after you left |ai|

11

"Hey redhead" the familiar voice said when I pulled away his hands. Ashton and Jackie looked at me confused before I got up and jumped in the boy's arms. "Missed me much?" He asked laughing and I laughed too softly.

"Always Ben" I said happily before looking at him and messing up his perfectly gelled hair. I was the only one in the family that got the red hair gene from our dad, our mom being a natural redhead. I was the unlucky one and have been reminded of that ever since the day I was born. I do love my red hair but it's an easy way to make fun of someone.

"So introduce me to your friends, I haven't met these two yet." He said with a grin and I nodded with a small smile before suddenly the conversation of earlier hit me again.

"This are Jackie and Ashton, who clearly isn't a natural redhead." I said as I looked at him with a smile and Ben laughed softly. "This is Ben, my least favourite brother."

"I'm her favourite, she just refuses to admit that." He said with a proud smile before waving at my two friends. "I'm going to say hi to mom and Amber, Chris should be here in a bit as I saw him trying to find a parking spot. Bethany and the kids joined him this weekend."

"Perfect, I'll see you later." I said and he looked at me shortly before going to the counter to find the others. Jackie handed me back my phone and they both sat there awkwardly. "It's family weekend" I said softly.

"You looked so much happier once you knew he was here." Ashton noted and I looked at him, he kept his eyes on me too and I could finally see how the darkness in him had changed. It was still so present but the anger in it was slowly fading.

"My family is my everything. They always have been and I don't get to see my brothers often enough to my liking." I explained softly and he smiled. "So why did you hide the whole 'Ashton is in a famous band' thing?"

"Because everywhere I go and try to make friends here in LA, I get seen as Sam's sister. People only talk to me about her and already think they know me before ever speaking to me and I was so sick of it. But then I met you and you asked for my name, you didn't know who I was so I finally had a fresh start. I finally met someone who didn't have any assumptions about me or only talked to me to get close to them or the people I get to work with now. And then you met Ashton and still didn't know so I made sure he wouldn't tell you." She said and I nodded with a small smile.

"Even if I knew, I wouldn't have treated you any differently than I did now. I don't care at all about how many followers you have or that you play sold out shows." I said as I looked at them and Jackie looked so relieved. "Although it is incredible that you play sold out shows. I listened to some songs this week and you're good."

"Thank you. Next time we have a show you should come." He said with a grin, "I know the drummer so I might get you backstage."

I laughed softly, forgetting about everything for just a few minutes. It was nice to spend time with them because they could drag me away from the darkness and maybe one day even be able to pull me out.

"That's another brother of mine so it's family time now. But I'll be back at my place on monday so we can go out then."

"You go out on school nights?" Ashton asked with a raised eyebrow

"Yeah ofcourse, I just don't get drunk." I said with a smile and he chuckled softly.

"We'll see you on monday." He said while I got up and I looked at the stroller for a second before looking back at them.

"You know what? Dinner at mine on monday. 7-8pm, you don't have to bring anything but your beautiful daughter is more than welcome. That way you don't have to find a babysitter." I said and he smiled brightly, his darkness got taken over by happiness for several seconds. "Just text me if there is anything you don't eat." I walked away from them and picked up my niece that ran over to me happily. The second I was holding her she started giggling and hugged me tightly.

— Ashton's POV —

Both Jackie and I watched while Elle walked away from us and picked up the young girl in her arms with ease. The girl couldn't be any older than 2 and smiled so brightly at the sight of Elle and couldn't stop giggling once she picked her up. It made me happy seeing her that way, it was so different than the dark girl I've gotten to know so far.

"It's okay to move on one day." Jackie whispered and I looked at her but she was looking at the cup in her hands. "It has been 10 months, it's okay to let someone new in and get to know someone. Nobody will ever be able to replace Sam because she was one of a kind but it's okay to let someone in."

"I know but it's not that easy." I replied softly and she looked at me before we both looked at Elle. She ruffled the hair of the boy while she let out a laugh that sounded so honest I almost felt jealous. She greeted her brother before they all looked at the door and another couple walked in, this guy a little younger but he looked the most like Elle. "Do you see it too?"

"See what?" Jackie asked me confused

"Every time I look at her I'm reminded of Sam. But she looks nothing like her."

"It's the sadness Sam had when you first met, the way she is around kids and the golden heart. They're nothing like each other but still so alike." Jackie said and I nodded.

I'm not ready to let someone new in my life but somehow Elle doesn't feel like someone new. She feels like someone I used to know.

And after spending so much time being mad at her and hating her for that, I was ready to let her in bit by bit. But it wasn't going to be easy on either of us, I knew that already.