Julian's POV
I wake up with sweat rolling from my head onto the pillow beneath me. Why is it so hot? I notice the covers on the floor, I must've kicked them off in the middle of the night last. I wipe my sweat with my arm and stand to my feet. I walk to the drawers and pull out some shorts and my best cut off shirt I own, not wanting to wear anything else.
After getting into the shower, I decide it would be for the best if I enjoyed a cold one while I still can. I can tell today is going to be a very hot one. After getting out and putting on my clothes, I walk into the kitchen where I see Ashley's mother.
"Sit down Julian, eat something." Her mom spoke with kindness, but something in her voice was different. Maybe it's just the heat, but something about her voice makes me not want to act out in anyway today.
"It's so... Humid." I speak, it wasn't as hot as I've felt before, but it was enough to be miserable.
"Yeah, welcome to our home. The annual heat wave is here. This is the only time of the year that the students as your school is allowed to break dress code, if of course it is appropriate to wear in public settings." She speaks and I nod my head, feeling relieved I don't have to wear sleeves today.
Ashley walks in with shorts and a thin strap shirt, I've seen her wear things like that before, but something about the way she looks this morning... She's beau-
What am I doing thinking about Ashley like this? Even though my eyes can't help but look when she reaches up to grab a cup from the cupboard, I try to look away.
"Like what you see, weirdo?" She giggles. I can't believe she just said that in front of her mom! I feel my cheeks get hot and let a deep breath go, trying to solve the problem.
"You're blushing!" Ashley smiles, pointing. Ashley's mom's eyes move to me and she notices my pink cheeks and I push a nervous cough out of my system.
"It's just the heat." I speak, trying to make a decent excuse.
"Right..." Her mom speaks, looking at me with a skeptical look, then moving her eyes back to the book she was reading. I'm going to kill Ashley.
We walk out to the truck to leave to school and I could tell by the way Ashley became quiet she was worried about going to school. I mentioned that she should tell her dad about the situation but she refused, I guess she doesn't want to make it any worse, but her father could go to the school and possibly change something. I guess Ashley is just a bit too stubborn to have someone else help her; she wants to do and fix everything herself. Which would be a good quality if it wasn't used the way that Ashley uses it.
"Hey, don't worry Ashley, it'll all be okay." I speak, looking over to see her reaction.
"I'm just really worried about my truck, I don't want something worse to happen." She speaks, her hands grip the steering wheel and then relax.
"You know, you are the only person I know that is more worried about her truck than her own well being." I speak, crossing my arms, watching the road in front of us.
"Look, you paid a ton of money for that truck, it is not okay for anyone to destroy someone's property. It was easier when they were just mean to me. Getting physical never helps, even though I would love to smash Rachel's face in." She speaks and my eyes widen with a bit of surprise. I know that Ashley has a bit of an anger problem, but I have never heard her speak this way.
"Nothing is going to happen to the truck and even if it did. You'll never have to fix it alone." I speak, she gives me a small smile but I can tell that her mind is racing with things that may go wrong today, One thing I know is I am going to have to be alert, if anything were to happen to Ashley I would never forgive myself. Mostly because I feel like I may be part of the problem now. Rachel is crazy and if she thought that Ashley had anything to do with why we broke up, she wouldn't stop until Ashley is the least liked person in high school. Which I don't think the thought ever bothered her, or at least she never acted like it did.
Ashley's POV
I pull into the parking lot and look over to Julian, his eyes are closed, obviously he was more tired than what I thought. I can't help but remember when he was crying and my mind wanders to all the things he must be thinking about. I know that it would help him greatly to talk about what was bothering him but he's way too stubborn to actually talk about his feelings. I can't blame him though, he's never really had any real friendships that I know of.
"Julian." I speak up, trying to get him to wake up as I pull into a parking spot. He didn't move and I looked over to his calm face, I just wish he could stay like this for a while. He deserves the small break.
"Julian." I reach over and grab his muscular, tanned arms and I couldn't help but smirk.
