Ashley breaks up with Brandon

Ashley's mind and body were numb as she walked like a zombie to the room she shared with Brandon. After her chat with Hannah earlier, she had sequestered herself into Heather and Victoria's room, hoping to avoid Brandon and have some time by herself to think.

The blue-eyed blonde exhausted her mind and soul, thinking and reflecting on what she was supposed to do. If on one hand, she loved Brandon dearly and didn't really want to be apart from him, on the other, a strong sense of curiosity was in the process of eating away her resolve and making her think about other boys more and more as the days and hours passed.

”It worked for Hannah,” Her traitorous lust-filled mind whispered to her. ”She ended up happy.”

”But she also lost her feelings for the guy she liked.” Ashley thought back in response, terrified that the same could happen to her and Brandon.

”You'll never know for sure if you don't do it,” The twisted version of herself in her head retorted. ”Take a chance like Hannah or spend the rest of your life wondering and making Brandon suffer!”

Ashley opened the door already deflated, knowing that her lust had won the fight. She looked ahead and saw Brandon changing his clothes in front of the wardrobe, her eyes watering at the sight.

“Bran, we need to talk.” She said, her voice faltering as she closed the door.

“Shit.” Was the only word that escaped Brandon's mouth as he saw the state his girlfriend was in, remembering the foreshadowing talks he had with Zack.

She walked over to him, her eyes already reddening from the tears that were threatening to fall.

“So, it's happening, huh?” He asked, resigned to his fate.

“Sorry.” Ashley trembled. She knew he had noticed the way she was acting and was probably anticipating the day when she would ask for a break up.

“Here,” He embraced her, his voice stammering as well. He let her cry on his shoulder for a minute before he pulled her head back and stared into her blue-eyes. “Listen, I won't pretend to know your reasons and I think I don't even want to, but I'm not mad at you.”

“You're not?” Ashley asked, baffled. “How can you not be? You should be hating me right now!”

Brandon chuckled nervously. “Ash, even if I wanted to, I could never hate you,” He said. “I love you.”

Ashley sobbed even harder now. “Oh, Bran, I love you too!” She cried out. “It's just that, if I don't do this, I'll never be able to commit myself completely to you again!”

Brandon gave her a **** smile, he was trying to be strong for Ashley and don't break down in front of her. “Do what you think you have to do, Ash,” He said, going back to the wardrobe. “I'll be there for you when you come back, just don't take too long 'cause I won't wait forever.”

At that admission, Ashley couldn't take anymore and flew sobbing from the room, leaving behind her an almost destroyed Brandon, her now ex-boyfriend.