33. SELF-EFFACING

Forgiveness wasn't easy, especially when it's about someone you trust a lot who just backstabs you. It felt as if you were being crumpled into pieces, and you might never regain yourself.

She jumped onto one of the pipes and climbed down. Dave rushed to her and yelled from the window, "Jayce-!"

"I know you wouldn't allow me. Sorry dad," she was impulsive. If she had something to do, she would do it, immediately.

"Jayce!" Dave went out of the room and ran downstairs, but Jayce had driven off with her car.

She wanted to cry so badly. She loved Amber so much, but Ashton was innocent. And Amber really had to get what she deserved. She was determined to publish all her crimes and prove it all. Amber deserved it. Even the person who loved her the most knew that.

~~~

"What's your plan now?" Jasmine asked Ashton.

They were both in front of the office building right now.

"Make sure Amber knows I'm out of jail, and she'll want to kill me. In the meantime, I'll record everything," he replied.

"And if you die? What do you think Jayce will feel once she finds out you're hurt anywhere?" she asked back.

"She'll know what to do. I'm very much sure she'll get all the truth out," he said, "Thanks, Jasmine, for your help. I really mean it,"

"Welcome," she said, "Stay safe, I really mean it too,"

She went ahead and went back to her car, as Ashton entered the office to meet Harrison.

Harrison was sitting on his chair, legs up on the desk, "About the Walkers' money and companies, what are you going to do about it?"

"Sell it all," Ashton replied, "I wouldn't even care less on what happens to that filthy money,"

"Alright. Anyways, your head seems to be clouded and cluttered with only one girl at the moment," the man said.

He furrowed as he sat on the couch, "What?"

"I'm worried about you," he said, "Like any father would be, I am."

"Why?" he flinched.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" he asked.

"Like what?" Ashton scoffed.

"I know you, Ashton," Harrison remarked, "Now that you've gotten out of jail, it doesn't end anything. You're planning something; something dangerous, am I right?" he asked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," the boy looked away and took out his phone.

"I've seen all the 'dangerous' things you've done, Ashton," he continued, standing up and sitting across him, "All those dangerous things you do, all of them are for Jayce Brooks,"

Ashton sighed, then looked back at his father, "So?"

"How much do you care about her?" Harrison asked, sighing.

"More than I care about my own life," he replied immediately.

The man gave a thin smile, "Does she feel the same way? Does she love you too?"

He pursed his lips, "Even if she doesn't, all I want is for her to be safe and happy,"

"What do you love about her?" Harrison asked.

Ashton gave a small snort, as he continued to smile, "Everything. The smile she makes when she's genuinely happy, the scowl she makes when I do something stupid, the independence and boldness she has, her intelligence and beauty and thoughts. Everything about her, I love it."

"And do you miss her?" he asked.

"I very much do, but wherever she is at the moment, I hope she doesn't come back here. She can't risk her life, and that's also the reason why I'm cleaning all the mess up so she can be free," he replied.

"I can't promise you both anything, but Ashton, just know that you should also think of yourself. You can't keep on going into the storm for her,"

"But I willingly will,"

~~~

It was nearly exams. And Ashton knew it wasn't a priority to study, but he went to the library anyway after changing his clothes.

And surprisingly, Amber was there, just walking past the front from the school building.

And he forgot he had school that day as well.

"Ashton?" Amber's face tensed, "You're back!" she acted happy.

"Hey, Amber," Ashton said, his jaw clenching, "Yeah, because I'm innocent,"

"Of course, I would never think you would commit a crime. I heard Jaxon and the Walkers were murdered and everything. Who did it?" She acted so innocently.

"I don't know. But I was a suspect in those murders. Apparently, I know that I was being set up," he said casually.

He knew if he said Jasmine had bailed him out, she would be killed as well.

"Oh my," she gasped, "Who would do such a thing?"

You, he thought.

"Anyways," Amber said, "I'm still kind of in shock, about Eric's murder and everything, I'm still trying to process it,"

"Yeah,"

"And Jayce isn't here, and I just really need a shoulder to lay on and I think you're the only one here that really understands me at the moment," she could literally cry on command, "Do you want to have a little therapy moment at the woods tonight? At midnight, so it's more quiet,"

Ashton knew her plan. To kill him.

"Sure," he said, "I'll meet you there later,"

~~~

"What do you mean Jayce escaped and is now on the way to Syville?" Sanchez nearly yelled on the phone.

"You heard me. I don't have a car right now so I need you to make sure she doesn't meet Ashton. I'm gonna find a taxi to take my two daughters with me, and you have to make sure he stays in jail. I will not lose my daughters over some boy who I don't know." Dave yelled back, "Ashton must be guilty, and Jayce and Amber must be innocent."

Jayce, on the other hand, was driving at a maximum speed per hour. She could go completely mad, that now her face was red and she had been crying over the past half-an-hour.

She actually didn't know what she was crying for. She missed Ashton, but she also didn't believe her dad would believe her as crazy. It was considerable, but thinking of her as a murderer with no legit proof was crazier.

She hated Amber with no words to explain. She was willing to do anything to prove what was right, even if it meant she would have to die. Ashton had to live, and she was going to clean this mess up for him.

She was willing to give up everything if it meant he was going to be free.

~~~

Ashton went to the back walls of the school, thinking about the fact he might die that night.

He took out his phone and went to his chats. He checked when Jayce was last online, but in fact she was offline.

