Hating You to Love Me

20. Alex

"Thankyou so much, I won't be able to see her in pain. I'd be waiting outside." I excused myself. But before I left I did notice how David tucked her hair behind her ear and held her hand as he instructed her to breath deeply. He liked her, and both of them knew it. He had come across as an ungrateful bastard at first but he was also the one who had carried her throughout her pregnancy. At least more than her boyfriend did.

I felt bitter and sweet at the same time. I walked off to the reception and did all the formalities. All I knew  was, when I had returned, Elena was in pain and I was outside waiting anxiously. My eyes shot up when I heard nothing for a few seconds.  And then the door opened. The doctor and the team walked off. I couldn't even  recognise them, their faces were so well covered in their masks 

A couple minutes later, David appeared outside and smiled. "It's a girl." He had tears in his eyes. I plunged forward, pulling him in a hug. I don't know who was crying but he stayed like that for a whole minute. He pulled away and I smiled wider than ever. "If you want to marry her, don't ask twice." I said  out of sheer happiness and he laughed.

"Not until she is ready to accept that she loves me. Doesn't matter right now, just go and see that cute little version of her." He replied and I nodded my head patting his shoulder. 
As soon as I walked inside, I saw Elena holding the tiny life in her hands. I brought my phone out clicking as many pictures as possible.

I ran to her side kissing her on top of the head. The little life snuggled up against her. I felt tears roll down my eyes. I had never felt so full and so empty at the same time. Because I noticed Elena's smile. She looked down at the baby, "I lost my best friend, but now I have another one." She  kissed the baby on the head.

I sighed. "I am grateful Ashley didn't let you abort this baby."  I muttered under my breath for us to hear.
"I'd let you name her." Elena said, as she turned to look at me.

"You know the name I love the most." I shrugged.

"Say it." She smiled again. "I'd love you to name her that, because I'd never let this new friend go."

"She is Ashley." I muttered. "And I love her more than anything in this world." I said and another tear slipped from my eye.

"Hi Ashley, I missed you." Elena whispered and kissed Ashley once more.

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"Ashley is back, finally!" Grandma announced as I diced the tomatoes. I lifted my head up and saw Ashley stand right next to me with her hair tied up neatly in a bun. She looked at me once before she looked away quickly.

"What work did you do?" I asked her, still looking at her. "Nothing just preparing for lectures." She said as she quickly walked inside the kitchen accompanying grandma to prepare Taco-shells. Her voice was lower than it was in the morning. Something was definitely off. Getting caught up in the moment, grandma started guiding us to prepare the table for us. She put everything in placement, telling me and Ashley to do our assigned chores. But the only problem was Ashley, even when asking me something, she wouldn't look at me. Fuck, did I do something?

Grandma started setting up the table meanwhile Ashley was roasting the crushed peanuts for herself because apparently she liked the crunch in her tacos. I walked by her side as I grabbed her elbow pulling her around. "Ashley what's wrong?" I asked her and she looked up for a brief second. "Nothing is, I am just busy in helping. I know you can see it."

"No, you are definitely not telling me something." I follow her steps around the counter and when she doesn't reply, I pull her towards me. I didn't care if grandma noticed.

"Say it Peach." Her nose brushed my chest. She stood their breathing in and out calmly. Her eyes fluttered. "It's um.. about.."

Rachel cleared her throat. "Come on love birds, do this later." She said with a smile. I noticed Elena smirk at me as she took a seat.

"We are definitely having a talk after dinner." I warned Ashley in a mere whisper before we both walked back to what we were doing before we all settled down on the table.

Elena clapped her hands. "So Ash is asleep early, she was tired from all the kid activities. Let's have some fine whiskey tonight." She brought the bottle from under the table like a magic trick and the other two ladies smiled. Ashley had pursed her lips as if holding a smile.

I couldn't stop staring at her again and again, she looked beautiful ignoring my stare; pretending she didn't know I was literally gawking at her. Grandma folded her own taco and took a bite. "Now, everyone you can eat any type of taco you like!!!" She literally made three different fillings and two salads. It was one of my favourite things to have at home, made by her.

I smiled as I started making myself a taco. Ashley was doing the same as Elena and Grandma engaged themselves in a conversation. The whole dinner, Ashley didn't look at me and I noticed how she glared at Elena and grandma when they said something related to "last night" again and again. Wait, were they teasing her about something? My brain was as if hit by a wave of memories.

I remembered everything clearly, from Ashley peppering my face with kisses to her talking about her fantasy to beat me and then revive me and then beat me again. Last night was wild but in a weird way. I smiled to myself because at last I had finally picked the queue. Ashley hadn't had one sip of alcohol. At least she learnt a lesson.
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I stepped out of the closet and my eyes shifted to Ashley instantly. She had changed into her pyjamas and was still working, continuously tapping the keys. "Ashley, what did Grandma tell you about last night?" I asked her casually. I got inside the covers, next to her.

She paused before she looked up. "Nothing much." She bit her lower lip. She was nervous. I can't have her behave awkward like that.

"You did nothing wild trust me. You were literally blacked out until you woke up. I even had to change that tight dress of yours." I stared at her, propping my head on my hand, taking support of my elbow on the bedpost.

She blushed and then nodded her head. "Thank god. They said I kissed your whole face, screaming you to fuck me." She didn't look up while she complained. Her head shook side to side as if she couldn't stop imagining it. I smiled.

"The last part is totally untrue yet. I was wondering if it was true, you wouldn't have been able to walk out of this bed for thick minute." I knew what I was doing. And I wasn't lying. My body stiffened at the thought of making her unable to focus, to beg me to rail her down.

She turned her head away, closing her laptop and placing it aside. "Well that day is still nowhere closer to the reality. Good night." She removed her specs and swiftly slipped inside the covers. I mimicked her actions.

We were laying next to each other just staring. She closed her eyes after a while and I couldn't help but curse under my breath because I wanted to pull her closer but I didn't want to act desperate. I turned my back to her, hoping I wouldn't think of her but all I was thinking of was her but a few minutes later I felt her hands around my waist and her face buried in my back. A smile was there on my lips. "Good night, Peach."