Ashton was helpless. He didn't know and could do anything but regret. Regret the day when he thought he would vanish from her life after he won the bet and it won't even bother him. He didn't know that while making her fall in love, he would be the one falling harder and deeper.

But he remained there, standing and not moving an inch, without blinking his eyes in fear that he would and Bella would no longer be there then. He was staring at Bella keenly, just her. Rest of the surrounding was blurred until Jacob kissed her forehead.

" You moron keep your lips to yourself." and he closed his hands into a fist.

Ashton was all ready to go in and rain punches to distort Jacob's pretty face but when he saw Bella smiling at him. Floor slipped and Ashton felt like he was falling in a never ending tunnel. The anger he had for Jacob was replaced by hurt. Lastly the song ended and Bella couldn't be any more happier. Finally she was done with this whole dancing thing.

Jacob kissed Bella's forehead. And she awkwardly smiled, her eyes shining because of the tears she was holding back.

While her mind wondered if Ashton had ever actually respected her when all he did was to fake things just for the sake of the bet. Bella stopped herself from thinking anymore about him. She was right now with Jacob and she was supposed to enjoy this time. But her mind was exhausted like it had run a marathon. She wanted to go home and call it a day.

Jacob sensed Bella's tiredness so he asked if she wanted to go back. Getting a nod from her he fetched his jacket which he had hung on the chair while Bella took her clutch from the table and proceeded to leave.

Ashton noticed that they were coming out so he hid behind the wall so they couldn't see him and to his relief none of them noticed him. Taking a few deep breaths Ashton went back to his table to pay off his bills for the dinner he had with the shock which came absolutely free. He laughed a painful laugh and drove to his apartment.

He was going to his apartment, driving rashly. He didn't even know why he was so furious. Was it because Bella acted like he was a stranger to her and there was nothing between them ever or was it because she was moving on with that ugly boy.

Damn it! It was both.

Ashton wanted to clear his mind, he wanted to stop himself from thinking about Bella so the moment he got inside his apartment he searched for a drink. He wanted to get so drunk that he could forget who Bella was or that he ever met her.

He used to drink a lot like it was the only thing he was living for. But it was until he met her. Until I met Bella. She was light in his dark world. She was the essence of belonging in loneliness. She didn't change him. But he changed himself for her. Because he wanted to be a better version of himself for her.

So when she had asked Ashton , "why do you drink?" though the question was pretty simple but it had taken him off guard.

" to calm myself down," he had admitted to her.

And it was true whenever he used to get anxious. He used to drink to calm his nerves down and not to lash on someone. To show all his emotions like hurt, grief, pain he had one emotion: anger. He used to put those feelings in his anger, not knowing how to deal with them. They had always been foreign to me.

He still remembered what she had said when he had told her the reason for him getting drunk. " I am here. To calm you. So you don't need to rely on that bottle. " and the way she held his hand at that time was so overwhelming. Her eyes had shown sincerity behind her every word.

There was something in the way she used to look at Ashton the way she used to affect him to the extent that he had started opening up more with her than the handful of friends he had. So Ashton had just squeezed her hand and kissed her forehead, giving her assurance that he won't drink ever now.

But she wasn't here. She wasn't here to calm him down now, to light his world up. To stop him from being an asshole. She didn't keep her promise so why should he, grabbing beer he opened it and without taking time in pouring it in a glass. He drank it from the bottle. The liquid went down his mouth to his stomach, burning his throat.

He closed his eyes feeling happy at the memories. That was the time when everything was so good between them but everything got screwed up. He stumbled and fell on his bed. He had no energy in him to stand and change so he didn't budge and let sleep take over him.

Car stopped in front of the house and Jacob jogged to the other side to open the door for Bella but she beat him to it and came out of the car herself. For a second both looked at each other awkwardly not knowing how to say goodbye.

Earlier when they were friends so saying bye wasn't hard they needed to just to wave hands or even hug but today was different. It was their first date. Both had hugged each other uncountable times but every time like friends and not knowing how to react now, both hugged each other awkwardly which was there only for milliseconds before it was replaced by their known warmth.

Bella got in and the first thing she was welcomed by was a over excited Varonica who launched herself on her and embraced her in a tight hug which made both of them fall on the floor because of its intensity.

" You weigh more than a baby elephant Varonica. Get off me or I will die." Bella teased her.

" You see this sexy figure, how can you compare it with an elephant?" she replied while getting up which only made Bella chuckle.

" Yeah, yeah. I know." and she grinned.

Varonica took Bella's hand and dragged her to her room hurriedly. She pushed the door open and made Bella sit on the bed. Bella felt bed dipped a little as she settled near her with curious eyes waiting for Bella to blurt out about her date. And I obviously skipped the whole Ashton thing.

Varonica was very happy to know that her best friend had a good time without knowing about the tornado named Ashton who had made his re-entry into Bella's life.

"He won't come again." was all Bella hoped for she didn't want a second encounter with Ashton at any cost.