It wasn't strange to him if it was on a normal day, she barely checks her chats and leaves them on read, but this wasn't a normal day; it was a scary one.

He dialed her phone but she didn't pick up. Of course. Her phone was thrown out of the car window.

Was he worried? Yes.

And maybe at this time, he wanted to get a cigarette, to escape from reality.

~~~

It was already evening. It seemed that Jayce had spent most of her day on the road, in a car, with her overthinking.

With no phone and no one beside her, she only hung on to hope that Ashton was still alive and okay.

Police men, on the order of Sanchez and her dad, were guarding the entrances of Syville as Jayce saw from afar. She was tired from the total of an 8-hour ride from and to the town.

She parked her dad's car far through the paths that go to Syville, near the woods.

She took the gun she had and tucked it in the sweatpants she was still wearing, and walked up the woods that would pass through the town hall and to the fields that she can take to get to Syville.

The town wasn't quiet and peaceful anymore. Most of the people have planned to move out and go somewhere else, where murders were not happening.

From Nadia, to Eric, to Georgia, to Jaxon, to Anita, to Milton, to Leo, to Kiara, to Howard. All dead.

She bolted through the forest, heart thumping as quickly as possible, until she reached the back wall. She was excited and terrified. She didn't want to arrive and have someone tell her that Ashton was dead in the hands of her twin sister.

She climbed over the walls that were covered in vines, and put her leg over the top, as she held on tight to the other side.

"Jayce?"

~~~

Ashton was still dialing her phone for the past few minutes when he heard rattling from the wall behind him. He turned around and saw a girl, in his clothes, climbing over the wall, instinctively knowing it was Jayce.

"Jayce?" he called out.

The girl froze, and flinched, immediately jumping down to the ground and turning around, seeing Ashton.

"Oh, thank goodness," she muttered in relief as she approached him quickly and threw her hands around him, pulling him into a warm embrace. "I thought you were already six feet under," she hugged him tighter, tears nearly forming in her eyes again.

Ashton, who was still in shock, put his hands around her and put his head on her shoulder, holding onto her tighter, "Or six feet above," he teased.

She gave a low laugh that was like a cry, but she was relieved he was still alive.

Suddenly, he pulled away and looked her in the eyes. Her face was as red as ever. The last time he saw her like this was on her mother's death. And this time, she thought he was dead.

"You shouldn't be here," he started.

"Look, Ashton, I know who did all those murders and I didn't just drive here for 4 hours just to make you send me away." she replied, "I'm going to help you arrest Amber,"

Of course, she knew Amber was the killer. Jayce was always correct.

"You are not going to endanger yourself again," Ashton stated.

"And you think I'll allow you to endanger yourself?" she asked back.

"That's different,"

"How the hell is it different?" she scowled, "It's the same,"

"It's not the same, because I'm the one who brought you into this mess,"

"You mean I brought myself into this mess," Jayce corrected.

"President, just leave," he sounded tired.

"No more deaths. You promised." she said again, "So don't try and stop me from making sure you'll fulfill that promise,"

"That wasn't the only promise you made me do," he scowled back.

She realized, "Oh, the promise of stuff you should do when I'm dead?" she asked, "You didn't even make the promise yet,"

"I'm freaking terrified that you're actually going to sacrifice your life for me," Ashton wanted to yell.

"Well, you don't have to be so afraid because our feeling's mutual." Jayce replied calmly, glaring at him.

"Excuse me, what?" he flustered.

"Maybe it's a bit too late," she curled her lip, "But I finally understood my own feelings," she gave an awkward snort.

"Meaning?"

"I love you, Ashton, with no exceptions and with no limits," she said casually, "I'm not lying this time,"

His ears reddened her statement, as she looked at him with a solemn expression, some hint of cheerfulness and sadness in it.

He clenched his fists as his brows furrowed in surprise. He approached her, and took her by her cheek, and finally brushed his lips against her. Jayce put her hand on his chest, and deepened the kiss. For once, it was just them both, purely.

One. Genuine. Kiss.

Of fire and fury, of some sort of passion, they both understood. The kiss defined that. Both their hearts were burdened by this thing called 'love', and it was always their beginning and end.

Ashton pulled away first, cheeks blushing and ears reddened, and Jayce responded with a grin planted on her face. Addicting, they would have wanted to go again.

He formed a proud grin, filled with happiness and relief, "Let's arrest Amber Brooks, president, then we can dance at the Christmas Ball,"

~~~

Amber was on her way to the police station, which was empty, and that felt strange.

"I'm sorry, where is everyone?" she asked one of the officers who was about to leave the station.

"We all have been ordered to find Jayce Brooks no matter what. Sorry, excuse me, miss," he said and walked away.

"Even if she's away, she still steals the spotlight," she gritted her teeth, "But it's okay. If she's here, then she's going to die too."

She took a pin from her hair and went to where the jail was. There were only five people there: Niel, a gangster, an assaulter, a trickster and a thief. All that she needed.

"Alright everyone listen up here," she clapped her hands and all their eyes went to her, "Starting from today, you all will work for me,"

"Why?" Niel furrowed.

"Freak," the gangster spitted.

"I'll pay you all each $20 000," she said, "But you have to help me with something tonight."

Of course. Most criminals want money.

"And what's that?" the trickster's eyes brightened.

"I need you to kill two people: Ashton Walker and Jayce Brooks,"