leave him // a.i {au}

17

present day

"So I've heard you've found yourself a new woman," Marge told Ashton as they worked behind the counter in the coffee shop.

Edith struggled with making a drink and was nodding while Marge spoke. "I've heard that she's gorgeous."

"Can you guys stop gossiping? I'd like to work in peace," Ashton told the ladies. He usually didn't mind their gossip, but lately he'd been more bothered by it. Marge and Edith switched to discussing Ashton's new flame by themselves, causing him to become more annoyed. "You guys know I can hear you right?" The ladies ignored him; Marge going into the back and Edith handing a poorly made drink to a customer.

A few hours later, toward the end of Ashton's shift, Stevie entered the coffee shop along with Aaron. They walked arm in arm and looked like a picture perfect couple, but Ashton knew differently. As he stood behind the cash register, he prepared himself to take their order by breathing deeply and wiping his sweaty palms on the front of his apron.

"Hey, Ash," Stevie smiled before saying her order. Aaron placed his order as well, but before following his fiance to wait for their drinks, he gave Ashton a hard look.

Ashton swallowed the lump in his throat and muttered to Marge and Edith, "I'm taking my break." He rushed to the coffee shop's small one person bathroom and leaned over the sink. He felt himself getting extremely hot and wiped the sweat away that was covering his brow. "Get it together!" he yelled at himself.

***

That night Ashton had received a call from Stevie inviting him and Kaylee to dinner with her and Aaron the following week. He found it hard to say no, so he agreed with barely any hesitation. He picked Kaylee up the next week at her apartment.

"What are you trying to do to me in that dress," Ashton breathed out as she slid into the passenger seat. She was in a black dress with lace sleeves that hit mid thigh.

"Hi to you too," Kaylee laughed, hitting him in the arm.

Ashton and Kaylee had gone on a couple of more dates after going to The 1975 concert including one at a not so fancy restaurant and a few more at the movies. Ashton knew he shouldn't be nervous about going to dinner with her, but having Stevie and Aaron there was making circumstances a bit harder.

"Have you ever been here?" Kaylee asked as Ashton pulled up to the valet. He hoped he would have enough money to even pay the guy on their way out. Stevie had picked one of the fanciest restaurants downtown, saying she had loved it since the first time Aaron took her there.

"Nope, it's a bit out of my price range," he said nervously. He was thankful that Stevie told him they were paying, otherwise he would've had to awkwardly say they couldn't go.

"Mine too," Kaylee whispered in Ashton's ear, causing the small hairs on his neck to stand up. Ashton knew this restaurant was most likely out of Stevie's budget too, so it must be Aaron that has the money.

Ashton and Kaylee noticed Stevie and Aaron sitting not too far away from the hostess stand and walked to the small round table. There was a bottle of wine chilling on the table, Stevie and Aaron's glasses already filled with the deep red liquid.

"You guys must try this," Stevie said, pulling out the expensive drink and pouring some in their glasses. While this was happening, Ashton wondered when Stevie had changed. For as long as he'd known her, Stevie wasn't in to fancy, overpriced things.

Ashton brought the wine glass to his lips and had to force himself not to spit it right in Aaron's face, who happened to be sitting across from him. Ashton wasn't much on wine, the taste making his stomach turn but he thought maybe since it was "high quality" it wouldn't be as bad. He was wrong.

"Great, isn't it?" Stevie smiled at them.

"Mhm," Kaylee nodded and Ashton could tell she was just being polite. "So, when do you start working at the high school again?" she asked.

"Oh, not for a couple more weeks. I've been swamped with meetings though. I never knew teachers would have so much work to do in the summer!"

"What do you do?" Ashton asked Aaron, glaring at him.

"I'm a private defense attorney," he smirked, knowing that he beat Ashton in the work department. "And you? Oh, wait. You took our coffee order the other day."

"Oh, honey stop. Ashton helps his mom take care of his younger siblings," Stevie said, swatting Aaron's arm.

***

Later in the meal, Ashton excused himself to use the restroom. He stood at the urinal, taking care of business, when Aaron appeared next to him. Ashton quickly finished and zipped his black skinny jeans.

"Don't you dare tell her," Aaron spoke in an even tone, staring at the wall in front of him.

"Tell who what?" Ashton asked, playing innocent.

"You know what I'm talking about. Stevie's told me all about how much in love you are with her and I know you're just fooling her by dating her friend. I see right through you," Aaron spoke through his teeth now, his voice laced with anger.

Ashton shrugged. "You can't stop me," he said and exited the bathroom, deciding that he needed to tell Stevie about Aaron before she made the mistake of marrying him.

this sucks so bad, i'm sorry. every time i tried to write either wattpad was doing maintenance or my mom made me go to the store for her.

anyway, please vote and comment (: xx zoe