19. SELF-SET

Lonely. Lovely. It was lonely, but to Ashton, it seemed quite lovely. But now there was a point in living, to prove a murder, it was more lonely than lovely. It was one of those moments where you're desperate enough to just let go.

"Wasn't that- Wasn't that Ashton's car?" Jayce asked, although she didn't know who she was asking.

She saw a car slip from the edge, and into the deep woods, and she didn't know if her eyes were seeing things correctly or not. But as things would've said, there's always an answer to a question.

She went out of the graveyard, and went to where she saw the car go down the cliff. Everyone else didn't notice, they were far too occupied with everything else going on.

A few people assembled near the place where it crashed, and Jayce joined in the middle of the crowd to see what car rolled over.

From the corner of her eye, she knew which car it was. A jeep that definitely belonged to Ashton. And it was one of those times where you tried to fight what you already knew by what you thought.

It wasn't really worrying, it was more of actually being anxious.

"Ash!" Jayce called out, and obviously there was no answer.

She was insane, everyone knew that, and it was proven to everyone when she slid down the steep cliff filled with fallen leaves, to right beside where Ashton jeep was, and everything was messed up.

"Excuse me, miss! Come back up!" a lot of people yelled.

"Jayce!" a voice called her u from above, and Jasmine had followed her from the funeral, "That's Ashton's car," she realized in a heartbeat. Everyone had called the ambulance while she turned around and went back to the funeral to tell the rest.

"I think-" Jasmine called out to Dave who was the nearest to her at that moment, "I think there's been a car crash and I think it's Ashton, and Jayce is there too,"

Dave furrowed in shock, "What?"

~~~

"Ashton," Jayce walked towards the car, avoiding the glass pieces and the broken car parts around it.

The boy was upside down in the car, bleeding from his head.

She wasn't supposed to be staggered, but it was one of those moments where your heart sank, hoping for some sort of miracle to happen. She slid inside the car, and checked his pulse and breath. Weak but it could be handled.

"Is an ambulance coming close?" she asked, yelling to the crowd above.

"Jayce, is it really Ashton?" another person yelled. Jaxon, shivering and trembling.

"Yes, it is him," she replied as she slid into the car more and tried to see where else he was injured.

Luck, Jayce thought, he was wearing a seatbelt.

She went over to his head and took out her phone to check his pupils.

"Dilated pupils and a head trauma," she concluded, "He needs a CT asap,"

Ashton wanted to die when he found the purpose of life, and Jayce wanted to live when she found the purpose of death. And she had decided that he wasn't dying today.

She needed to get him out anyhow, if the ambulance wasn't coming soon. Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she saw something drop to the gas tank. A lit match.

In a split second, she looked above, trying to see who would've lit up a match and dropped it to the car tank. No one was holding a lighter or a match.

But no, that wasn't important. Ashton was.

She looked back and unbuckled him from his seatbelt, and yes he was heavy, and yes, the window was already broken so the only thing to do at that moment was to pull him out.

With all her might, she pulled him out, groaning.

"Jayce, what are you doing?" Jasmine yelled from above, as Dave just came along.

She didn't respond until Ashton was out of the car and a gut told her the car was going to explode soon. The person who threw that match, that person, Jayce thought, it was the killer.

"Jayce!" Dave yelled, about to slide down when Jayce yelled back.

"The killer's here, dad," she yelled with all her might, "Catch them before you lose them!"

The words rang in his head, then took his walkie-talkie, "Be cautious for anyone suspicious around the area,"

As he finished the statement, and as Jayce finished dragging Ashton to behind a tree, and as the ambulance sirens were heard, it was all muffled with the sound of the explosion made by the car.

Jayce covered Ashton with herself as the autumn coldness was covered by the warmth of the dazzling fire. In Ashton's unconscious mind, he definitely thought about how that jeep was his favorite, as the parts of his jeep fell around the red, orange and yellow leaves.

Well with all the risks, nothing came from that explosion except panic and another jeep lost.

No killer was caught. No clues were made. Only a broken jeep and an emotional drop.

~~~

"I swear to God if you do something like that ever again," Dave started, "I will ground you for good,"

"How is he?" Jayce asked.

They were all in the hospital, and Jayce's hands and legs, which were scraped by glass and metal, were being treated.

"A light head trauma definitely, nothing serious, he was just given sedation and some treatment,"

"And the killer?"

"Everyone in that area were normal people,"

"A killer is a normal person,"

"We have everything under control, okay? You don't have to interfere," Dave said, "And I don't think a killer would be this stupid to just show up,"

"The killer was there before Ashton crashed," Jayce said, "Whoever that person is, he or she threw a match to kill me and hurt Ashton, as another warning,"

"That is the reason why you should stay away from him," Dave stated.

"And I won't until we catch the killer,"

"Don't you ever think that Ashton could've been the killer of Eric?" he asked.

