Life in Color ✔️

53~ Stubborn

My body is numb as I walk inside, still in shock.

I failed.

We spread apart like zombies, moving sluggishly to our rooms. I send a text to Dave explaining everything with a promise to call him later, not wanting to talk right now. My fingers hover over Uncle John's name but I put my phone down. I'm sure he's already heard about my outburst.

Instead, I walk over to my bed and grab my computer, Sterling's email still on the screen. Mindlessly, I click on the second video, in dire need of a distraction.

Ashton's face appears on the screen and I'm about to click off when he leans down, showing me asleep in class. It's from his first day of school, in anatomy when I had a migraine. The scene changes, the camera is wobbly as it zooms in at the pep rally. The image finally coming into focus on Ashton and I as I pinch his arm. Then the blush that spreads across my face as he compliments me.

It's us at the championship game when he hit me with the ball. Then it's us kissing after they won, I'm embarrassed now to know they saw that.

Thanksgiving clips appear, Ashton holding onto me for dear life as I go over a hill, his scream making me laugh. Then it's my head rested on his shoulder asleep, Ashton's face stuck in complete shock as he watches me.

Everything from the past six months plays, I'm overly amused to learn that they were watching us that night at Ella's party when we almost kissed. Their laughter followed by Sage shoving the barn door open.

"Watch this." He whispers before clearing his throat. "Snowball fight!"

The scene changes to Ella's basement stairwell, a giggle fills my ears.

"Why are you staring at me?" Ashton asks.

"You're pretty." I mumble back.

Oh my God, the pain pills. Ashton lied to me, I didn't say random things I called him pretty.

I'm confused when the next clip is Ashton crying in a bathroom, hugging his sides for dear life. "I want Scarlett."

There's a lot of shuffling and I can hear Gabe and Zev talking in the background but I'm fixated on Ashton crying over me. Sage told me about it and he admitted to it but I've never considered just how upset he was.

It's adorable.

"I just want to hear her voice." He cries, rubbing his nose.

A thought settles in the back of my mind, I just want to hear Ashton's voice right now, not a recording but the real thing. I want to see him.

There's us on New Year's Day, sleeping soundly after making up as everyone barges into my room. Ashton doesn't even budge, pulling the blanket over our heads while I'm still out.

I'm surprised to find the video to be a hodgepodge collection from everyone. The twins got some moments but then there are others that Ella collected, even some Ashton and I filmed on our own phones. Some I've never even seen before.

Ashton kissing my forehead as I'm asleep. Ashton kissing me at the basketball game after my jealous fit. The both of us asleep in the back of his parents car on the ride home from Alabama, our heads leaned against each other's. Valentine's Day as we danced in the snow and almost kissed before Gabe, who was videoing, interrupts. I'm amused by the angered look on Ashton's face and by how embarrassed I was, that night feels like forever ago. Us hiking over Thanksgiving break when he almost dropped me in the water. Back then I just thought he was messing with me but now I can see the shocked look he has on his face as my lips accidentally brush against his neck.