Tomorrow Never Dies

Chapter 65 - "I love you, my squish"

The Chinese food arrived, and as Michael got up to answer the door, I phoned Ashton.

"Hi," he answered almost immediately. "You're out." He sounded tired, or just upset. Maybe both.

"Yeah, I am. Do you want to come over?"

"Yes please."

"Come straight in when you arrive. Love you." He hung up, and Mike and I cuddled while we ate and waited for him.

"I've missed this," Michael said, and I grinned, loving the feeling of his head pressed against mine. I took a bite of chicken fried rice, then turned to kiss him gently.

"I've missed you too." I switched on the TV, scrolling through channels to find something to watch, and Ashton walked in. I went straight over to him and hugged him tightly. "Hi."

"Hi, Flora." There were deep bags under his eyes, and his eyes looked absent. I pulled him towards the bedroom, indicating to Michael not to follow us, and I sat Ashton down on the bed. I gently rolled up his sleeves and inspected his wrists. He didn't complain as my eyes scanned over the thin scars lining his arm, and I gasped, wishing for them to go away.

"Ash," I said softly, pressing my head against his. "You know how dangerous that is."

"I know, but I love her." He pulled his sleeves back down, not making eye contact with me. "I wanted to propose to her."

"You shouldn't have hurt yourself though." I held him softly, the way he always did when I was in a bad place, with his head in my lap and me holding his hand as an act of reassurance. "I'm going to talk to Grace in a bit, you two need to work this out. I kmow you don't have to forgive her, or get back together, but I can't have you hurting yourself again because of her." He nodded, sitting up slowly.

"Thank you Flora." He hugged me close, and I sighed into his shoulder.

"Love you, Ash."

"Love you too." We went back through to Michael, Ash sat next to him, and I went for the door.

"I'm going back to Grace's," I told Michael, and after watching him nod, I left, driving the all too familiar route. I hammered on her apartment door, the same place I'd been in just hours before, waiting for her to open up. She did, and she went to close the door again. "Don't," I warned her, and she opened it a crack.

"What?"

"Ashton's cutting again." Her mouth fell open, and her hand flew to her hair. She always fiddled with her hair when she got worried. "He wanted to ask you to marry him. And you slept with your trash abusive ex boyfriend."

"Fuck," she whispered. "Why did I do it, Flora?" Her eyes glistened with tears.

"I don't know," I sighed, coming into her flat. We sat on the couch, not next to each other, but opposite. "I don't know why you did what you did, but you need to talk to him, and explain that you're sorry, and pray to God that he forgives you, because losing Ashton will be the worst thing that's ever happened to you." She nodded. "Come here." She came to sit next to me, leaning into my side. I cuddled her, pulling a blanket over the two of us. We sat quietly for a while before I spoke again. "He's at mine and Michael's place now if you want to see him?"

"Yeah. I'll drive myself." I nodded.

"See you there." I left, driving home much more carefully through the dark, and once I arrived Michael bounded up to me like an excitable puppy and laid a kiss on my lips. "You okay?"

"Fantastic," he grinned, then I saw the shot glasses on the side. I rolled my eyes, guiding him to the couch, and located Ashton.

"She's on her way over, she seems sincerely sorry." Ash nodded, and I hugged him one more time. I went and sat next to Michael, kissing him occasionally, and when Grace walked in I pointed her to the bedroom where Ashton was waiting. She went through, and almost instantly there was passionate shouting leaking through the doors. I couldn't make out the words, but Ashton sounded despairing while Grace seemed desparate to earn his trust again. The shouts trailed off, but they remained in the bedroom, presumably talking in a more civilised manner. Bored of waiting for them to come out, I straddled Michael's lap lazily and kissed him more roughly, smirking when I felt his hands all over me. I could taste the alcohol on his breath but it made me more eager to kiss him, and I started tugging on his lip with my teeth, his low moans like music to my ears. His hand crept up my shirt, and suddenly there was a disgusted cry from the bedroom door.

"My poor baby eyes! I'm too innocent for this!" Grace laughed, rolling her eyes. I peeled myself off Michael, standing opposite Grace and Ashton. They were both smiling, and I grinned in return.

"Sorted?"

"Sorted," Ashton agreed. "We're giving it another go. No sleeping with exes, no drastic measures." I nodded, proud of my best friends for sorting their relationship out. Ash walked towards Michael while Grace came for me, giving me a massive bear hug.

"I really did miss you while I was in rehab," I told her.

"I missed you too," she admitted, and I smiled at her.

"I'm back, and better than ever." We kept smiling at each other, and suddenly she burst into song.

"Smile for me, and I'll take your picture, make it last a lifetime, replay it in my eyes." I laughed and kissed her nose, the way we always did, pulling her into a close embrace.

"I'm glad we're not fighting and everything is sorted out."

"Me too," she beamed, lunging for my Chinese, which sat tepid on the coffee table.

"No!" I cried, trying to defend the chicken fried rice, but it was too late. She'd snatched it and was eating all the big bits of chicken that I was really looking forward to. I pouted, turning my back, and she appeared over my shoulder, offering me a smaller piece of chicken as a peace offering. I chuckled and took it, grateful to have my best friend back in my life after weeks in rehab with very limited contact. It made me realise how much I missed having her as my roommate, being stuck with her every night. "I love you, wifey."

"I love you too my squish."

*****
i am happy and also MAJORLY STRESSED MATHS AS LEVEL IN TWO DAYS NO THANK U @AQA KEEP IT
anyway i really quite like this boy how exciting

song of the chapter: honest by kodaline