last night saying he liked me. It was inconceivable. Immediately, I grabbed my phone, opening my messages and seeing his thread at the top with the first line of my reply in plain view. I grinned to myself. It was real. I'd got him to open up to me - although he didn't know that was me - and he liked me. This was going to be a crazy day. But then guilt hit me, shoving the air out of me like I'd been winded. If he wanted to take the risk with his friends and date me, he was going to need to know the truth about who he was texting and I just had a feeling he wouldn't take it well. What had started off as a means to get someone who was suffering to open up about their feelings had turned into something completely different - and that could be a problem. I reread his words, savouring every moment of the feeling of happiness a human had given me for the first time in ages. Dean had been the first to open my eyes and make me feel happy to have someone sticking up for me and being my friend. Ashton had caused my heart to flutter, made me feel loved and wanted despite not knowing he'd done so.
I'd got ready with a spring in my step and headed to class with more upbeat music playing on my headphones. Opening up the door to the classroom, it was empty other than Ashton, chilling at his desk with his feet on the table. I stopped suddenly, my stomach tightening as I came to the conclusion he wanted to speak to me about something and it was probably the messages he'd sent last night. My mind was a mess before he'd even opened his mouth.

"Earphones." He greeted. I paused my music and took one earphone out.

"Ashton? Is everything okay? Your friends will kill you if they see us talking." I was hesitant, making sure I thought heavily about what I said before I said it. I didn't want to ruin this before it began.

"They're not gonna be here anytime soon." For the first time he looked nervous, like he was dreading the upcoming conversation.

"The popular girls?" I continued, more worried for his reputation than what he was going to say to me.

"I sent them off. Fucking hell, stop wasting time and just listen." He snapped, causing me to jump. I could see his body tense as he realised that he had upset me, as if he was angry at himself for doing so. "Look, I'm sorry. This is just... Difficult for me." I said nothing but nodded him to continue. I didn't want to agitate him anymore otherwise what he was going to say would probably never come to light. "Why do you keep trying to help me?" The question came as a shock, I was merely expecting him to say he liked me but wasn't going to pursue it because his friends were important to him or something.

"Honestly?" I asked, to which he nodded as he interlinked his fingers and lay his hands on his chest. "The day after you and Amber had broken up, you were really upset. I could see it when you glanced away from your friends. It reminded me of something that happened when I was at school. I know the feeling and I didn't want you to feel it." The silence that followed was gut wrenching, wondering if he hated what he'd heard or was just trying to make sense of it.

"I see." Was all he mustered up after the agonising quiet. "Well, thank you. Not many people treat me like a human anymore."

"Like the popular girls and their wish to climb up your list of girls to bed." I responded as I nodded. "Don't worry, I don't want any of that. Just for you to be happy." Ashton straightened in the chair suddenly, once again causing me to jump.

"What did you just say?" He spat abruptly. I panicked, suddenly forgetting the words I'd just said. I hesitated as I tried to think back, mumbling apologies that I couldn't remember as I desperately dig around in my mind. I don't want any of that. Just for you to be happy. Shit. That's what weirdo had said to him. That's why he got so urgent. God Eva you absolute idiot. You've just dropped yourself in it.
I was pulled from my thoughts by my phone buzzing in my pocket. Automatically, I pulled it out and looked at the caller ID. College. My heart sunk as I swallowed the lump in my throat, looking over to see Ashton with his phone in his hand, dialling me.

"I'm sorry!" I cried before he said anything, but I knew it was already too late. His face had fallen and a scowl had replaced any kind features. He hated me.

"All this fucking time it was you??" He stood up, his chair falling over as he strode towards me, grabbing me and shoving me into the wall, his hand clumping my top into his palm. He was furious. His eyes were narrowed towards me, like everything he'd lived was deceitful and I'd just told him the truth. "The warnings, the chats, the openness - and it was all you?" He lowered his head for a second, which seemed to scare me more than when he was glaring at me. "I confessed feelings about you to you and you didn't even have the decency to tell me? I feel like a fucking fool. You've fucked everything up!" He slammed his fist into the wall millimetres from my head which made me whimper. I'd brought old Ashton back. The one who had been lost in Amber's words, extinguished and left to die. I'd ignited that fire again.

"Everything I said in those messages was the truth Ashton! I didn't pretend or lie." I tried to reason with him.

"Fuck you!" He snarled, slamming me into the wall again, my bag in my hand dropping to the floor. He put an arm across my throat and pressed down, restricting my breathing as his mind raged. "You've confused everything. I hate you. I can't trust anyone."

"Ashton..." I whispered out, my voice hoarse as I tried to pull his arm from my neck. "You're hurting me." Panic set in as I suddenly thought of how badly this could end with just us two in the room and no one to witness what was happening, or save me. He let out a roar as he released his arm from my neck and stepped back, watching me as I doubled over and gasped for breath, coughing intermittently. Something broke inside me in that moment and whilst I was recovering, I began to cry.

"No. Don't do that." He said, shaking his head at me. "Shut up." I couldn't stop. I wanted to, wanted to show him I wasn't so fragile and vulnerable but I was sobbing and I couldn't control the outburst. "Stop that!" He snapped again. "Fucking stop." The door opened just as Ashton began to stride over to me again, but as the door slammed shut, he never made it over to me.

"What the fuck Ashton? What are you doing?" I could recognise Calum's voice instantly. I looked up; eyes red and puffy from crying, my neck red from where Ashton had put his arm, the contents of my bag scattered on the floor from where I dropped it and for once, I mouthed a thank you.