"Julian!" I yell this time, shaking his arm and his eyes open and he smiles once we make eye contact.
"Hey." He smirks.
"Hi," I speak with a smile on my face, "You fell asleep."
"Are you sitting on my lap?" He questions, pushing back my loose hair behind my ear.
"Yes sir." I laugh and open the door, I leap out and he follows. Putting his arm around me while we walked towards the school. I freeze, feeling awkward, yet I try to shake the feeling. Reminding myself that Julian is just a friend. That he couldn't possibly see me in any other light. We walk past Rachel and she glares between the both of us.
"Hey Julian." She greeted.
"Hi." He speaks, shoving his hands in his pocket. I can't help but think that he moved his hands there because he didn't want Rachel to think there was anything happening with us. I start to feel a bit embarrassed, feeling silly for getting all worked up over him putting his arm around me. It was just silly, really.
"I think she was a bit jealous." Julian smirks, I look back at him. Not really knowing what to say. We both walk into the lunchroom where I look for Trina and Max. Not to my surprise, Julian got stopped by all the popular guys in school, they were talking about some party that was last night and how Julian really missed out. I watch as some pretty girls come up to him and start giggling. I roll my eyes and slide into the seat where Trina and Max were and I am greeted by them both giving me a weird look.
"What?" I question and Trina smirks.
"I thought you didn't like him..."
"I don't, we are just friends... Anything more would, just, complicate things." I speak, stumbling over my words, Max chuckles.
"No, we are friends. Something else is going on between you two." Max speaks, folding his arms tightly.
"There is no point in denying it Ashley, we have been your best friends for a long while now. You really think that we cannot spot when you like a guy?" She questions me and I am silent.
"Whatever... So me and Julian luckily got all the paint off of my truck."
"I bet you guys had a cute little water fight, huh?" She asks me and when I stay silent, her eyes widen.
"I knew it! I knew you liked him! You for sure might as well give up now."
"Fine, I like him. Okay? Is that what you want to hear?" They both nodded, smiling.
"Where is he now though?" Max asks and I point over in the direction of his friends.
"He got stolen, by all of his friends." I explain, I see a smile spread across his face when we make eye contact from across the room and I quickly look back to in front of me.
"So, you think you're going to go to prom with him?" Trina asks me, obviously hinting towards Max. Trina always knew how to hint around at a topic.
"Probably not, he doesn't seem like the dance type to be honest." I speak, looking down.
"Oh, yeah? Well if someone ever asks me, you could always tag along!" I smile, looking at Max's reaction.
"Yeah yeah yeah..." Max speaks, shoving some breakfast in his mouth.
💮
Right after lunch I walk into our next class, taking a deep breath in. I was worried about Rachel and her group, they seemed to always be together, gossiping and being mean in this class more than any other one. Mostly because our teacher, Mrs. Anderson always falls asleep and she doesn't take teaching too seriously. I stop before entering the class, trying to prepare myself to look confident when walking into the room, if I looked nervous, Rachel would feed off of it and try to make my life miserable.
"What are we waiting for?" I leap out of my thoughts and turn to see Michael, we used to talk in our art class last year, but after the year was over, so was our short lived friendship.
"You scared me." I put my hand on my chest, chuckling.
"Sorry, I just couldn't help but wonder why you were standing out here by yourself. Is it because of Rachel and them?" He leans back on the other side of the thick doorway and I look over at him, surprised at his guess. Not knowing what to say, he gave me a small smile.
"Hey, you got nothing to worry about, I'll even walk in with you." I take a breath and smile back at him.
"Okay." I remember him in our class last year, but I didn't think he remembered me. He opens the door for me and I thank him, we both walk to the two person tables in the classroom and he pulls out his chair, waiting for me to sit.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" I question him, tossing my bag on the table in front of us.
"What do you mean? You're a cool person Ashley, you shouldn't question why those around you are being kind, you should expect it." He gently bumped my arm and I couldn't help but grin. I wish I would have talked and sat with him earlier in the year.
