"I'm sorry, you did what?" Ash asked in complete shock. I wished she was in person so I could see her face. I facetimed her. She answered immediately and I may have started laughing at the look on her face. "Easton Hunter Quincy," she chastised me.
I stopped laughing at the mention of my full name. "Ashtyn Danielle Briggs," I mimicked her.
She groaned in frustration. She doesn't like her middle name. "So what did he do? What's your punishment?"
I scoffed. "Punishment? My punishment was listening to him yell and complain and then they sent us to our rooms. Wanna come over?"
"Come over?" She questioned. "You're in trouble, I can't come over. Besides, didn't you see enough of me this morning?"
I smirked. "I don't know about that but you surely saw enough of me," I winked.
She groaned again. "Shut up, that was horrifying," she whined.
I couldn't help but laugh at her. "It was a joke, Ash. But seriously, come over. We can watch a movie and you can probably steal another hoodie or something because I know you like that."
"I never said I liked it. I spilled something last time and you gave me your flannel."
"Put on your shoes and get over here."
"Okay bye," she said playfully and hung up the phone.
It took about ten minutes for Ash to get here. Demi answered the door and I met her there.
"Who the hell is that?" Nick bellowed. "You're grounded you little shit you can't have people over."
"Try me, asshole," I flipped him off and led Ash to my room.
She turned to me immediately and smacked my arm. I instinctively pulled away and rubbed it.
"Ow," I pouted.
"Oh boo hoo. You told me you weren't in trouble," She said.
I shrugged. "Technically he never said I was grounded. Besides, he can't ground me anyway. He's not the boss of me."
"Okay grumpy pants calm down, let's watch a movie like you promised me," She flopped on my bed. I followed her with the remote in hand. I gave it to her to choose a movie. I laid down next to her. After she picked the movie, we got more comfortable.
It started to get late after one movie but we watched another one. My arm ended up around her waist. Ash's head fell on my shoulder but I knew she wasn't asleep. I looked over at her and our lips were centimeters apart. A weird part of me wanted to kiss her just to see what her lips felt like on mine. She leaned in slightly as her eyes fell closed.
"Ash," I whispered.
Her eyes opened again. "Hmm," she hummed softly.
"Can you stay the night?" I asked her.
"East," she started to protest. She tried to move but I held her close.
"Please Ash, stay," I begged her. I don't know what made me want her to stay so bad. Probably the same thing that made me want to kiss her. I want her close to me and I don't want her warmth to leave.
She ran a hand through my hair. "Okay, East, I'll stay."
With that being said, I stood up and grabbed something in my dresser. I tossed them at her. It was a shirt and some shorts that were too small for me. I think they were Ethan's old ones.
She went and changed and we got back in my bed. Yes, there were several other options for rooms in this house, but I'd rather have her stay with me.
She turned to face me. "Goodnight Easton," she said softly and placed a kiss on my forehead.
"Goodnight Ashtyn," I whispered and fell asleep with her scent filling my nose.
Was it a dumbass decision to ask her to stay? Probably. Nothing was going to happen. I just didn't want her to leave.
A pair of hands raked through my hair as I woke up. I kept my eyes closed as they laced through again. It felt good on my scalp. Everything seemed peaceful and natural. I didn't want to get out of bed.
Wait. Bed?
I opened my eyes to find Ash wrapped tightly in my arms and her hand caresssing my head. She retracted her hand once she saw me awake, but I didn't let her go. Not yet.
"Don't stop, it feels good," I complained and closed my eyes again.
"Wake up, sleepyhead, Demi called us for breakfast almost twenty minutes ago," Ash said, looking down at me.
I groaned but reluctantly let go. I got out of bed. I was shirtless, while Ashtyn still had my clothes on. I threw on a random shirt.
"Should I change?" Ash asked me.
I shook my head. I would bet a thousand dollars that it was only Demi. Ethan would still be sleeping and I doubt Nick and Viki are still here.
"You know, you're quite the cuddler, right?" Ash had a teasing smile on her face.
"You little-" I cut off and chased her. She squealed and ran out of my room. We ran downstairs as I chased her squealing. I caught up to her right int front of the kitchen. I picked her up by the waist and spun her around.
"Good morning, you two. Breakfast is ready," Demi said with a knowing smile. I shut her down with a stiff shake of my head. There was nothing going on with me and Ash. We were just friends that's it.
We sat and ate breakfast together. Ethan hadn't come out of his room yet. I doubt he would by the time Demi is done with breakfast. Demi started cleaning up and she took our plates.
"Oh crap," I heard Ash say from beside me.
I quickly turned my head to face her. "What?" I asked. I hope I didn't get her in trouble again.
She sighed and typed away at her phone, not answering my question. I waited for her to finish before she looked at me. "Mason is worried about me. I guess he thought I stayed at Ally's last night and he went there this morning to tell me something and I wasn't there. I forgot to tell him that I left Ally's to come here and I ended up staying the night," She rushed out worriedly.
