For the rest of the weekend, I couldn't stop thinking about Ashton's apology. The way he said with complete and utter honesty took my breath away. It seemed that he had changed so much since I first met him, and something in me wanted to believe that, but a bigger something was still wary. He was still the one who had 'rejected' and bullied me. He was still the one who didn't care when he hurt me. Ashton was still the jerk who had done all those things to me.
But he was also the one that apologized multiple times. He was the one who did our entire project in one night. Ashton is still the one to catch my gaze and keep it. He's still the one who, somehow, causes tingles to erupt on my skin whenever we touch. I didn't know what to think of Ashton.
I sigh and run my hand through my hair as I stand in front of the mirror. Monday morning was not the best time to have all these thoughts running through my head, pulling me one way, then pulling me the opposite way.
I walk over to my nightstand to retrieve my phone, when I notice a flash of blue outside my window. Carefully moving the curtain, I peek outside to see what it is. The same blue car that was there last week, has shown up again. It's sitting in the exact same place, doing the exact same thing, which is nothing. It's just sitting there.
In my memory, I try to remember specifics about the car at Josh's house, trying to remember the details that I could use to prove that it's the same car. Since I'm not an expert in cars, all I can really pin point is that it has the same color and is the same type of car.
I carefully try to put the curtain back where it was slowly, so it looks like to whoever's in the car that the curtain never moved in the first place. I walk quickly out of my room and head downstairs.
"The car's back." I say immediately when I see my mom.
"Evie," she sighs, "it's nothing I'm sure. Just the neighbors or something."
My dad suddenly seems curious, "What car?"
Mom sighs again, "It's nothing. Evie's just being paranoid about a neighbor's car." She gives me a pointed look that says to drop it.
Instead, I decide to give my side of the story, "Last week, that car was just sitting there and mom and I were leaving. Then once we left, it followed us all the way to school."
"Well, who got out of the car when you got to school?" My dad now seemed more concerned.
I pause, "Well, no one. The car kept on going."
The concerned look on my dad's face vanishes, "Evie, I'm sure it's fine, like your mother said."
I groan and turn away, knowing I'm not going to get anywhere with them. Maybe I am going crazy.
"Ready to go?" Mom asks me as I walk to the fridge. I feel like something juicy so I grab an apple for breakfast.
"Yep." I say quickly so I can start eating my apple.
"Alright. I'll be in the car." She responds as she walks to the garage door. Faintly, I hear a beep from the car and I know she just unlocked it. Mom walks out to the car, opens the garage, and open the door and start the car.
"Bye dad." I say between bites of apple. I grab my backpack, which is by the door, and slip on my gym shoes.
"Bye sweetie." He calls as I open the door to the garage.
The blue car hasn't moved. I eye it warily as I get into our car. I shut the door and mom immediately takes off to school. Just like before, as soon as the blue car is almost out of eyesight in the mirror, it starts following us at a lengthy distance. I look at my mom and see that she doesn't seem worried. I sigh and again watch the blue car in the side view mirror.
We reach school and the blue car speeds up and passes the school like it did before. I get out of our car as soon as my mom stops the car, say a quick 'good bye' and head into the school.
Entering the school I see someone who I didn't expect to see.
"Katherine!"
She turns towards me and her face breaks out into a smile, "Evie!"
I start walking quicker over to her. Once I get to her, Katherine holds her arms out and I give her a small hug.
"How are you feeling?" I ask her as we break away from our small hug.
"So much better." Katherine says exasperated, but with a happy smile.
I notice that we only have a few minutes before class starts, "I'll see you in communications." I turn around and start walking to class
"See you." Katherine yells at my back.
I walk to history with a smile on my face, glad that Katherine is back. I won't have to go through gym alone. I smile wider at the thought of not being alone in gym. I reach class and unsurprisingly, Ashton is already sitting at our table. As soon as I enter the classroom, Ashton's head shoots up and immediately spots me. He gives me a sweet smile and I find it hard to keep my face neutral as I walk to our table.
"Hi Evie." Ashton breathes as I sit down. Small shivers run through my body.
"Hey." I respond quietly, trying to keep my face and body neutral.
"How was your weekend?" He asks, still with the same breathy quality in his voice.
"Fine." I squeak. I feel blood rushing to my cheeks and I turn my head so Ashton doesn't see me blush. It feels so embarrassing to squeak. I hear him chuckle quietly and I know he saw me blush.
Students start coming in and I realize that class is about to start in a minute. I watch as Mr. Holland comes in holding his satchel and walks to his desk. The bell rings a few seconds later.
"Alright class, let's get started." Mr. Holland starts his lecture.
