Trouble

Chapter 7

Juliana's POV
It's been about two weeks since Ashton and I went to the tree house. I've wanted to go back, but I just don't have the courage to ask him. That was one of the best days of my life, and I can still feel his warm caress. He hasn't said much about it, and yeah that makes me a little nervous but that's just how Ashton is. I've figured that out, and I figured it out fast.
Tutoring hasn't ended though, that still goes as planned every day. Sure dad isn't too happy about it but who gives a shit? Definitely not me that's for damn sure. The quote Ashton permanently tattooed onto me keeps running through my head. It really has me confused because he hasn't really told me how he feels.
"Juliana are you even listening?" Taylor snaps her fingers.
"What? No sorry, I was lost in my own head." I come back into reality.
"Obviously, I was asking you about homecoming."
"Homecoming? I'm not going." I shrug and her mouth drops to the floor.
"Oh god here we go." Calum rolls his eyes.
"NOT GOING? ARE YOU INSANE? YOU HAVE TO GO! YOU HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS!" She's yelling.
"Why?"
"Because it's fun, that's why."
"Sorry I don't dance so I probably won't go."
"Babe drop it." Luke kisses the top of her head.
"You are going, and no you don't have a choice." She says biting into her apple.
"Ok Taylor whatever you have to tell yourself to sleep at night." I say making everyone laugh but Michael. He looked a little uncomfortable and was looking everywhere but at me.
"Michael are you alright?" I ask making him jump a little.
"Uh yeah, but can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure what's up?" I ask.
"Alone." He motions to the empty hall.
"Um ok? I'll see you guys later." I grab my bag.
"Oooooooooo Mikey's got a crush! Mikey's got a crush!" Calum sings.
"Shut up Calum before I shove your bass down your throat." That shut him up in a heartbeat
Oh no, I really hope Michael doesn't like me. He's become such a great friend of mine, and I don't know what I'd do if he tells me he likes me. We get into the hallway and he looks around.
"What's the matter with you?" I ask.
"How long have you been hooking up with Irwin?" He blurts and I feel my mouth fly open.
"How do you know about that?"
"Answer my question fist."
"Four weeks, your turn."
"Well as you know I'm failing history, and Mr. Johnson told me I could do a report on any important event in American history. I decided to do it on Pearl Harbour, and I needed a book from the history shelves in the library. So I decided yesterday to just go and get the book to get it over with. Well I found you and Ashton there and you guys were definitely not reading any books." He finishes in a rush.
"You haven't told anyone have you?"
"No, I wanted to talk to you about it."
"Michael please you can't tell anyone. If this got out Ashton might never talk to me again." I'm begging him.
"I'm not going to tell anyone Juliana, but I want you to be careful. Ashton is trouble with a capital 'T'. He hurts girls and I don't want you to be one of them."
"Thanks Mikey, but I really think he likes me." I beam.
"Oh and why is that?" He isn't convinced.
"Because of this." I lift my shirt to show off my tattoo.
"Wow impressive, just please be careful."
"I will, thank you for caring." I hug him.
"You're welcome. I have to go talk to Johnson so I'll catch you later." He walks off down the hall and I can hear Ashton's voice so I follow it. I decide to turn the corner at the end of the hall closest to the other cafeteria exit, and I see him kissing that Gabbe girl.
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Ashton's POV
I saw Juliana leave with that kid Michael and it kind of bothered me. I waited a good five minutes before I went after them.
"Where you going sugar?" Gabbe pops her gum.
"I'm not going anywhere that concerns you Gabbe."
"You're going after that freshman, aren't you?"
"No why would I be?" I'm trying to keep calm.
"Oh come on Ashton I see the way you watch her. I've seen it before, you're either fucking her or thinking about it."
"Shut up Gabbe, you think you know me but you don't." I've stopped walking at this point.
"Oh but I do know you sugar. I know you better than you think."
"You listen to me bitch, and listen long and hard. I don't want you, I never wanted you, and I'm done with the bullshit." I end up pushing her against the lockers.
"You never wanted me? Ashton we both know that's an outright lie. You used to beg for me, actually this looks some what familiar."
"Gabbe seriously I just want you to leave me alone." I give up not wanting to fight with her any longer because she was right.
"Not gonna happen sugar." And she was kissing me.
I hear a gasp.
Shit please don't be who I think it is. I look up and sure enough there's Juliana standing in the mouth of the hallway tears in her eyes.
"Oops." Gabbe shrugs and Juliana bolts in the opposite direction.
"Juliana wait!" I call after her.
"You don't want to go after her."
"Bullshit! get your hands off me and leave me alone!"
"Fine go after her, I'll get you back." I'm now running after Juliana.
"Juliana! Juliana! Come on let me explain!"
"What is there to explain?" I hear from behind me.
"A lot actually."
"You kissed your ex what more is there to explain? I obviously mean nothing to you, Michael was right." She's still crying.
"First she kissed me, she means nothing to me. Juliana don't listen to Michael he's wrong, I like you. I think I like you a lot more than I should, you mean the world to me." I take her hands.
"If I mean so much to you why are we a secret? And don't give me that reputation bullshit ok?"
"Because I like the little bubble we have. We have this private little world where no one can bother us about who we are as people and we don't care what's wrong and what's right." I lie to her because it is an image thing.
"Ok I'll take that for now." She buys it. "Let's go to class." She says walking towards biology.