Shadows In Durango

*****Sofia's POV*****

I hurry to find Mr Stanley to let him know that Vincent was off school today and that I was back from my 'holiday' if you could even call my couple of days of torment a holiday!

I wondered how much stuff there would be to catch up on in the supply closet but knew that I would find comfort in the silence through doing it on my own.

With Vincent not being here and with everyone else being at class, I would have some proper time to think.

"Mr Stanley! Hey!" I call, seeing him up ahead as he exits one of the science labs and turns to find me in surprise.

"Oh, Sofia! I thought you two had been avoiding me!" He stops in his stride in order for me to catch up, chuckling as I shake my head instantly.

"No, not at all! I was out of town for a couple of days and Vincent is off school today so it will just be me." I explain, as he nods and smiles kindly.

"Excellent! Well you know where to go and what to do!" He nods finally, as I force out yet another smile before hurrying towards my private sanctuary that helped me to avoid going to gym class.

I still couldn't think of anything worse than going back to that same class, the one I had quite literally been assaulted and humiliated in!

Shaking the negative memories away, I pull down the handle of the door, stepping inside and immediately seeing that someone must have left the lights on since it was usually dark whenever I would get here...

I hear the door close over behind me, as I round the corner to step into the main section of the storage room, before nearly shrieking when finding someone bent over inside of a large cardboard box on the floor - their back to me. Thankfully, I stopped myself just in time to save any embarrassment, as I immediately wonder why Mr Stanley hadn't mentioned there being another student assigned to this job now...

"Uhh... hey? We haven't met yet because I was out of town for a couple of days..." I break the awkward silence, as the guy immediately stands to his full height and turns to face me the moment he hears my voice coming from behind him. And it is only in that moment that all time seems to stop.

My heart climbs up in to my throat and then in to my mouth, as my saliva seems to dissipate completely. I open and close my mouth in a desperate attempt to find oxygen that suddenly seemed to be running low... "Sofia?!" He states, as I find myself backing up slowly, shaking my head from left to right in shock horror of who was stood before me.

It can't be him!

"Ashton?!" I babble out in sheer disbelief, feeling my back hit the cabinets behind me as I almost fall over some books that were splayed out across the floor.

My mind was saying run and my heart was still attempting to process that my ex-boyfriend, the one who had proven himself to be a total bastard back home, was now somehow stood right in front of me here in the damn storage closet! This can't be real, maybe I was taking ill? Maybe I was starting to hallucinate...

"You can't be here! W-Why are you here?!" I ramble, feeling my hands shake as his expression seems just as shocked as mine which was surprising...

If he hadn't have looked so caught off guard then I would have made a dash for it almost immediately, believing that he was here to find me to take me back to my father, but instead, he looked lost for words.

He had gotten a little bigger from the last time I had seen him, both in height and in muscle, but his face remained the exact same.

It was definitely him...

"I could ask you the same? God it's been so long since I last saw you. You look so, different!" Ashton admits, cocking his head to the side to look me over which immediately makes me feel uncomfortable. What was he playing at?! From what I remember, my father had him running around to do his dirty work like a little bitch!

"You know, you never really told me that we were breaking up, you just got up and left! I can't believe this is where you are!" Ashton moves to fold his arms firmly across his chest, but I was thankful that he maintained the distance between us. With a quick glance towards the door, reassuring myself that I could make it out on time if he changed his mind and decided to approach me, I release a shaky breath.

"I had to leave, and don't act like you don't know why Ashton! It was pretty clear that we were over... but just answer my question, why on earth are you here?!" I become defensive, being forced to confront one of the shadows of my past brought back here to haunt me.

He shocks me with what he does next, however I can't lie and say that it doesn't help to ease my anxiety a little, as I watch him sink down into the chair to his left - posing no further threat to me - at least not yet.

I couldn't just run without knowing why he was in town, at least if he was still working for my father then I would have time to skip town before he finds me and if not, perhaps I could still stay here?

But I also had to keep in mind that I couldn't trust this guy as far as I could throw him...

He had changed since the start of our high school sweetheart romance and I wouldn't ever forgive him for how he had acted towards me, especially after my Mom dying!

"Will you try to calm down a little? I won't hurt you, you know that." Ashton grumbles, as I can't help the scoff that comes next at his words.

Ignoring my response, he seems to sigh slowly, as I remain glued to my current spot - reaching behind me to check that I still had my phone in case of an emergency.

"After you left, your father soon turned on me and said that I must have helped you to get out or else he would have been able to find you sooner apparently." Ashton begins, as I still can't quite come to terms with the fact that he was seated right before my very eyes.

As if blinking profusely would cause him to disappear, I find myself staring through him as he spoke...

"Your brothers stole and blew up my car and then smashed our house windows and after that, my uncle didn't want me involved with them and so he sent me away." He explains, shaking his head at the memory as I have to stop myself from almost feeling sorry for him.

None of this changes that he was still an asshole to me! None of it!

"Sent you where?" I whisper, my voice shaky and my pulse still racing.

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"California at first, but I hated it and so I came here to live with my grandmother for a bit." He states, running a hand through his hair.

"Your grandmother lives here? In Durango?" I repeat, as he shakes his head slightly.

This cannot be happening!

"She just moved here from Ignacio a month ago, sold her house and got something a little bigger and that's why I came. She had a spare room for me. It's a small world..." Ashton trails off in deep thought, as I almost feel suffocated being in this room with him.

I want to be sick...

Why would the world curse me like this?! Of all places for his damn grandmother to move to, it just had to be the very town that I was starting to love!

"You don't have to worry by the way, I won't rat you out, I actually feel bad for how I acted back home... I would love to properly talk to you about it, somewhere nicer than this dusty closet." Ashtons face looks hopeful, as my head screams for me to turn on him and to never look back.

"I... don't know." I admit, shaking my head slightly as he seems to understand.

I would be lying if I said that I didn't still cling to the memory of how we used to be, but that was long over!

"I won't pressure you, but at least let me write down my number and whenever you want to talk, you can just call." He pushes, standing to retrieve a pen and paper as I tense from the sudden movement.

I need to go get some air...

I can't think straight right now...

Watching him jot down the numbers, feeling tears suddenly begin to brim in my eyes from the sheer overwhelming rush, I allow for him to approach me, praying that his intentions were pure, as I sigh slightly when he only hands me the paper before stepping back again to give me some space.

I need to be alone, to process all of this horrific mess...