Betsy giggled when Ashton grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the maths class she was mid entering.

"What are you doing?" she asked, a bright smile sparkling over her face as Ashton pulled them to a stop.

When her eyes caught onto his features she realised that Ashton was doing anything but returning the smile. His lips were set in a tight line and his eyebrows were furrowed, creating frown lines across his forehead.

"We need to talk, like for real this time. No kissing." he said and he watched as the smile vanished from Betsy's face.

"Oh," Betsy mumbled, drawing out a hand to tuck a couple of red strands behind her ear.

"I liked you a lot, Betsy. You're a great girl, you really are. You're pretty and you're so independent and fearless it amazes me. You're so fun to be around and you always make me laugh–"

"–liked. You said liked," Betsy interrupted, her voice dropping cold and light.

Ashton darted his eyes around their surroundings. A few people passed them, but the bell had already gone and they were the two of the only ones left in the hallway.

He heaved a heavy sigh and ran a hand over his face, "I know what i'm about to say is cliche and i'm such an asshole, I know I am but... it's not you, it's me," he shut his eyes close before speaking up again, "I– I really did like you but right now, I'm just trying to figure myself out because I think i'm quite lost."

A moment passed and when Ashton re-opened his eyes, he swore he saw tears pooling into the corners of Betsy's eyes but they were gone just as quick as they were there.

"Fuck you," Betsy spat, and Ashton felt his cheek hiss in pain as it hit contact with Betsy's hand.

"Okay," he said, reaching out to touch his cheek, "I deserved that."

"Damn right you did. Luca was right, I should've stayed the fuck away from you because you used me just like you used all those other girls. Did you tell them that they weren't like your previous flings as well? Did you make them feel special? Did you make them fall for you and then push them away just like you did with me? Honestly Ashton, i'm a fucking fool and you're the biggest jerk in the entire fucking world. Go fuck yourself."

Her words were pure venom and she didn't allow Ashton to get one word in before she was sauntering off in the direction of her maths class.

He banged his head against the brick wall, and balled his hands into tight fists. He hated himself for messing eveything up, he hated that he couldn't particularly defend himself because eveything Betsy had spoken was so true.

But he knew telling her before things were taken too far—before he started dating her because he thought his feelings were a phase—was the right decison.