I can't help but scan the room for something bad to happen. Normally Rachel never really bothers me, but after my truck, I can't help but feel anxious about what is next. I look over at her group and catch them looking at me, they all laugh and I feel myself start to sweat.
"I bet everyone is going to get a date... Except for, Ashley." Rachel speaks nice and loud and I roll my eyes, feeling myself to get angry. They laugh and start whispering, looking back at me.
"You know Rachel, you're lucky I already have two strikes on me..." I speak, glaring over at her.
"What? You think I'm wrong? Who are you going to prom with then, huh?" She speaks, chuckling. I pause, not knowing what to say. The truth is, she may be right, but I don't need a date to be something in this school. I open my mouth to speak, but Michael stops me.
"She is going with me," he puts his arm around me and I stay in silence, "You better start worrying about yourself, because last time I checked. No one is jumping the gun on asking you." He smirks and Rachel looks surprised and embarrassed.
"You really expect me to believe that you asked her?"
"Believe what you want, but you're the one that is going to be alone on prom night." He speaks, leaning back in his chair.
"Whatever." She rolls her eyes and sits down in her seat, looking forward. I chuckle as quiet as I can and look over to Michael.
"So, what dress color are you picking out? I need to know so I can get a tie." He looks up, smiling.
"What do you mean? You never asked me." I smile.
"Well I am now. Ashley, will you please, give me the opportunity to take the best girl in this school to our first and only prom?" He asks and I feel my cheeks get hot. I never thought that this would happen to me. Suddenly, I think of Julian and wish that he would've asked before this. My eyes widened at his question and he squeezes my hand gently.
"I must've just surprised you. How about you take the day and think about it, here is my number," He writes it on the corner of my open notebook and gives me my pen back. I smile, looking at him, a large grin appears on his face and I my smile naturally stays on my face long after he does it. Looking at his blonde, nicely cut hair, butterflies go throughout my stomach, "You call me tonight with your answer." He gets up and I look at him, wondering where he was going.
"What're you doing? We still have another thirty minutes left in class." I question him and he turns and smirks.
"Oh, I am not in this class... I just wanted to sit with you for a while." I blush and he walks past the sleeping teacher.
I cannot believe that just happened...
💮
"Come in." I hear a faint voice and I crack the door, slowly making my way into his room. He looks up at me and grins.
"Hey." I greeted, sitting on his bed, chipping away at the little bit of nail polish left on my nails.
"What is wrong?" He asks and I throw myself back on the bed.
"Well, I got asked to prom... Well kind of..." I speak, throwing my hands in the air.
"Who?" He asks, his voice shifts to a tone I've never really heard before, almost stress?
"His name is Michael, I know him from my art class last year. He actually stuck up for me today." I speak, waiting for his response, but not looking at him. After I only heard silence, I decide to keep talking.
"I mean, he's pretty cute. I just don't know whether to say yes or no. I just want to have a good time and I haven't had the best luck with guys that decide to talk to me, you know?" I question.
"I guess... Are you sure you even want to go with this guy?" He speaks.
"I don't know, that's why I came in here." I speak, so far, Julian isn't being the most helpful that he could be.
"Would you rather go with a guy you hardly know, or a guy that you know well? I mean, you don't know, maybe he only stuck up for you so he could get with you." He speaks and I look up.
"Why in the world would you say something like that?" I question him, getting angry.
"I'm just saying, I noticed that you aren't the most known in the school." He speaks, I glare at him.
"If he didn't want to go with me, he wouldn't have asked." I look down at the floor, feeling worse than ever before.
"It's just, I think someone else may ask you..." I look up, feeling hopelessly confused.
"I doubt it, I mean, even you said I am not the most known in this school." I speak, I watch as he runs his hand over his face.
"I know someone who wants to ask you."
"Who?" I speak, surprised.
"Well, I-I promised I wouldn't tell you." He speaks and I sit next to him, wanting to know who it is more than anything else.
