The Aristocrat

They call it driving me crazy

Friday 23rd.

I was almost certain that the night I'd taken Asher home was a one off. When I'd left his house I had no intention of ever going back. Not because I hadn't wanted to but because Asher practically breathed trouble. Trouble for me at least. He wasn't like me and my friends, he didn't understand my world and that meant that he was off limits.

I apparently didn't know the meaning of off-limits. If I did I wouldn't be parked outside his house.

I had originally planned on going to see Ivy to check on her after the dead silence I'd received from her after the argument on Thursday night. I'd wanted to make sure she hadn't done anything stupid.

But when I got in the car and replayed in my head everything she'd said me and how mad she was; I knew I needed to give her time to calm down. I asked Brad to drive by her house and noticing no one was home I guessed she'd either gone to see one of her recent flings or Alistair. She always used to run to him when she was angry or upset. I hoped she had tonight, Alistair cared about her a lot and I knew she was in safe hands with him.

Then after I'd gone past hers I asked Brad to keep driving for a little longer, not wanting to go back to the apartment just yet. My mum would have most likely been arriving home from her night out with Rob. Not fancying making polite conversation I had the plan of driving until it was late enough I knew she'd have gone to bed.

It wasn't until ten when Brad asked me where I wanted to go, that I thought of Asher. I wondered where he'd been the past week and if he'd forgotten all about me. I thought about him for a good twenty minutes before I asked Brad if he minded driving me to Cottons town again.

And an hour later I stood in front of his house. Again. Deciding whether or not it was worth it. I didn't know why I was there and I didn't know I couldn't walk away.

Steering myself up the small path and onto the porch, I pressed down on the door bell. I waited a minute and rung it again.

When no one answered I re-evaluated what I was doing, standing at a random boy's door for no reason at all. It seemed stupid, pathetic. I forced myself to take a few steps back and turned to leave for the car, grateful he hadn't opened the door to me.

I'd reached the bottom of the porch when a sound behind me made me halt mid step.

"Hello?" An unfamiliar voice called out into the night, "Can I help you?"

Pivoting on my heels I spun around to face the woman at the door. Ash's mother I was guessing. She looked like him. The same strong features. Except unlike Ash, her hair was a delicate blond, a beautiful colour like Ivy's. She looked around her late thirties and was extremely pretty.

"Sorry," I replied politely, "I didn't mean to wake or disturb you. I shouldn't have hung the bell."

"No it's ok. I wasn't sleeping or busy don't worry yourself," she waved away my qualms and smiled genuinely so I knew she wasn't just lying to spare my feelings, "Is there something you needed?"

Climbing up the small steps again I stumbled for my words. I hadn't planned for this, "I, er... I was just looking for Ash. I'm a ... friend I suppose."

"You suppose?" The woman chuckled lightly, clearly amused by my awkward state.

"Sorry I mean I am," I corrected myself, not wanting to sound like an idiot, "I'm his friend."

Nodding her head, "I'm his mum, Sara. Ash is out right now. He's gone out with a few of his friends and I'm guessing he's going to be a while."

Looking down at her watch, she confirmed that with an apologetic smile, "Yeah, sorry."