After the Fireworks Faded

Ashley’s POV

The next day, I was able to leave work a little earlier than usual.

At exactly 6:05, I stepped out of my office. As I did, I heard a car beep. I looked at the car park and recognized Jared's black sports car.

I kept walking, pulling the strap of my bag higher on my shoulders. The bus stop was just past the office and down the corner.

"Babe!" He yelled out.

I increased my footsteps as though I could not hear him speaking. He started to drive towards me, so I cut across the lawn, knowing he wouldn't drive that way.

He had tried sending me messages on all social media platforms. Then he sent a delivery guy with two bouquets of roses to my office and a note asking me to call him. I ignored him all day.

He had also tried to get some of his friends to apologize to me.

My phone started to ring. I looked at the call and realized that it was Jared calling me. I cut the call. and hurried to the bus stop.

The bus arrived and I got on the bus.

Just then Jared's car tore down the path, knocking off the brick fence that separated my office from the bus stop. The front of his car had been messed up by the bricks that hit it. He was aiming for the bus.

I turned to the driver and screamed. "He's stalking me. Please, drive."

The driver nodded, then shut the door just as Jared got to us.

Jared hit the door with his car just as the driver started to move and I settled into my chair, covering my face, so he couldn't see me.

He started to run out of his car but the driver sped off.

If he wanted Sara, then he could spend all his time with her. I didn't want anything to do with him anymore.

- * *

I got to my apartment complex in thirty minutes. I tried to hurry up the staircase knowing that Jared would have driven behind the bus, even though we lost sight of him at the second bus stop.

I got to my door to see my boyfriend standing in front, wearing a smirk. "Thought you could escape, huh?"

"Leave me, Jared. Or I'll —"

"Or you'll what?" Jared walked to me flexing his chest muscles, knowing how to wear it made me.

I covered my eyes with my hands and turned away from him. "I don't want to see you."

Jared pulled my eyes away from my face and stared at me. "Why weren't you answering my calls?"

"I thought you were busy with work. I mean, Sara." I put up a smile as I dug inside my bag for my keys.

It would be hard to get around Jared to get into the house, but I needed to. If he decides to kiss me, the war against him would be lost.

But now, all I could remember was how he leaned against Sara's shoulder in that video. In the eyes of the world, they seemed like a couple. While my relationship with Jared was hidden from most people who knew me.

"About yesterday —" he started.

"I'm not interested. As you can see, I still have a lot of work to do." I tried to walk around him.

He placed himself in front of where I would swipe the key card. "I'm trying to make up for yesterday."

"Sorry, a birthday only happens once a year. Try again next year. Or don't. I don't care."

"I'm sorry okay. I got you a gift." He reached into his pocket and grabbed out a diamond bracelet and strapped it around my wrist. "I wanted to take you to dinner today."

I almost turned to him. My fridge was empty and I had was a single ramen packet. With the work I had to do, I wasn't ready to go get groceries but I could grab something.

"Okay, where?"

Jared smiled. But it pained me that I saw the online version of the smile first. He put his hand around me and started to lead me down the stairs.

"I'm not properly dressed."

"Don't worry. We'll be around friends."

I shrugged his hand off. "Friends? Who? Will Sara be there?"

"Listen, not everything is about Sara okay. It's Kimberly's birthday. We're both her friends."

"I think we should reschedule."

So, he couldn't show up for my birthday, but he expected me to show up for his friend's.

Jared grabbed my wrist to prevent me from leaving. "We can't reschedule. Do you understand how busy my schedule is?"

Jared convinced me to come along with him to dinner. It was held on the ground floor of one of his father's restaurants.

I was kind of hoping that Sara wouldn't show up. I wanted her to have one of the many health problems that allowed her to take Jared away from me.

But the worst thing happened. Sara was there and dressed in the most exquisite dinner dress. Same with everyone else around there.

I was the only one who looked like I was just coming from work.

I couldn't even deny that the atmosphere changed as soon as I stepped in. Everyone stopped talking and started staring at me and shared as they whispered.

"Oh, you made it." Sara rose out of her seat and hugged my boyfriend as if he was mine.

I took my hand out of his, expecting him to say something, but he didn't.

"Wow, I didn't think Ashley would actually come." Kim said. "There's just one seat left."

"Well, we can always fit one seat at the end of the table for Ashley." Sara said, grabbing my boyfriend's hand and pulling him across the room to the empty seat beside hers.

I watched them sit side-by-side while I was given a small excuse for a chair at the end of the table with two total strangers.

Everyone looked between me and Jared, expecting me to say something. Because it didn't look like Kim's birthday. It looked more like an engagement party for Sara and Jared.

To ease the tension, I took a sip of wine, then raised my glass. "Cheers to the birthday girl."

There were a few murmurs around the table and soon everyone was talking among themselves, leaving me to watch Sara feed my boyfriend from her own plate.

Kimberly seemed to catch my look because she pointed at me and Sara turned, sitting properly and saying, "Oh yeah, I should thank you for yesterday."

"What for?" I stabbed my potatoes.

"Lending me your boyfriend. The fireworks were absolutely amazing. Hope you're not angry about it?" Sara smiled like she had won a battle.

Everyone turned to me, awaiting my answer.