Staying Grounded [BXB]

Let Loose

SEBASTIAN:

"I mean this in the nicest possible way, Bas," Ashleigh frowns over her magazine at me as I join her in the snug. "But you look like poop on parade." She's quick to straighten from her sprawl across the sofa, making space for me to drop down heavily onto the cushion beside her. "What's up with that?"

"Rather not talk about it," I grouse, flopping back. "Thanks, though."

"Oh, come on! You wouldn't have sought me out if you didn't want a listening ear."

"I didn't seek you out. You just happened to be here."

Her copy of Aesthetica is slapped off my chest and then chucked at the coffee table, missing to land on my feet. "Plenty of other rooms to wallow in."

"You're insufferable, Ash, you know that, right?"

"Sure, and in other news, ice is cold, and razors are sharp. Spill."

Rolling my head to the side, eyes narrowed, it's my turn to frown as I take her in. "You going somewhere?" I ask. Because although she's not precisely looking dressed up, she's definitely made more of an effort than she would for an evening of dossing about the house. "What's occurring?"

"Nice try, but don't change the subject," she smirks. "I have an hour to spare for your woes. Unless...oh, is it farm-related?"

"Yep," I'm quick to lie.

"So no, then. Good."

"It's fine. I'm fine." I sit forward, making to get up again, but Ashleigh's hand whips out and catches hold of my sleeve. And in all honesty, I don't know why I'm bothering to hold out on her. It's not like she's to blame or anything. At least, not fully. "Bree and I broke up. You were right, after all, I guess. We just weren't making sense together."

"Well, duh," she says, tugging me back. "So...?"

"So that's that."

"What happened, though? How'd she take it?"

"Actually, uh, she ditched me." Quoting pretty much word for word what Ashleigh had said to me in the kitchen last week. I'm guessing that's not a coincidence, and the low mood of the past few times she and I have spent together should probably have clued me in if only I'd been paying enough attention. "I think she's been dwelling on it for a while."

"Oh. That's... Yikes!"

"Yep."

Dobby slips into the room, never too far behind me, and he's jumping up on my lap before I'm given a chance to invite him. He presses in close, allowing for a rare cuddle as I wait for Ashleigh to press on. It takes her less than the count of five.

"I'm really sorry, Bas." The smile she flashes is small, but of all the talents blessed upon her, even a fool would unlikely be convinced by any genuine bad feelings she has. Still, I hitch a shoulder and let it drop, mustering a tight smile of my own for her pitiful effort. Another beat of silence follows. Then, "I was going to ask you for a small favour, actually," she says, throwing me utterly off-guard. "A lift into town. But now I have a better idea."

My every instinct warns me that I don't want to know.

It doesn't stop her from telling me. "Desperate For Aces are rehearsing at the Red Bull tonight, and a bunch of us are going over. You should come along."

"I should...?"

"Dig out and dust off your inner fanboy for the night."

"You think...?"

"It'll do you more good than moping," she nods.

I blink at her and shake my head. "This is a joke, right?"

"You used to love watching them play, and you're long overdue some fun."

"Right." My head continues to shake. How Ashleigh can consider that to be a remotely tempting offer is beyond me. "Because spending my post-ditched evening in the company of an old flame who also ditched me is the exact definition of fun. Wow, your compassion is in shockingly short supply, huh?"

"So tact isn't something I excel at," her defence is golden, "we both know this." She settles herself back into the sofa and curls her legs up against mine. "But letting loose a little is what you need, Bastian. Trust me."

I shove her off me. "Hard pass, thanks."

"Yet, you've literally just admitted I'm always right."

"Wildly inaccurate, Ash, and this is literally one of the worst ideas you've had."

"Mildly inaccurate," she retorts. "And Craig might be there too."

Side-checking her, my face must surely now be a picture of utter incredulity. She looks straight back at me, grinning like she's played her ace, and a weird battle of wills then ensues. One I really don't have the energy to take part in.

"Is that supposed to change my mind?"

"Has it?"

"Hardly!" Since when did Craig become the focal point my whole fucking world revolves around?

I refuse to even think about the comments Brianna made about him. I mean, sure, things had gotten a little ugly, and we both said some stuff. But as if she had any cause to consider his name a bullet worth firing at me. Like he had any legitimate part whatsoever to play in our relationship or our breakup.

If nothing else, the perpetual drama Craig seems to bring in his wake is plenty enough reason to steer well clear of wherever he might be tonight. And any likelihood that it won't be here is a bonus so far as I'm concerned.

"Come on, boy," I rouse Dobby with a gentle pat to his butt. "Let's you and me go out for some fun of our own, huh?" My knee is an effective bat, knocking away Ashleigh's swift attempt to arm-block me as I push up to stand. "Walkies."

Apparently, however, she's thought several steps ahead, and she's not ready to give up on me quite yet. "Just make sure you're back by seven, Bas, okay?" Her voice trails me out the door. "I've already sorted it with Judy for you to take me in her car!"