"Julian! Just tell me!" I clap my hands together with excitement. I never even thought I'd be asked by one person, let alone two.
"I'll let you know in a few days." He speaks.
"Why so specific?"
"Because, he is going, or was going to ask you to Prom soon."
"Tell me his first name."
"No, I am not going to tell you." I hear him chuckle and I hit his arm.
"C'mon! Tell me... Their, last name?" I put my hands together to bed him to tell me. I hear him let a large breathe go and I smile, waiting for him to tell me.
"Sado." Hmm, I wonder who it is.
"Thanks!" I smile and pat his hand before leaping up and walking out of the room. Although it's exciting that I may be asked by someone else, I feel like I should just say yes to Michael. He is a kind hearted person and he made me laugh and smile more than I have in a while.
Texting Trina, I leap on my bed and let out a large breath.
Me: Hey, are you free right now? You should come over!
Trina: Omw
Me: Okay :)
I feel a bit guilty for never hanging out with Trina, I've been spending so much time with Julian that I neglected Trina and Max. It's crazy how little I have time for my friends, I mean, I only have two of them. Except for Michael now, he has great potential. Although I am so happy that he talked to me today, I feel a bit weird about the situation, why exactly did he start talking to me so out of the blue. I walk over and turn on my music, waiting patiently for Trina to come.
The door opens and I hear Trina's voice.
"Come in!" I speak and she shrieks when she sees my room.
"This is amazing Ash!"
"I know. Oh! Check this out." I say and climbed the loft, standing on it, we both look at the white carpets and she opens her mouth.
"How much did all of this cost?" She asks and I shrug my shoulders.
"It was my parent's gift to me, so I don't have any idea. But I'm so grateful for it."
"You should be. I wish I could have something like this."
"And you know my new truck?"
"Yeah."
"Did I tell you Julian saved up money to help pay for it?" I question and she shakes her head no.
"I think he likes you." She speaks and I let a chuckle fall from my lips.
"No, no way! Julian and I are friends." I speak, grabbing a pillow and hugging it close.
"Really? Last time I checked friends don't just go buying other friends vehicles. Unless they were filthy rich, but Julian is definitely not rich."
"Whatever. Maybe he just knew how much I wanted it." I speak and she folds her arms across her chest.
"Okay, well it seems like you are trying to convince yourself that more than you're trying to convince me. A guy that doesn't have feelings for you more than likely wouldn't sit for hours on end washing a truck that isn't even theirs."
"Okay, fine! So maybe there is an itsy bit of a chance that he likes me. But it doesn't make any sense. Julian never acted like he wanted to be more than friends with me."
"I didn't say he wanted to be more than friends, Ashley... I said he liked you." She speaks and I stay silent, not really knowing what to say.
"A guy asked me to prom today." I change the subject and she perks up.
"Really? Who?" She questions and I smile.
"Michael, from the art class we took last year." I speak and she nods her head.
"That's so exciting, I didn't know you two talked!"
"We don't, he stuck up for me today when Rachel was being a jerk, like normal... And then he ended up asking me to prom."
"What did you say?"
"He told me I could tell him later and then he gave me his number... But Julian told me today that someone else wants to ask me."
"Woah, look who got popular! Who?"
"I don't know his name... He wouldn't tell me. The only thing Julian said was his last name..."
"And what is that?"
"Sado." I speak and she makes a confused face.
"There aren't too many people in the school and I've never heard the name Sado before and I am even in the yearbook committee."
"You think he was lying?"
"Let's find out." She grabs my laptop from the shelf and opens it, using her login to the yearbook site. Scrolling down the names, she stops at the name she finds and her eyes open wide.
"Dude... It's Julian's last name!"
A/N:
Wowsa! So Ashley and Trina figured it out... Will Julian end up wimping out and not asking her? Will he mess up once again with a chance to tell Ashley how he really feels? Will it all go well? Hmmmmm... I am curious myself. ;)
Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please vote and comment what you think! Thank you guys, love ya!