"What?" she furrowed, "Ashton? Killing his best friend? He may have a terrible household but he wouldn't kill anyone,"

"Then what other clue do we have? He was there the night Eric died, a few meters away from his room. His parents even suspect him,"

Jayce didn't know who to trust at that point, especially that he was begging Eric to come with them during the student council trip and he really knew something was going to happen to him. It was like Ashton wanted Jayce to say no, so it was as if he was avoiding the 'murder' when he likely had done it. The case was all over the place.

And right now, Dave's words did make sense, "And the match?" she asked.

"Maybe he asked someone to throw it so that he can look like a victim, and to set you up as well. Because he knows that you're intelligent enough to crack the case," he started, "No one, who was recording videos from the road, saw someone light a match and make it fall from their side,"

"The killer only threw the match because I was there, because I was close to Ashton, and this obsessed freak doesn't like that. If I wasn't there, he could've saved his jeep," she started, "You're making all of this up,"

"Jayce-"

"Around that area in the woods," she said, "Find if there's any other access to that area from above, other than from the road,"

"You need to trust me on this one, not everyone is as good as it seems,"

"And Ashton isn't as bad as he seems to be,"

~~~

"Oh, look, it's our attention seeker," a voice broke in.

Jayce was walking in the hallway, on the way to Ashton's room to see how he was, and evening was falling. She turned around to see her twin.

"Now, everyone thinks you're a hero," she sneered.

Jayce sighed, "Amber, he could've died,"

"I know, afterall, you're Jayce the Great," Amber said, with exaggeration, "The most perfect girl to ever exist,"

"Do you need anything?" she asked, "I know you're still grieving-"

"Eric got his karma for not dating me," she said emotionlessly.

Jayce clenched her jaw, then scoffed at her sister's arrogance, "Sometimes I wonder how both of us come from the same womb,"

"Why? Because I'm more perfect and you're so attention-thirsty?" Amber asked, sneering at herself without realizing.

"You have a magnificent superpower, Amber, and I'm so proud of you," Jayce grinned slyly, crossing her hands.

"What?" she knitted her brows.

"You somehow can make everything about yourself," she replied back, pouting her lips, taunting her, "I don't know how you do it, but you just do,"

Amber scoffed back, "Are you talking about yourself?"

Jayce laughed back, "There's no use in talking you out, have a good day, Amber," she smiled and turned around, and walked towards the elevator.

~~~

Jayce went up to the 4th floor, and he got a VIP suite. Nothing was surprising about that. Two police men guarded the entrance of the fourth floor, near the elevators, with his room on the second hallway, and the cafeteria on the opposite of it.

She went inside the room, and saw Ashton still sleeping, and unconscious, on his bed, with his head covered in a bandaid.

She didn't really know how to react, seeing someone on a hospital bed. She sat down on the stool beside his bed. It was more of a stare of worry than a stare of death.

Jayce lent her hand to Ashton's, locking it again, tighter than other grips this time. It was one of those moments where you didn't want someone to leave, no matter how incomplete you were.

What was crying for after all?

"This doesn't feel like a normal car accident," the words seemed like a sarcasm of pain.

She looked back and saw him waking up, eyes opened and lips pursed

She gave him a little smile, "Well, your jeep did explode, that makes a difference,"

"What?" he raised a brow, then sucked a breath in pain.

Jayce was still holding his hand, and gave a small chuckle, "The killer decided to explode it,"

"The killer was there?"

"Hard to explain, he escaped anyways, but he was definitely there before you even crashed,"

"All my life I've been thinking about when I could use that sound 'The killer is escaping' in a literal manner, today's my lucky day, I see," he put up a mocking face.

Jayce returned with a small huff, "No one suspicious was there and I'm getting the feeling that the killer is someone we know,"

"Why would he be there anyways? For another warning?" he asked, then saw her hand in his, "Those were definitely not there this morning," he noticed the scars, then thought about the only thing why she could've had it. She was there in the explosion, he concluded.

"You are heavy," she said, right to his face.

"You pulled me out of the car?" he asked, not believing his own words or what was happening.

"I'm thankful the only thing I had to do was pull you out of the car," she stated, tongue twisting as she did, "I didn't even have to give you CPR or help you breathe by giving air into your-" she noticed where she was heading, and immediately halted.

"Is my jeep completely doomed?" he asked, relieving the tension.

"If it wasn't for me being there, your jeep would've still been repairable," she replied, letting go of his hand.

"If it wasn't for you being there, I'd be dead anyways," he said, "And I'd rather be alive right now,"

"I'll help you find Eric's killer," she said, "And it's not for your sake, it's for Amber's and Eric' sake. You and I both know he did nothing wrong,"

"Oh, president," he started with the nicknames again, "Did you just indirectly state that the rivalry ended?"

"Under our consciousness," she said, slyly smiling, "The rivalry still lives in the bottom of our hearts, and like I said, it isn't for your sake,"

He gave off a small chuckle before a knock came at the door. Jaxon and Jasmine.

"Look, who's awake," Jaxon grinned.

