Derek saw that Ashton was glaring at him furiously, and he realized that he needs to say something before Ashton starts hitting him again.
Derek is not a weakling who would just take a beating, but at that moment, he was defeated from the inside. He had no willpower to fight back because he felt that he does not deserve it. Part of Derek hoped that Ashton will steam out like this and forgive him, and with that maybe Derek can forgive himself.
"I admit that at first, I thought Angela was just an easy picking, but then I realized she is smart and kind and that her smile lights up the room and that she is a girl who should be treasured and… I fucked up, OK? She does not want to look at me and it's killing me from the inside."
Derek had no idea from where those words came out, but they came with a sense of relief.
Ashton sneered. "I hope you truly realized that you fucked up. You talk about her smile… well, she is not smiling anymore and it's all your fault!"