after you left |ai|

35

I was sitting on the steps infront of my apartment building while I waited for Ashton's car to pull up. I had planned everything for today and he had promised not to ask any questions. People that walked by sometimes looked twice at me but I didn't care. I was excited for what I had planned.

About 10minutes after I sat down on the steps, I saw his car park across the street and I waved him over when he was waiting for me to come. I put my sunglasses ontop of my head and got on my feet before he reached me.

"Is there a reason why you let me come here instead of just coming to the car?" He asked and I looked at him with a grin. "No questions, I know but I was just wondering."

"Did you leave your jacket in your car?" I asked and he nodded, "then go get it, make sure your car is parked like it should so we can go." I added with a grin and he raised his eyebrow before doing as I told. He crossed the street again and got his bag from the backseat before locking his car and running back to me. I reached for the two keys in my pocket and handed him one before walking to the side of the apartment building to the garage with bikes.

"Wait, did you plan to go by bike?" He asked and I laughed softly. "Elle I haven't ridden a bike in years."

"Yeah because you're rich and don't have to worry about gas prices. Tonight we're doing it my way." I said and he smiled while he looked down at me. I had given him the key to my dad's bike that I had picked up at their house earlier. "I just want to show you that you don't need an expensive dinner for date night."

"I look forward to seeing what you came up with. But please don't make fun of me when I don't remember how to ride a bike."

"I will try my hardest." I replied and we both chuckled before getting the bikes out and I closed the small garage again. I got on first and waited for him to remember how to get on a bike. I looked at him with a wide smile while he laughed at himself but he got on and waited for me to go. He managed to start easily and soon enough we were riding beside each other on the side of the road. "It's about 10-15 minutes. Maybe 20 at your pace." I said while I looked at him.

"You are already making fun of me." He said and I laughed while nodding.

"It's just too easy." I replied and we both smiled so widely while he followed my directions.

It did indeed take us 20 minutes like I expected but it was worth it once we arrived.

"So you took me to a cliff as a date?" He asked curiously but I glared at him and he remembered the no questions rule.

"Just be quiet." I said to him and he nodded before locking his bike beside mine. I watched him and waited to hold out my hand for him until he was done. He gladly accepted the offer and took my hand in his before we started walking to the edge of the cliff. "Don't say a word and just try to catch your breath again." I said and he nodded while he kept looking at me, I looked back at him with the smallest smile before looking ahead of me.

I couldn't hear the cars anymore from the very alive city, the lights of the streets were far behind us and the last light was the sun, nearly touching the water, almost disappearing.

I closed my eyes for a minute and focused on the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks beneath us. I let the smile on my face fade while I took it all in. All of nature's most beautiful things together at one place. I opened my eyes again and looked up at Ashton, who had closed his eyes too, a small tear in the corner of his left eye while he took it in too. I squeezed his hand softly and he opened his eyes to look at me. More than one tear had formed while he kept his eyes shut and he didn't try to smile at me, he let go off my hand and put his arm around my shoulder before kissing the side of my head. He looked ahead of him again and I put my arm around his waist. I let the side of my head rest against his shoulder and watched the ocean and the sun meet infront of me.