The Great Escape || a.i. *completed & editing*

1.8

Ashton tapped on my window, and I opened it for him to come in. I'd already changed into my pajamas and as soon as he stepped in, his shirt was on the floor and he was making himself right at home on my bed.

He sighed in content. "This is how it's supposed to be. Sneaking out at sunset to hang out and see each other. Neither of us have done this in about a month now."

"3 weeks," I corrected him. "Calum and I haven't been together for a month just yet."

"Close enough," he swatted the air. "Another week and it'll be a month."

"You're quite sassy tonight," I said. "You wouldn't want me to push you out the window would you? Or worse... The stairs."

"If your dad were to find me in your room at this hour without coming in the front door and knowing that you're with Calum, I think we would both be grounded for the rest of our lives."

"That is, until we move out," I said. "Until we live our own lives." The thought of this summer ending, and leaving Ashton, being at home by myself made my chest ache.

"What are you talking about?" he smiled. "We will never live our own lives. I'm going to be interfering with everything you do up until the day I die."

Relief washed over me and I smiled teasingly and said, "And believe me when I say I'm going to do the exact same thing to you."

Ashton laughed and I walked closer to the bed. We've officially been friends and hanging out everyday for a month now, and his laugh still never ceases to make me smile.

"You're perfect," he said, taking my wrists and pulling me towards him.

"No I'm not," I laughed. "No one's perfect."

"Except you," he grinned.

"Well I'm just as perfect as you," I said.

"No," he argued. "Because I'm not perfect."

"Exactly my point," I smiled.

He sighed. "Can you just take a compliment?"

"I take compliments," I said. "But I don't accept lies."

He groaned laid back on the bed, pulling me over him. "I'm trying to compliment you."

"Well it's not complimenting," I said. "I'm not perfect... No one is perfect."

"Fine," he said. "I'll compromise and say that you're the closest to perfect I've ever seen."

"That I can take," I said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he scowled, making me laugh.

"I don't even know where I would be right now if I hadn't met you," I said.

"Same here," he said quietly, moving his hands on my wrists to my hands, tracing patterns on my palms.

"Let me see your wrists," I said, taking one of his hands, and pulling off the bracelets.

"No," he said, pulling them back on.

"Why not?" I asked.

He sighed. "We both already know that you know."

"Ashton, you promised," I said, feeling my chest starting to get as heavy as lead.

"I know," he said. "You just don't understand how hard it is."

"Just let me see them," I said. Slowly, I pulled the remaining bracelets off his wrist to reveal a few new cuts, I'm guessing from within the past few days. I felt my eyes fill with tears.