The Great Escape || a.i. *completed & editing*

1.3

"I was friends with Ashton in high school," he said. "Just wanted to kind of catch up a bit."

"I can go home so you guys can--" I started.

"That won't be necessary," he smiled. "I would like to get to know you too."

"Oh." I felt my cheeks heat. "Okay."

Ashton pulled over another chair and sat with us. "So what have you been doing?"

"Michael's been trying to get me to go to parties with him but I'm not into that," he said. "I've just kind of been sitting at home in the sun or playing video games or something along those lines."

"Sounds fun," Ashton laughed.

"Yeah it's been boring," he said. "I didn't know you found a girl." He looked over at me with a grin on his face.

"Oh, we're not like that," I said. "We're just friends. Nothing more."

"Well she's my best friend," Ashton said. "So that would make things extremely awkward."

"Oh," Calum said. "I didn't realize that. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," I smiled. "My brother teases us all the time."

"He does?" Ashton laughed.

"Yeah," I laughed with him. "Yesterday in the kitchen?"

"Oh yeah," Ashton started laughing really hard. "He's hilarious."

"What happened yesterday in the kitchen?" Calum asked.

"My brother just thinks that Ashton and I are more than friends," I said. "He's overly protective."

"He's a good brother," Calum laughed.

"Yeah," I smiled. "Before Ashton he was my only friend."

"Oh," he said. His smile faded slightly. "I'm sorry."

I shook my head and laughed. "Everyone thought I was snobby and stuck up is all. But I don't want to dwell on that."

"How?" he said, tossing his hands up to exaggerate his gesture. "They don't even know you."

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I have a good friend now." I smiled over at Ashton, who smiled back at me.

"2 good friends," Calum said, nudging me and smiling.

"I just met you," I laughed.

"I'll be your friend!" he said.

"Well I appreciate that," I said, feeling my cheeks blush.

"You seem nice enough," he said. "I would like to get to know you better."

"Don't you two want to catch up?" I laughed.

"We already have," Ashton laughed. "We've shared what we've done. Nothing interesting. And we haven't actually talked a whole lot either."

I sighed. "Fine. But don't make all the conversation about me."

"How could anyone think you're snobby and stuck up?!" Calum said. "She doesn't even want the conversation about her."

I laughed and rolled my eyes.

We spent the next couple hours laughing and talking, getting to know each other better. I learned that Calum was into singing and playing guitar, and was hoping to get into college in the fall but was still sending in applications. He said he had no idea what he wanted to do after that, but believed it would come to him when the time was right.

"I'm hungry," Ashton groaned, standing up. I felt my stomach growl.

"Me too," I said. "What should we do for lunch?"