Life in Color ✔️

Epilouge~ Ashlett

"Don't worry." Gabe assures him. "I won't do anything to drastic and I'll watch out for your girl, free of charge."

Okay, does he not care that I'm standing right here. Also, he seems to be forgetting that I'm the one who usually gets him out of trouble. Last week alone I saved him for getting beat up by some girls angry boyfriend.

I should've let him get beat to a pulp.

It's hard to believe even after graduation I'll be stuck with him for the next four years, Vanderbilt isn't ready for the both of us. Well, three of us if you included Avery.

Zev drags him off of Ashton, "Don't worry, he'll be fine. I'll miss you man."

"I'll miss you too, please know you're in charge of ensuring nothing bad happens." Ashton jokes before they walk away.

Conner and Sam walk up, neither one going to hug him. "Bye, Ashton, we'll miss you."

"Thanks for being like an older brother to us." Conner adds.

They turn to go and Ashton grabs their arms, "What, no hug?"

Before they can say anything he gives them an overly dramatic hug. I laugh at the shocked looks on their faces. They're both going through their too macho phase, they're not even my kids and it's annoying.

Ella steps forward and Ashton hugs her, the two of them surprisingly have become pretty close. I guess they're the two official members of the stuck dating the Rhodes kids club. "Take care."

"You too, Els, try to keep Sage from getting into too much trouble." He tells her.

After she walks into the other room my siblings go to hug him, "Whoa, what do you guys think you're doing?"

"Saying goodbye." The twins answer together, hurt flashing across their face.

"No, I think we have a three hour drive before we get to that." Ashton tells them.

"You want us to come with you?" Silver asks in disbelief.

"I thought only Sage and Scarlett were going." Sterling finishes.

Sage shakes his car keys from behind them, "Where's the fun in that?"

He goes to start the car while the others run to go get their shoes, leaving just Ashton and I alone in the kitchen.

"What made you change your mind?" I ask him.

He shrugs, pulling me into a hug. "They're family, I can't say goodbye to them just yet."

I don't say anything, knowing he needs a moment to collect his thoughts. All those goodbyes at rapid fire definitely took a toll on him. My mind tries to memorize how it feels to be pressed against his chest but all too soon we break apart.

"We should get going." He says, heading for the door.

I follow, silently wishing I could stop time.

*****

Ashton and I don't say much on the drive, one of his hands on the wheel the other over my shoulder. Another thing we've grown accustomed to doing that after today won't be normal.

His parents and Ronnie are in front of us and my family follows behind, a steady line on the road towards our new reality.

Three hours feel like three seconds as his truck comes to a stop, unbuckling our seatbelts I go to get out but he stops me. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Cupping his face, I smile, "Absolutely."

He looks like he wants to challenge me but Sage knocks on the glass, an eager grin on his face. We get out, grabbing bags from the back before walking inside the dorms.