I groan softly, knowing that this is going to be a long and boring lecture. Reluctantly, I get my notebook out of my backpack, grab a pencil, and open to a blank page. Mr. Holland starts his lecture and his PowerPoint. The first slide pops up and I start scribbling in the notes that are on the slide.
Suddenly, hot breath fans my ear, "Boring, isn't it?"
My hand stops writing at his words. Pleasant shivers overtake my body, starting from where his breath tickles my ear. Still looking forward at the current slide, and not daring to turn my head to look at Ashton, a warm chuckle fills my ear.
"Keep up, Evie. Don't want you to miss the notes." I feel Ashton's presence right next to me. Glancing down at my paper, I realize he's right. I am starting to get behind. But I can't seem to focus with Ashton so close to me and with shivers continuing to run through my body.
I take a deep breath, look up at the notes now on screen, and start writing them down slowly, concentrating very hard on each letter instead of someone else. Slowly, I start to catch up on the notes.
"Did you get the notes from the last slide?" Warm breath tickles my ear again.
I take a short breath, "Yes."
"Can I see them please?" Ashton asks me softly.
I nod my head and turn my paper towards Ashton for him to check his notes. My hand stays on my paper, and before I can move it, Ashton's hand covers it. The first thing I notice is how warm his hand is. I peak a glance at Ashton and am surprised to see that he's staring at me. I quickly avert my eyes as I feel my cheeks heat up. I hear a pencil moving swiftly across paper and I know he's copying the notes.
"Thanks." He whispers as he moves his hand from mine.
"No problem." I mumble as I move my paper back in front of me. I look up at the notes and start writing again. A couple minutes later, I am once again distracted by the warm breath tickling my ear.
"I was wondering, "Ashton pauses as if he wants the suspense to build, "if you wanted to possibly do something with me, like a date or something?"
I blanch, my note taking completely stopping. I sharply turn my head to face Ashton and scan his face to see if I can find any hint of humor that might prove that this is a prank. All I can find is sincerity.
"What-" I start, but then stop and try and rearrange my thoughts, "why are you asking?"
He shrugs and pauses, probably thinking of what he's going to say next, "I just want to find a way to apologize."
Distrust suddenly rises within me, "Apologize for what?"
Ashton winces and glances away from me, only for a moment, then again returns his gaze to mine, "The project."
I had already caught on, "Nothing else?" I ask rhetorically.
He winces again and breaks eye contact but this time it stays broken, "No, not just for the project."
"I thought not." I say haughtily as I turn my head back to the front and start writing once again.
A couple seconds later, "Evie, please, let me explain-"
"Mr. Carter, would you like to share what you were saying to Ms. Cross with the class since you thought it would be so important to say during my lecture?" Mr. Holland asks, sounding extremely irritated.
My cheeks heat up as the entire class turns to look at Ashton and I. Glancing down at my paper as a distraction, I see that I am once again falling behind in notes.
"I was just asking Evie if I could see the end of the notes from the last slide." The lie rolls smoothly off Ashton's tongue.
Mr. Holland glances at me briefly and I give him a quick nod, agreeing with what Ashton said. He looks at Ashton again before speaking, "Alright. Don't interrupt class again." Mr. Holland returns to his lecture.
I return to taking notes from Mr. Holland's lecture. Glancing at the clock every few minutes, I realize that I can't make time move faster by looking at it. Fortunately, it does move and soon enough, there's only a few minutes left of class. Unfortunately, however, Mr. Holland's lecture never wavered and is still going on.
"So, would you like to do something?" Ashton's whispers in my ear.
"Why would want to do something?" I ask haughtily, still distrustful.
Ashton sighs, "Please Evie, just a chance." I turn my head and look at him. I almost break at the hopefulness in his expression.
I open my mouth to agree to this chance, but then catch myself. I sigh as I glance back down at my notes. Warmth covers my hand and I look to see Ashton's hand once again covering mine. He gives my hand small squeeze and I look at him.
"Like what?" I ask him, already knowing that I'm going to agree no matter what.
His expression breaks out into a smile, "Whatever you like."
A/N: Hi everyone, quick couple of things: 1) I'm so sorry for the wait. The story is changing, if you don't notice, and I'm having a hard time moving the story along to make it go where I want it to. I keep getting stuck in writers block, which sucks. So, thanks guys for not complaining. 2) I don't tolerate bullying at all. I have seen some of it in the comments and I don't tolerate it. So, please, don't do it. Anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying the story and how it's moving along. Also, if you guys have seen the quotes I have on my profile page, I would like some more. So if you guys have a movie or character that you love, please inbox me or leave it the comments and I'll try to get a quote from that movie or character. Thanks everyone!