Rejected At First Sight

Chapter Twenty Five

"Evie, what's wrong?" Ashton's asks as he gets out of the car. He takes one look at my expression, probably a mixture of distress and confusion, and rushes over to my side.

"What's wrong?" Ashton's repeats, though this time his voice is hard with concern. His arms circle around me without my consent. I look up to see him looking around us suspiciously, as if he thinks someone is watching us.

My sense comes rushing back at me, "You."

Ashton pauses and looks at me curiously, "Me?"

I shift my body and shrug his arms off of me and take a step, my suspicion reignites, "It's you. You've been the one who's been sitting outside my house for the past couple of weeks, even this morning. You're the one who's been stalking me! In this car!" I ground out, my anger appearing again, being fueled by my distrust.

Ashton pauses and looks guilty and I know I've caught him. I turn around to head back in the house, furious at myself for even agreeing to go on this thing, when a hand catches my wrist and tugs me back. I land in Ashton's chest and his arms once again go around me. This time, however, I start struggling to get out immediately.

Ashton chuckles, "You have it all wrong Evie."

I can tell he's lying, but decide to play along for a second, "So that isn't you every morning?" Disbelief is clear in my voice.

He chuckles again, "No, that is me. But I'm not stalking you. My friend lives there and I started picking him up each morning."

My disbelief wavers, but I can still see flaws in his excuse, "I've never seen anyone come out of that house."

"He's already in the car when I see you leave."

"You always leave after me."

"Coincidence."

"You always pass the school."

"I'm picking up another friend."

I hesitate, realizing that he has an answer to every accusation. I feel a smile spread onto Ashton's face and I know that he knows that he won. I scowl in annoyance.

"You don't have to hug me every time you see me." I say gruffly as I shrug off his arms again. A smirk forms on Ashton's face, but he doesn't say anything. Instead, he opens the passenger side door and I get into the car.

Ashton walks around the car with a smile on his face, and though he doesn't see me, I scowl at him in annoyance. Why the hell did I even agree to go on this thing? The door opens and Ashton slides in the drivers seat.

"What are you scowling?" Ashton asks me as he starts driving.

"Why the hell did I even agree to go on this thing?" I answer his question with a question of my own. I meant for it to be rhetorical, but Ashton answered anyway.

"Because you wanted to."

"Try again."

"Because you wanted to give 'us' a try."

"Try again."

Ashton sighs, "Because I wouldn't have left you alone until you agreed to go out with me."

"Finally the truth." I exclaim sarcastically.

Ashton gives me a sideways glance and a very dry laugh, but he doesn't respond. I don't make any move to start conversation again so silence falls over the us. Surprisingly, it's more comfortable silence than awkward silence. I glance at Ashton quickly and am surprised to see that he looks frustrated at something. I mentally shrug and again look out the window.