Runaway - Ashton Irwin *completed*

twenty

My alarm clock buzzed in my ears, waking me from my nice dreams. I glared at it, sitting up and turning it off before dragging myself out of bed.

I didn't hear Luke come in at all the night before. Ashton had dropped me off and walked me up and stayed for me to check if Luke was even home yet, which ended in us making out again for a few minutes. This party was crashed when Ashton insisted he needed to get home because he had to work in the morning as well.

I trudged down the hallway, flipping the light on in Luke's room to find an empty bed, still made. Luke obviously never came home the night before.

He was either murdered or went home with some single girl that wanted to get laid as badly as he did. I assumed the second option and decided that if I didn't see him at Starbucks then I'd get concerned.

Although I had a ton of fun with Ashton the night before, I was a little stressed about what we did talk about. I knew I couldn't hide everything from Ashton forever. If he didn't leave because of me hiding things from him then he'd eventually figure it out.

I didn't know why I kept it a secret honestly. I think it was because I was just embarrassed by it, and that mixed in with not wanting to focus on what happened in the past and try to move forward. And maybe I also wanted to protect Ashton from anything that might come along with all the mistakes I made in the past.

It didn't take me long to get ready and I was out the door in no time. I left a note on the table to for Luke to text me if he came home at any point during the day.

"Good morning Taylor!" Niall threw his arm around me in the elevator on the way up to the editing floor.

"Someone's in a good mood," I laughed. "How was your night with Megan last night?"

"It was great!" He smiled. "Luckily she didn't want to watch corny chick flicks and I ran her that bubble bath with rose petals like I told you, and she loved it."

"I knew she would," I smiled back. "Rose petals and hot bubble baths are the way to almost every girls heart."

"I'll keep that in mind." We stepped out of the elevator, my heel catching on the edge and making me lose my balance and fall.

"Whoa, careful there," luckily Niall reached out and caught my arm, steadying me.

"Thanks, I'm such a klutz," I laughed.

"Have a good day, don't fall too much," Niall teased, walking down the hall in the opposite direction.

"Thanks." I rolled my eyes and walked down the hall to my office.

The morning was long, and I was so tired I kept nearly falling asleep. I had to reread the same sentences over and over again. No matter what I did, I couldn't get stay focused.

Giving up, I sighed and decided I needed a break. I called Niall in his office.

"Hey Taylor, long time no speak," he joked.

"Funny," I said. "Listen, I was gonna head up the street to get lunch and was wondering if you wanted to join me."

"Sure! I'll be done in about 10 minutes and I'll meet you in the lobby," he said.

"Okay great." I hung up and decided I could withstand another few minutes of this story before grabbing my jacket and heading down to the lobby.

Niall came out of the next elevator that came down.

"How was your night with Ashton last night?" Niall asked me as we sat and waited for our food.

"It was fun," I said, blushing at the memory of us making out instead of playing the board game. "He made dinner and we played the Game of Life."