leave him // a.i {au}

16

flashback

Ashton was getting tired of going on double dates. It wasn't that he disliked Calum and Leila, it was more that he had no power over what they did. Ashton and Stevie's six month anniversary was coming up and he wanted to do something special for her.

"Mate, you've gotta plan this by yourself. I can't help you all the time," Luke explained. He was getting frustrated with Ashton always asking for advice on what to do with his relationship.

"I don't know what to do though!" He groaned, laying his head down on the lunch table. "Is going to her favorite restaurant alright? It's all I can think of." Ashton was still slumping, getting frustrated at coming up with a date idea. He liked it more when he and Stevie spent time at one of their houses and watched movies for hours, laying in each other's arms.

"Probably," Luke shrugged. He didn't really care what Ashton and Stevie did for their six month anniversary. He wanted to tell his friend that he didn't care, but couldn't find the right time. What Luke really wanted was to find himself his own girlfriend so that he had something to talk about for once.

"I think I'll do that and then get something nice for her, like a necklace," Ashton declared. "Wanna go with me to pick it out?"

"Honestly? No, I don't," Luke shook his head with disgust.

"Whatever mate. Stevie's got gymnastics practice tonight, so do you wanna come over to play video games?"

"Yeah," he nodded, just as the bell rang signaling the end of lunch.

***

The next day after school, Ashton walked to the jewelry store in town. It was small and locally owned, so he hoped to find something that wasn't too expensive. He didn't make much money working at the coffee shop, but he had been saving for a month or so.

"Can I help you?" a lady with graying hair asked as he walked through the door. The store was deserted except for the lady working and now him.

"Yeah," he started. "It's my six month anniversary with my girlfriend and I wanted to get her something. I'm not too great at this kind of thing," he nervously chuckled.

"Oh! No problem dear," she smiled, showing a crooked smile. "I think we can find something that will melt her heart." She rushed around the store, pulling out a few options to show Ashton. She laid them on the counter in front of him so that he could look through them.

After a few moments of examination, Ashton pointed to a silver necklace with a heart and bar. "I think I like that one. How long does it take to get engraved?"

"About two days," the lady nodded. "I think she'll love that one."

"Ok, I'll take it." Ashton finished giving her his information so it could be engraved.

***

A week later, the weekend of Stevie and Ashton's anniversary, he picked her up at her house before they walked to the train. It was a short ride to her favorite restaurant in the next town over. It was a small chinese restaurant that she had discovered a few years back.

"I'm so excited!" Stevie said when the train pulled to a stop and Ashton told her this was where they were getting off. She knew straight away where they were going.

Ashton laughed, glad to see her happy. "I hope this is ok. I wasn't sure what we should do," he explained.

"This is perfect. I would be happy to do anything as long as I was with you," she smiled, lacing her fingers with his and a slight blush forming on her cheeks.

After ordering their food, Ashton pulled out the rectangular black box that he had picked up the week before from the jewelry store. "I hope you like it. As you've probably figured out, I'm not the greatest at the romantic stuff."

She slowly opened the box, a gasp escaping her lips as her eyes laid on the necklace. "It's gorgeous, Ash. I love it," she smiled looking up at him. "Will you help me put it on?"

Ashton hesitantly got up and walked behind her. Stevie held her dark hair out of the way as he struggled with the clasp. "These things are so difficult," he complained, earning a giggle from Stevie. He finally clasped the necklace, Stevie turning around to show him. "It looks great," he grinned.

"My present for you doesn't live up to this," she sighed, pulling it out of her purse as Ashton took his seat. She handed him a box with green wrapping paper covering it. Ashton tore it open, not caring that he was making a mess. Inside was a photo album. Stevie had filled it about halfway with all of the pictures they had taken together. "I thought that you could keep adding pictures to it as we took more," she told him shyly.

"I love this," he reassured her, since he could tell she didn't think it was that great. "I like this one," he laughed, showing her one from the school dance where he was staring down at her as she was laughing.

"That's my favorite," she smiled.

Stevie and Ashton took their time as they walked back to the train station after they finished their meal.

"I still can't believe this. Six months," Ashton mused.

"What do you mean?"

"I just never expected you to even give me the time of day. Now, we've been together for six months."

"Why would you think that?" Stevie asked seriously. She never understood why Ashton always thought that she was too good for him.

He shrugged. "I guess because you're this genius gymnastics star and I'm just a loser nerd."

"But you're my loser nerd," Stevie said, stopping to wrap her arms around him. She looked up into his hazel eyes. Ashton grinned and showed his dimples, before leaning down to give her a lingering kiss.

"Good," he confirmed before they continued their walk to the train station.

hello. sorry for the wait, but i'm done with school for a month and a half so updates should be more often. please vote and comment (:

two things:

i've started a collab story with some of my friends: wildest dreams by @5sauced1d (check out their stories as well: @horanstrong , @cliffordMichael_ , and @5secondsof_E3 )

I also started a new harry story called a look back and i would love it so much if you all checked it out. right now, it's coming soon but i'm going to be starting to update it soon.