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

2.7

I sat on my bed and waited for Ashton to text me when his cousin was over. I put on my white shorts and the only other lightweight long sleeved shirt I had, this one was light blue. I was going to have to come up with other ways of hiding my tattoo pretty soon.

I didn't do anything with my hair today. I brushed it and left it down, pretty much too lazy to braid it and didn't have the energy to pull it into a ponytail. I had stayed up way too late last night, sitting in my window and writing, hurting from Ashton. I couldn't seem to piece together how everything between us from the other night could lead to how he reacted yesterday.

Then I realized around one in the morning why he reacted the way he did. He told me he was in love with me and I sat in shock like an idiot instead of telling him how I really feel. That's why he told me he was just tired and emotional.

That's when the tears happened. I was so close to having him, I could have told him that's how I felt too, that I wanted to be with him so badly, and I didn't want us to continue on this way, doing all these things that couples do but then pretending it never happened. It was certainly getting to the point that we needed to either stop or get together, but I don't think either of those were going to happen and we were just going to continue hurting each other.

I was lacking energy, motivation and happiness.

Finally Ashton texted me and said his cousin was here so I stood and walked downstairs, not even bothering to put shoes on before going over to his backyard.

I stopped when I saw him. Literally, my feet decided to stop working and I couldn't move.

His cousin was absolutely stunning. He had blonde hair, blue eyes and a lip piercing that he was messing with between his teeth and talking to Ashton. Ashton looked over at me, then motioned me over and I took a deep breath and started mentally pep talking myself.

"Sarah, this is my cousin Luke," Ashton said. "Luke, this is my best friend, Sarah."

"It's nice to meet you," Luke said, and I smiled in return.

"She doesn't talk much at first, but once you break the ice, she never shuts her mouth," Ashton said, getting a glare from me.

"Then I guess I'll just do most of the talking for now then," he smiled at me. Good, he doesn't seem to think I'm a freak.

"I'll be back out in a few hours," Ashton said. "I have something I need to take care of. Get to know each other." Then he walked inside with no further explanation.

"Do you know what that's about?" Luke asked. I shook my head.

"We should find something to do," he said, walking towards the chairs beside the pool. He sat down on one of them, as did I and he started a conversation.

It didn't seem like Luke was judging me in any way, and he was really nice and damn was he gorgeous.

A couple hours later, Ashton came back outside rubbing his thumbs against his fingertips. When I went to look at them, he shoved his hands in his pockets and stood with us. Something told me he was hiding something from me.

"So has he scared you off yet?" Ashton grinned at me.

"No," I said. "I'm surprised I haven't scared HIM off."

"You will eventually."

"That's encouraging."

"What are friends for?"

Luke was practically on the ground laughing. "You guys are hilarious."

Ashton pulled his hands out of his pockets and I looked at them. His left fingertips were red and had lines on them, but what could that be from?