Hopelessly Devoted

Chapter 42

I saw some crayons and a couple sheets of paper left on a counter that I grabbed for Jake. We sat down at the table and I tried not to listen in on the conversation happening in the other room as I observed him.

"Watcha drawing?" I asked him, trying to decipher the scribbles forming on the paper. My eyes scanned over his face, taking in how absolutely adorable he is.

"You," he replied happily. I let out a chuckle

"I'm honored," I responded, earning a small giggle from him.

"This is your hair, and this is your head," he began to list. My hair was casually separated from my head, but who was I to judge.

"Wow- that's so good!" I said. His face lit up and he thanked me as I took a sip of water.

"Are you and Ashton going to get married?" Jake looked up at me. I almost did a full-blown spit take at the question.

"What do you mean?" I chuckled.

"Well, isn't it that when two people love each other they get married?" He asked innocently, not understanding what I wasn't getting. I raised an eyebrow at him and smiled.

"Yes, that's true.. love is a very strong word though, and some people might take longer to say it than others," I explained, referring to his brother.

"Ashton said it about you though," he replied. I felt my face flush when he said that, and I felt myself at a loss for words.

"He what?" I asked, in need of clarification.

"I was asking about you and he told me he loved you," he responded casually as he continued drawing.

I felt my throat knotting up and my stomach twisting and turning. Ashton loves me?? I couldn't stop the smile from spreading on my slightly confusion face. My breath hitched as I thought about it again.

I reached over to ruffle his hair and he giggled, pausing his drawing for a second to react. Just then, Ashton and Layla entered the kitchen.

I could tell they had both been crying, but it seems that everything had been resolved- as they both wore slight smiles on their faces.

When I laid my eyes on Ashton, my heart beat sped up exponentially. This boy loved me? I couldn't exactly wrap my head around it, but in that moment I felt the most vibrant, golden feeling shine through me.. warming my soul from the inside out like a flower of light glowing through me.

"What's that?" He asked Jake as he leaned down on the table next to him.

"Crystal," his little voice chimed out. Hessofuckingcuteohmygod.

I kept having to repeat to myself in my head that I was too young for children.

"It looks just like her," he said, looking up and me with a mischievous grin. I let out a light laugh.

"Very funny," I commented.

We all talked for a while. Like, hours. When it eventually was dark outside, I felt like that was my queue to leave. After all, they hadn't seen each other in god knows how long.. they were more than well due for some alone time together.

I gave Jake and Layla both hugs and said goodnight before Ashton and I walked out the door. I had a feeling I'd be seeing a lot more of them both from now on.

When we got in his car, he looked over at me and looked almost.. sheepish? I had never seen him look even remotely nervous before.

"So, what do you say?" He asked. I stared back at him, not knowing what the hell he was talking about. He seemed to notice this and added, "wanna go out with me, like officially I mean."