Picture Perfect

Chapter 30

The first thing I notice when I wake up is the smell. It's like pine needles. I peel open my eyes to see a familiar mess of red hair. Elise stands before me, back facing me, spraying a small bottle around my room.

"What are you doing?" I croak, voice still heavy with sleep. She whips around startled but ultimately smiles.

"Morning. I didn't meant to wake you."

"Well you are in a room so..." I didn't mean to be rude but hey she ruined the most precious thing to me, sleep.

"Sorry, I originally came to wake you up because you were sleeping too long and and I wanted to get a start on the day. But when I got here I sensed so much stressful energy so I'm spraying eucalyptus."

"Ecu-what?"

"Eucalyptus. It's a destresser." Elise explains sitting on the edge of my bed.

"Uh huh. So what are you doing here?" I ask sitting up.

"Well I had so much fun with you that one time and when your father had to go to Ireland for his movie I was like hey, why don't I go visit Ashley." I can't help but smile. To be honest I have missed Elise. Her overall spontaneous and free-spirited energy has been lacking in my life.

"So what do you have planned?"

"It's a surprise!" She says popping up from the bed. "Get ready and meet me downstairs." She gives me a firm nod and leaves my room. I smile as I get out of the covers and go into the bathroom to take a shower. As I wash myself I think back to the night before with Drew's family.

Kora was fun and Darbi, well Darbi was interesting. I still don't understand why their mom looked so weak and needed help getting up. Maybe she's sick.

I can't help but blush when the memory of waking up on Drew's chest comes to mind. I wonder how long I was there. I wonder why he didn't move me.

After I've dried off I change into a lavender t-shirt and white scarf with washed jean capris. Once I finish French braiding my hair I meet Elise downstairs by the front door.

"Ready?" She asks grabbing a large bag off the floor.

"Yeah. What's with the bag?"

"Oh nothing." Elise answers mysteriously. We go outside to a yellow Jeep Wrangler parked on the street.

"Nice truck." I tease.

"Thanks!" I can't help but love Elises spunk. Bright red glasses, bright yellow truck, there's no limits. I hop into the passenger seat as Elise puts her mystery bag in the trunk. Once in the driver's seat, Elise puts the car in drive and gets onto the main road.

"So where are we going?" I ask. Elise makes a zipping her lip motion over her lips. Not getting any answers out of her I pull out my phone and answer a text from Quinn. Elise looks over at me and smirks.

"Texting your boyfriend?"

"What?" I look up confused. "I don't have a boyfriend."

"Well I saw that guy with you on the Internet and I just assumed." Elise trails off.

"Drew?" I ask biting back my laughter. "Elise, since you're dating my dad you should know the media rarely holds the truth." Unless you know for a fact it's true. I think to myself.

"Right, I should have known. So what were you doing with him?"

"We're working a project." I say mindlessly twisting my hair around my finger.

"Oh."

"How's your book coming along?" I ask.

"Great. I'm almost through one chapter." I let out a laugh.