The house is empty and quiet, the only sounds are my footsteps as I make my way up to my room.
I wish my mother would come home, I miss her and I want to have a mother daughter day. She arrives home tomorrow, so maybe then.
Recently Luke told me his grandmother would like me to come over, so I change into skinny jeans and a t-shirt, slip on my converse, and head out of the house to go see her.
I jog up to the house next door and knock, I hear some shuffling around before Maria opens the door.
"Oh, Ella! Come on in, dear." Maria greets me, opening the door wider. I take a step inside the house, the temperature is cool and it feels great.
"Thank you, Maria. How have you been?" I ask her as I follow her to a different room, it ends up being the kitchen.
"Take a seat," she suggests, extending a trembling hand to a small table. "I've been okay," she answers my questions, sitting down herself.
"Are you cold?" I ask her, taking notice of how much she's shaking. I sit down and the chair creaks.
"Oh, no. Just getting old." She smiles softly. "How are you?"
"I'm good." I tell her.
"Any special lads at your school?" She winks and I laugh.
I consider telling her about Luke and I, but I decide not to. That is the past, and this is the present.
"Not really," I say. I think of Ashton. "I mean, there's guy. But he's just really confusing, so I don't know."
She smiles. "My Richard was the same. He played games with me for a few years, but I stayed with him because I was so in love. One night he showed up at my door and proposed," she says, her eyes shining.
"I'm sorry about him." I frown.
"Don't be, sweetheart. That boy of yours will realize sooner or later what a catch you are, and if he doesn't, then he isn't the right one."
That lifts my spirit, and I smile at her, nodding. "Thank you Maria."
"I'm going to go lay down, not that I don't love having you here, I'm just a tired old lady." She grins. "Come back soon, okay?"
I nod, standing up. Before I leave the small house, I shout out goodbye, but don't get a response.
-
I have energy built up, and I decide to go for a run.
I quickly change into black yoga pants, a white tank top, and slip on my tennis shoes.
I lock the door on my way out, and as I run on the road I allow my legs to take me wherever, my mind is blurred with thoughts.
I find myself near the trailer park entrance, and I slow down.
Do I go in? I might not even see Ashton, but if I do . . . I feel like someone just released butterflies in my stomach as I think of seeing him.
I go in.
I jog slowly on the dirt road winding around the trailer park, and I wave at the adults and children on the way.
I pass Ashton's trailer, and there he is, sitting on a white lawn chair. Some of his curls are matted to his forehead, but he runs a hand through his hair to fix it. Oh God, he looks so good.
A week ago I would have pushed those thoughts away, but now I just let them roam.
Ashton isn't alone, I realize then. My eyes move over to another boy. He has a buzz cut, dark hair, and I can see his brown eyes from where I'm running.
The other guy notices me first, and he smirks, waving to me. Ashton eyes find me next.
My eyes widen and the next thing I know I'm on the ground, I look back and see a large rock sitting there. Who the hell puts a rock there?
A searing pain hits my knee and I gasp, clutching onto my knee. My pants are ripped, revealing a small cut. It's small, but it's deep.
My hands come up bloody, and I hate blood. My stomach churns and I want to throw up.
"Ella!" Ashton stands up, running over to me. The dark haired boy walks behind him, a beer can in his hand. "Zayn, help me carry her." So his name is Zayn, then.
"No," I argue. "I can walk myself." I reach out for Ashton's shoulders and use them to steady myself as I stand up. I let out a shriek when I take a small step.
"Ella, don't be stubborn. Let me carry you," Ashton says. His hands go under my knees and I wrap my arm around his neck, he picks me up bridal style.
"I can walk," I mutter, but honestly, I don't mind being held by Ashton.
Zayn chuckles behind me, and Ashton tells him to shut up. He does.
The inside of Ashton's trailer is the same as before, except messier. He sets me down on a counter and above me he opens a cupboard. He pulls out a first aid kit and sets it beside me.
"Jesus, Ella," Ashton mumbles as he rolls up my pants, revealing the cut.
It won't stop bleeding, and now droplets of blood are rolling down my leg and splattering onto the floor.
"Oh my God, Ashton. I'm so sorry, let me clean it up." I apologize, and try to move but Ashton holds me down.
"It's fine Ella. I can clean it up later." He assures me. My eyes move around the trailer and I see Zayn sitting in a chair, eyeing me and Ashton.
Ashton grabs gauze from the kit and holds it on the wound. "I have to use pressure," he tells me quietly. I nod.
"Well, bro, it was nice seeing you." Zayn says, standing up from the chair. "I'm going to leave you and your girl." Zayn winks at Ashton. The screen door slams and car starts, telling us Zayn has left.
"I'm sorry about him." Ashton says.
I shrug. "I should be sorry, I'm bleeding all over your floor."
"Ella," he says, looking up at me. "Stop apologizing for something you can't control."
I want to kiss him, so much. But I shouldn't.
After the kiss during hide and seek, I want more of them.
Ashton looks down and removes the gauze. He wraps a bandage around the cut tightly, holding it in place with a clip. "There," he says. "All better."
I smile. "Thank you." I carefully hop down from the counter. "I'll get out of your hair." I tell him.
"Or," he starts. "You could stay?"
-