Favo Novel
12 Reality Bites
12 Reality Biten
12 Reality Bites
(Jayden)
I hear screams and I see people gathered near the bathroom doors.
Wait, is that Winona? I rushed over. What the hell has happened? Ashlyn is on the floor and Winona is standing over her.
I see Phillip moving quickly towards them too and many eyes are interested.
Damn it. It will be all over the media channels tomorrow.
Now I'm close enough to hear Ashlyn's words.
"I didn't know it was yours. I'm sorry! Please don't push me again!" Ashlyn pleads.
I see Winona roll her eyes. "Push you? I should kick your ass, is what I should do." Winona says. "But honestly I can't be bothered wasting the energy on either of you." Winona glares at me.
"Ashlyn? What happened?" I ask but my eyes are still locked with Winona's.
Ashlyn sobs her words. "She snatched the necklace from me and pushed me over. She's a bitch. She hates me."
I help Ashlyn up and see the nail marks on her neck. "What the actual fuck are you doing attacking my Fiancée?" I demand.
Winona looks surprisingly calm. She just shakes her head. "Jayden, Ashlyn needs help. She's done this to herself. I know you don't remember but the dress she's wearing is almost the same as the one she helped 'me pick out for prom. That night was very special to you and I.*
A tiny hint of a red dress and gorgeous eyes, Winona's eyes, skirts around my brain. Is it a memory? Maybe.
I'm so confused now.
Phillip is by Winona's side, his arm around her. I hate that.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
Winona looks at me and reaches out her hand. "Here..."
I reach out my hand and she drops the broken necklace Ashlyn wore tonight into my palm.
"I didn't want it when I graduated, and I really don't want it now," Winona says. "Phillip, I think I'd like to take me home now please."
"Of course." He says and his protective arm guides her away.
you
They walk off and I'm not sure how I feel. I want to be angry, to defend Ashlyn, but I stare at the necklace. and my head starts to hurt again. "Go out with me!"
"Why?"
"What do you mean why? Every girl in this school wants to hear those words from me."
12 Realty Bites
"Well, not this one."
The pain subsided a little and then....I swear it's like a fuzzy dream inside my head.
Her eyes are younger. Winona's eyes.
She looked so determined not to date me back then. I almost walked off, defeated but there was a sadness inside her eyes. I'd noticed it before when she didn't know I was watching her. That's why she got my attention at school. I feel a hand on my arm, squeezing.
"What are you thinking about?" Ashlyn brings me back to the present. "Are you okay, Jayden?"
"I think I need to go home and rest. We both do." I wonder if I should call Mother about Ashlyn. Come to think of it, Ashlyn had been acting differently since Mom went on vacation. Maybe they'd had a fight or
something.
"1 swear Winona did this to me. I didn't know that necklace was one you'd given her for graduation. She just snatched it back. She wants to snatch you back. Look how hard she tried before."
I comfort Ashlyn by placing my arm around her shoulders because I think she's very fragile at the moment. Something deep inside me knows what happened. At least I'm pretty sure I know.
"I don't think that's true, Ashlyn. While I don't remember giving Winona that necklace, I do remember her in a red dress, almost the same as you're wearing now, when we went to prom. Why would you wear something so similar tonight?" "No. It's just a coincidence, I swear. I know you love red."
"Regardless, if you can't trust my love for you, no matter what you think Winona is here for, what does that say about our relationship? It's becoming more and more clear in my head what I need to do.
Ashlyn was always the jealous type. But I never thought she'd be capable of this level of ridiculousness. I mean even if I did remember anything about Winona and I, our relationship is water under the bridge. We've all moved on. I loved Ashlyn enough to want to marry
her.
Now, I'm hurt and confused. I admit Winona had been in my thoughts a lot lately and not as a memory. As a strong independent woman that she is now. I admired her talent and her hard work this week.
She is the best at what she does, and the entire office is buzzing about how amazing she is now. Those who knew her before are saying she is so much better since she left and made her own life. I'm not supposed to know that, but I made sure I found out what the gossip
was.
I'm not sure what she was like before but I can see what I saw in her when I married her. I feel mother is just blased against her and as she and Ashlyn spend so much time together, maybe they've been working together hoping I don't remember and want to be with Winona again.
Perhaps I'd better look into the evidence of the drugging a little closer.
I can't trust Ashlyn now and trust is everything. I get that she sees Winona as a threat but if she can't believe that I love her regardless of what I can remember, then I need to rethink my relationship status. "This is not acceptable, Ashlyn. I loved you. I wanted to marry you. Even remembering anything about Winona wouldn't have changed that. But you don't trust in my love, You're threatened by her and I do
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12 Reality Bites
think you need professional help."
"No. No, I'm fine. I promise. I'm sorry. I just wasn't thinking. I love you, Jayden. Please, you must understand."
I'm on edge now and I raise my voice a little. "If you love and trust me so much, just tell me the truth, Ashlyn! Did Winona push you over to get the necklace back?"
Ashlyn shook her head. "No. I did it. I just need to be sure she isn't going to trick you into loving her again. I'm so sorry, Jayden. It was wrong of me. I'll apologize to Winona."
"It's not her tricks that will make me love her, but your tricks that will stop me from loving you."
"No! Don't say that. I promise this is the only time. I got carried away. It wasn't me drugging you to get you into bed again. It was her!"
"I'm not sure who I believe anymore. I'll let mother know you'll need to stay at her place until I get myself sorted."
"I don't want that. I want to be with you. I got carried away. I've loved you for so long. You and Winona had a love everyone was jealous of. We all wanted the same. Can't we just start over?" I cannot see us getting back from here."
"You want her back, don't you?"
"This has nothing to do with me wanting Winona, Why can't you just forget about her and be happy with me? It's time I started listening to myself and deciding what I really want out of life." "What are you saying Jayden? The wedding is still on, isn't it?"
"I think we should take a break." I say as I walk away. "The wedding is off."
13 Protecting What's Mine