Pure Pain, Excruciating Love

Chapter 16

"Please, please, please, please," Anna pleaded, "tell me it's true." 

Her eyes were big. Her cheeks were pink from the heat of the sun. Aaron slumped down beside her, trying to hide his smile.

"What're you talking about?" Ashton asked.

I knew what she was going on about. Almost all the school by now knows that Ashton and I are in a relationship. We succeeded in avoiding our group of friends when we arrived a few minutes before the bell for our class went off. But, we couldn't avoid them forever. Which is why right now, during lunch break, Anna is pressing for answers as hope glimmers in her eyes.

"You know what you idiot," she exclaimed at her brother. "Are you going out with my best friend?" She asked, arms crossing over her chest.

Ashton and I looked at one another, and he smiled. He hasn't stopped doing that since yesterday when he dropped me off at home, kissed me good bye, and headed off to work with that same happy smile on his face. Ashton placed his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him as he grinned mischievously.

"It's true baby sister," Ashton confessed.

For assertiveness, he placed a sweet, delicate kiss on my cheek, making me blush profusely. Anna's eyes widened. Her cheeks became redder, she was about to explode. 

"Oh my gosh," she squealed, catching some of the students' attention. "Finally," she clapped her hands like a little child.

"Congrats you two," Aaron smiled at us, choosing to be civil rather than giddy and childish like his girlfriend.

"Thanks," Ashton grinned to Aaron.

"This is so cool. Except for the part that you're my best friend and he's my idiot of a brother," Anna added.

"Shut up, squirrel," Ashton retorted to his sister, throwing the straw on his tray at her. 

Anna, being her childish self, stuck her tongue out to her brother.

Kayla and Chace sat at our table, hand in hand. "What's up?" Chace asked looking around us all.

"Ashton and Sam are finally a couple," Anna gushed with an extremely wide grin.

"No way," Kayla gasped, her eyes wide as she looked from Anna to me. 

I shrugged with an uneasy smile while Anna nodded her head away.

"That's amazing. Finally," she exclaimed.

"Took you long enough man," Chace snorted.

"Wait, when did this happen?" Kayla wondered.

And that's where I tensed. Will they be upset that we've been keeping it a secret for a week or so? Do I tell them the truth? Looking at Ashton, I knew we had to be sincere.

"Well, um...around a few weeks ago?" I replied, as it came out as a question.

"You kept it for a few weeks?" Anna gaped at us.

"Well, yeah. We just thought it'd be best to keep it private for a while so you know, Eric or Sandy won't cause us trouble," I explained.

"Oh," Anna nodded.

"Well screw that. You two are perfect together," Kayla grinned, and Anna soon followed with her nod.

With a sigh of relief, I sat back in my chair, leaning against Ashton as I was content that our friends had no problem with the decision we've made.

"Ashton Weston, I swear to God, if you hurt her in any way I'll kill you in ways you would not want to know about," Anna looked deadly at her brother, sounding strict and feisty.