"I have to go."
"But I'm not asleep yet," he mumbled out, squinting his eyes to see me in the dark.
"I can't stay here the entire night Ash," I said, flinging my leg on the other side of the open window, shivering from the cold air. I was halfway...
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Ashton's pupils were dilated and his chest rose and fell heavily while he tried to catch his breath, all the while maintaining eye contact with me and ignoring the guy beside him. He walked to the corner of the makeshift ring and picked up his shirt, slinging it over his shoulder and walking straight ahead.
Right to where I was standing.
"Fuck,fuck,fuck..." I pushed and shoved through the throng of people standing behind me, desperate to get away from Ashton. I didn't even look back until I was out of the dark building, only to find him leaning against the door, a couple meters away from me.
Of course.
"Hey," I smiled, awkwardly taking small steps to get away from him.
"What the fuck are you doing here?"
"Um, hanging out?"
"You wouldn't be caught dead here."
True.
"A party's a party, mate. Honestly, the location makes –"
"You hate parties."
"Don't act like you know stuff about me, Mr. I-beat-people-up-for-money," My disgust slightly slipped through, which caused him to become closed off, again.
My phone vibrated, saving me from whatever rude remark he was going to throw my way.
"Where are you?" Emily screamed, trying to be heard over the loud bass playing in the background.
I had no intention to get back to the party but Ashton didn't seem to like me being there.
And I'd do whatever it takes to spite him.
"I went to get some fresh air, I'm coming."
I pocketed my phone before crossing him and walking down the stairs, stopping right at the door and finally acknowledging him again, "Aren't you gonna come?"
****
The floor seemed to vibrate under my feet as I leaned against one of the walls, talking to same guy who seemed to be running the show around here.
"I'm Mason," he smirked, switching his beer to his left hand before extending the right towards me.
"Alex."
"What are you doing here? This doesn't seem like your scene."
Yeah, no shit.
"I'm here with Drew and his girlfriend," I said, smiling and placing a hand on his prominent bicep when I saw Ashton glaring holes into Mason's head.
Mason glanced at my hand before leaning a tad bit closer and smirking.
"Drew's a –"
"Okay, we're going home," Ashton interrupted, pulling my arm away from Mason and dragging me all the way outside.
I pretended to struggle a bit but honestly, I was just glad to be out of there. All the smoke was going to make me suffocate and die. You'd think I was exaggerating, but no. You couldn't see 20 meters without smoke blurring your vision.
He pushed me on his deathtrap before strapping the helmet on my head and climbing in front of me.
"Where's your helmet?"
"You're wearing it," he grumbled before speeding off to what I assumed was my house.
****
"So, what's up?" I attempted to break the familiar silence as he stood below my window while I tried (and failed) to climb up the wall to my room.
Let me tell you, it was a lot harder than they portrayed in the movies.
And I wasn't too keen on getting my leather jacket scraped.
"That's like your millionth time trying," he said, leaning against the wall.
"Seventeenth."
He gave me an exasperated sigh before interlocking his fingers together and placing them in front of me.
"Place your left leg on my hands," he instructed.
I complied and pushed myself up on the ledge that was a few feet below the window. Then, Ashton leaped up using the pipe (I'm guessing this wasn't his first time sneaking into someone's room) before joining and repeated the same steps before I was safely in my room, him following behind me.
He plopped down on my bed, snuggling his face into my pillow.
"Sure, make yourself right at home," I murmured before changing and climbing into bed, shoving him towards the left to create some space for me.
"Ashton, move," I pushed once again, only for him to wrap him left arm around and pull me down, my back pressed against his chest.
"Go to sleep," he whispered, tightening his arm around me and placing his left leg over me, locking me in place.
Every time I tried to move away he would tighten his hold, pressing us closer and nuzzling his face into my back.
And somewhere between the struggling and moving, I fell asleep, listening to his deep calming breaths.
