Just Knowing You

Chapter 45: Genevieve

Did Eloise tell him what happened?

"Listen, okay I know Eloise might've told you how much of a problem child I've been but—" Ashton cuts me off suddenly.

"Eloise, isn't the most sound of mind lately. I'm concerned for her, and for mom and dad lately. They just... don't know how to cope with all the things they face during their lives and I can't blame them for that, but I'm coming home because you need someone to stay with you or else one of them will, and I haven't seen my baby sis in a while." He says with a chuckle at his last words and my heart warms at the thought of someone in my family finally caring about me.

"Asht-Ashton, I dunno what to say... thank you for... caring." Tears fill in my waterline as I process what his words actually mean in the long run.

"You shouldn't need to thank me for caring about you Genevieve, it's what family does and I want you to know that I won't be like Eloise or mom, I'll give you your space and respect your decisions. Even if those decisions include spending time with a boy."

I laugh at his obvious discontent with the fact that I'm dating someone and my thoughts stray to the fact that he's not actually forbidding me from seeing him. He's just making a joke.

"You also, get to meet my fiancé... Kassandra."

"You're getting married?" I ask with surprise. I knew he had a girlfriend for a while but I hadn't known they were so serious.

"Yep," he chuckles through the phone, "she's amazing, I think you'll really like her. We won't be flying in until next week, and Eloise is gonna be leaving tomorrow. She got an early flight. Paid extra for such a sudden ride. You gonna be okay there alone for a couple days?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine, I've stayed home alone before y'know." I respond with an eye roll.

"Yeah, whatever, smart ass." He pauses before saying, "love you, stupid, and I'll see you later."

"Bye," I laugh, "love you too, idiot."

After we hang up, I'm left with a smile on my face at the fact that it felt like it was old times when we were talking; it felt like he never left for college and we'd spend our Sunday nights going to a greasy fast food place and talked about the high school stuff Eloise never bothered to inform me of.

I remember talking to him about drinking, and parties, and getting good grades because you never know what accesses will be blocked because you didn't feel like caring for a little while. Although he talked to me about good grades and lectured me sometimes about how it was important, he never pressured me the way mom and Eloise did.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts at another ping from my phone.

Bad B's ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

From Vic to me, S, and Naomi <3

You won't BELIEVE what Trevor did yesterday >:(

From S to me, Vic, and Naomi <3

WHAT?!

From Vic to me, S, and Naomi <3

He fr just ditched me for a party and stopped responding to my texts