Behind The Limelight

10: The Nobel Peace Prize Goes To...

"Oh please, pray tell, what exactly am I wrong about?" Ashton asked.

"Nothing," Ryker said after a long pause. "Nevermind."

"Seriously?" Ashton scoffed. "What did you say to me earlier? What was it? Cat got your tongue?"

"Just leave it, Ash," Ryker muttered, his grip on the steering wheel tightened, as his gaze remained fixed on the road.

"For someone that always bugs me to talk to them, you never quite say what's on your mind," Ashton said with an eye roll. "It's getting exhausting, you know? Either say what you want or leave me alone in peace."

"Guess I'll just leave you alone then," Ryker retorted.

Ashton turned to face Ryker, raising a questioning brow but Ryker wasn't looking at him. Ashton really was tired of the other man constantly telling him how wrong he was about stuff, but then not explaining any further. Ashton couldn't help but wonder what he was misinterpreting, though no matter how much he tried, nothing came to mind.

To him, everything was crystal clear. He hated Ryker, and Ryker hated him. Sure, they used to be the best of friends years ago, but that was a long time back. They had both changed since then, and so did their circumstances. Now they were nothing more than rival actors that were forced to work together.

Absolutely nothing more.

The car ride after their little argument was painful, to say the least. Neither of them spoke a single word, all Ryker did was stare ahead at the road, and Ashton counted the passing cars until he grew bored. It was even more frustrating when they got stuck in traffic, there was nothing that Ashton could do to distract himself. Even his phone was at one percent.

At moments like these, it seemed like a blessing that Ashton had spent most of his childhood alone. He was comfortable with his own company, always lost in his head. But with Ryker right next to him...all of his thoughts kept drifting to the other man.

He kept thinking about what it was that he was wrong about. What was the misunderstanding that Ryker kept insisting on. Ashton was absolutely clueless. Could there possibly be any other reason for Ryker's actions than him just wanting to be an asshole to Ashton? Was there something that Ashton was perhaps missing?

Ashton sighed audibly, his tiredness evident. He was stupid to accept Ryker's offer, he could've just taken a power nap in his trailer instead.

"How much longer?" Ashton finally asked. He tried to look it up on his phone before speaking up, but his battery died on him as soon as opened the maps app.

Just his luck.

"Twenty minutes, give or take," Ryker answered.

"Damnit," Ashton groaned. Twenty more minutes of being stuck with Ryker? As if the twelve hour work day wasn't enough already.

"Don't worry, the torture will be over and you will be in your comfortable little bed with silk sheets soon," Ryker said.

"Not soon enough," Ashton muttered. Ryker said nothing, his expression blank, though there was a tinge of hurt there that Ashton did not seem to notice. "God, when will these fucking cars move?"

"It's called a traffic jam," Ryker spoke. "It's when cars stop or move very slowly."

"Oh wow, thank you so much dude," Ashton retorted sarcastically. "I had no idea!"

"You don't always have to respond with sass, you know?"

Ashton wanted to laugh at Ryker's audacity to say that when he was the one that started it. All Ashton wanted to know was when he would get home.