"Well go home, it's okay. I'm sorry. I didn't know you were Ally's last night."
"Oh its fine. I went to eat dinner, but I couldn't stay over," She said. "But I do have to get home before I get in trouble. I will see you tomorrow at school. Bye Demi, thank you for breakfast." She hugged me.
"Of course, It is my job afterall," she smiled and waved Ash off as she left the house.
It took me a second to realize Demi's smirk and stare. "What?" I asked.
"You like her," Demi stated. She wasn't even trying to be smooth or questioning. She stated it like it was a fact rather than opinion.
I shook my head. "No I don't. She's my best friend, Demi."
If she was my best friend, why would I want to kiss her last night?
"No dear, I've seen friendship and that is more than friendship will ever be," she walked away and left me thinking.
Ash was my friend and that was it.
***
"Wassup man," Tyler said as I walked into school the next morning.
"Nothing much. How was Thanksgiving?" I asked him.
He shrugged. "Normal. We all got together and ate. I hung out with Ally a couple times since you all ditched us for Hawaii."
"Bro it's about time you stop being bitter about it," I joked with him. I have been going on this trip for years and Tyler always was jealous and wanted to go with us. He was going to go sophomore year before everything went down and then I hid away and he got really sick.
"Maybe next time you'll take me," he said.
Ashtyn joined up with us in the hall. She hugged Tyler and me. Ethan and Erin were off somewhere and it was just us three. "East, don't let me forget I have your shirt in my car. I forgot I still had it on when I left yesterday."
Tyler stopped in his tracks and looked between us. He stood there looking between the two of us suspiciously. I didn't know why he stopped until I processed exactly what Ash had said.
"Get you mind out of the damn gutter. Nothing happened. She stayed over watching movies the other night, dumbass," I smacked him in the side of the head. I don't think he believed me, but he walked with us anyway.
We dropped him off at his class on our way to Ms. Wells class. "Bye lovebirds," he called as he backed into his classroom.
I rolled my eyes at him and Ash and I walked towards Ms. Well's class.
"Sorry, I didn't really think through what I was saying. I didn't realize how it sounded to other people."
I chuckled at her apology. "Ash, you don't need to apologize."
"What about your reputation if people thought you and I were together. I don't want to ruin anything," She said meekly.
"Ash, I don't give two shits about my reputation. Besides, you couldn't ruin it if you tried," I slung my arm around her shoulder and we made it to Ms. Wells just in time for the bell.
The day continued as normal. No one wanted to be here and everyone hated that Thanksgiving break was over. Finally, lunch came. My muscles were aching for another run. I felt like I haven't ran in awhile, not much these past few days anyway. Demi even noticed. Now my muscles are cramped up waiting for me to stretch them out again.
We all got a text to our group chat from Ally. She wanted everyone to come to her house tonight.
"You guys got this text too?" Tyler came up to us and sat on the other side of Erin.
"Yeah we did, dumbass, we're in the group," Ethan said. Tyler just laughed. Erin smacked him and I kicked his leg under the table.
Tyler stayed for the rest of lunch instead of going back to his table. The bell rang and we all stood up to make our way to our classes.
"I'll meet you guys at Ally's," Tyler said as he walked backwards. He almost ran into a freshman that glared at him.
"Watch out, dumbass," I called after him. "Later," I bid goodbye and he finally turned around and walked normally.
Ash and I took our normal route to Government.
I had to get a run in before I went to Ally's. I would die if I didn't. I took a very long route and loved every second of it. When I started running, everything else washed away. Nothing else seemed to matter.
Once I got back, Ethan had already left to go pick up Erin. I stripped my shirt as I ran up the stairs. I turned in the shower like always and my phone rang. I answered it.
"Hey Quincy," it was Mullins.
"Yeah?" I asked.
Why the hell he was calling me was unknown. I hoped he wasn't calling to start trouble. I don't know how he even got this number.
"I broke up with Megan. We need to talk."
That's what this is about.
"I can't, man, I'm busy," I answered. I didn't want to talk to him about Megan. I didn't want to talk to him at all.
"It doesn't have to be tonight. Just soon, okay? I'll talk to you later, see ya," he said and hung up the phone. I texted Ash that I was showering before I left and hopped in the shower.
I got to Ally's as quickly as I could. I walked in without knocking and her mom greeted me with a hug. She told me they were all in the living room.
I walked that way and I couldn't believe my eyes. I should've seen it coming since I have known Ally and her family a long time. Gone was any trace of thanksgiving in this house. Fall was no longer a thing. Christmas decorations lined the walls and everything inside. It almost looked like Buddy the elf threw up in here, but it wasn't quite that extreme.
"Hey Als, you know that thanksgiving just ended, right?" I teased her. Ash and Ally stood up to give me a hug and I joined everyone else on the couches and chairs.