"I think you need to give Ashton a chance." Mali said, her voice lowered. The kitchen was silent, all the boys probably straining their ears to hear any conversation that passed between the two girls. Holly stood up straighter, surprise shooting through her body. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Why should I?" She rebuked, crossing her arms across her chest. Quieter, Holly continues, "It's not like he likes me."
Mali shakes her head, a wistful smile on her face. Ruffling her hand through her long hair she has a small chuckle to herself before replying.
"Babe, you didn't hear him a couple weeks ago when I met up with him at a cafe. He wouldn't stop talking about you, it was refreshing to see." She says, placing a hand lightly on Holly's shoulder, "He was so enamoured by you and I thought it was adorable how smitten he was on you. He's been alone for so long, and I feared that he would never find someone."
"Why do you care so much about him?"
"I practically watched the kid grow up. He's like my little brother and I have been lucky enough to see him find his place in this world. When I lived in Australia I only ever saw him as a shy kid who only ever really seemed himself when playing the guitar. He was close with his brothers, and the rest of his family for that matter. It was really hard for him to just pick everything up and move over here with my brother, Luke, and Mike."
Holly smiled at Mali's small rambling. She could only imagine what Ashton had been like growing up. She was slightly jealous of Mali. She had seen him grow up, she had watched him become the person he was today and she would always have that over Holly. And that bugged her. They would always have that special connecting Holly wouldn't.
It was probably better that she played it off how much she liked him. Safer in the long run. This was she couldn't be hurt, she wouldn't ever be hurt again, she would make sure of that.
"I don't like him so it doesn't even matter." Holly denied with a small shake of her head. The braid that she had managed to put in her hair flicked across the back of her neck, tickling the skin there.
Mali clearly didn't believe a word Holly had said. "There is no point denying it, babe, it's obvious. You should just see your face every time he talks to you, touches you or so much as mentions your name in passing. Your face lights up, and I can tell you straight up that he likes you just as much, if not more, than you like him."
"I don't want him to hurt me." Holly whispers, her eyes pricking slightly at the small confession. Mali's brow furrowed and sympathy washed her features. Stepping forward she slowly pulls Holly into her arms, hugging her softly.
The sudden turn in this conversation was giving Holly whiplash. She was trying so hard to dislike Mali, but her bubbly personality and compassion was hard to resist. She was like the older, girl version of Calum.
"He won't leave you." Mali whispered back reassuringly, rubbing small circles on her back. Holly presses herself tighter against her, relishing in the sudden comfort she felt around Mali. She missed this.
"He will hurt me, everyone does. Everyone I love either ends up dead or leaving me. I don't understand." Holly mumbled.
"He won't leave you, I can promise you that."
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YOU ARE READING
Dimples → a.i
Fanfiction→ Something about him was different. He was like a breath of fresh air into her life. She hadn't breathed anything quite like it in a very, very long time. ← Mature Language and Themes → Completed ←