"Hey, man," Ashton smiled back, he looked back at Jayce, with a tense face, "Can we have-"

"Oh, right," Jayce realized, and saw Jasmine. She gulped, "I'll go,"

She went outside the room and shut the door, then looked at Jasmine.

"Hi," Jaz said.

Jayce thinly smiled, "Hi,"

Friends? Or were they trying to fix everything?

~~~

"I heard from Detective Brooks that the killer was there, are you okay now?" Jaxon asked Ashton.

"Definitely," Ashton said.

"Well then I have a plan," Jaxon said, "Which I think we can catch Eric's killer by this plan,"

"What plan?" he asked.

"A plan that won't be easy, because the target of this plan isn't an easy person,"

In a chain like this, everyone was using each other.

"And who's this target we're talking about?"

Jaxon gave a sly grin, "Jayce Brooks,"

~~~

"How's Amber?" Jasmine asked.

The two were sitting down in the empty cafeteria, near Ashton's room.

"Still her, still grieving," Jayce replied.

"Do you want to go home after this?" she asked.

"No, I'm staying here tonight. Dad's told me to look over Ashton," she replied, "How about you?"

"I'm going to Brenda's after this, so Jaxon's going home by taxi,"

"Brenda, huh? That quick," Jayce smirked, "Everyone does break school rules in stepping outside the school areas,"

Jasmine gave a scoffing smile, "She was there when I received the news of Eric's death. She was in my house, and she was in panic, I feel bad for her 'cause I immediately left her in my house to Jaxon,"

"Oh," Jayce said. What are you thinking? Jayce thought, You two have broken up, if she moves on, so what? This is Jasmine, you know that she's like this.

"I'll get my coffee first, hold on," Jaz stood up and went to the counter, getting her coffee.

It had been 10 minutes since they left Ashton's room, the two were probably gossiping or doing whatever boys do.

Jaz sat back down with her frappuccino in one hand, "You don't want any coffee?"

"I'll easily stay up, it's fine," Jayce replied.

"Okay then," she took the straw and placed it in her cup, and drank down thirstily, "Let's catch up about school and everything, any tea?"

"Not really," she responded, "How about you? I thought you were trying to get part-time jobs,"

"Ah right," Jasmine started, "So I basically..."

A few minutes into the conversation, the two girls saw Jaxon leaving for the elevator.

"Hey, Jaz," he called out to his sister, "I'll go home first and remember curfew,"

"Tell dad if I don't make it on curfew, I'd still be in Brenda's," she said back.

"Okay," he gave a thumbs up and the elevator doors closed.

Jasmine continued to chat about all her job offers which she failed and nearly succeeded before a text message came in and it was Brenda.

"Oh, your girlfriend's texting," Jayce gave a small laugh.

"She's not my girlfriend," Jasmine chuckled in a low manner, "I have to go or else I'll pass curfew and dad's gonna scold me," she stood up, throwing the empty cup of frappuccino in the bin and putting her phone in her pocket.

Jayce stood up as well, "Stay safe along the way," she said, while walking towards the hallway that led to Ashton's room.

"Jayce," Jaz called out from behind, not knowing why she did, but she did anyway.

And for no reason, Jayce's heart beated loud enough for her ears to hear. She turned around, raising a brow, "Yeah?"

Jaz looked down, and clenched her jaw, then looked back up, and with the lightest footsteps, she approached Jayce, lightly taking her neck, and for one silent moment, they kissed. It wasn't a kiss of passion or that they missed each other, it was more of a playful, meaningless kiss. But that one meaningless kiss was one of the kisses they both wouldn't forget.

Jayce missed it, she knew she shouldn't have. And before she could kiss Jasmine back, she stepped away. She flinched.

"I'm sorry-" Jasmine started, "I should- I should go," she cleared her throat and avoided eye contact with Jayce as she left for the elevator, while she stood there, unable to move nor react.

And Ashton, who had been wondering where Jayce was, had gone outside of his room with a crutch, and saw the kiss between the two. He immediately went inside the room and pretended nothing happened.

But he had no right in being jealous, especially what he's about to do to her.

~~~

Jayce gave a sigh before she returned to Ashton's room, and he was there, looking at the door where she arrived as if waiting for her presence to come.

She winced at his stare as she then walked into the room and took a cup of water.

"So, from what I saw, you two are getting back together, right? Like officially," he said from the bed, still staring at Jayce.

She choked on her water, then looked back at him who had a teasing smile. She clenched her jaw, "You know you shouldn't be walking out of your room yet,"

"Oh, I know," he said, looking at the ceiling, "You just didn't return to my room for more than 20 minutes,"

"Oh, so you were worried?" she asked, with a bitter tongue, as she approached his bed and sat on the stool.

"I do have a good reason to be," he said, turning around and staring at her again.

She scowled, "What do you mean by that?"

He immediately sat up and moved closer to her face in a flash. Their noses touched, and each of their breaths could be heard. She flinched and gulped.

"This is going to sound very awkward but please just go with it," he said, with a tense face, "But, do you wanna be my girlfriend?"

In reality, he didn't care how he said it. He just needed one thing: proof.