Calum rounds the corner, a new fake mustache and hat combo on his head. "Am I the sexiest man in the world right now, or what?" He tilts the fedora invitingly at his friend.
Ashton punches him in the arm, throwing his head back as he laughs.
"Yeah, man, David Beckham is shaking in his cleats." Ashton chuckles, squeezing his eyes shut. Calum had tried on two other pairs of mustaches and hats and they were both equally hilarious.
It's a slow day at work, per usual, so the two have resorted to goofing around. Technically, they should be doing something, like returning misplaced items to their rightful place, but they'll get to it in a second.
"Hey, what are you doing tonight?" Calum asks, stripping off his costume and setting it back on the clearance rack.
"Dude, I'd love to hang out, but Mel and I have a date." Ashton can't help but smirk as he says the words. Calum catches on to his pride and simpers with a nod.
"Ah, I get it." He purses his lips, still nodding. "Date night with the girl of your dreams, and all that. Totally beats me kicking your butt on the Xbox all day."
Snickering, Ashton starts walking down the aisle. "Shouldn't you have plans with Darce anyway?" He asks, then turns to make eye contact under his furrowed brows. "Or are you two still on the rocks?"
Calum had told him last week that Darcy had crossed a line with some shades at a bar. Ashton wasn't aware that they had lines to cross, since Calum never seemed to mind the way she falls over other guys. Then again, she had kissed that guy while Calum was two feet away from her. Which, surprisingly, warranted a break instead of a breakup, according to Calum.
"Yup. She hasn't called me, I haven't called her." Calum trails off, shrugging.
Ashton presses his lips together, patting Calum on the shoulder. "Sorry, Cal."
Calum shakes his head, absently turning a shampoo bottle to have its label facing him. "Don't be. It's probably for the best anyway."
Ashton quirks a brow, not fully believing that. Calum and Darcy talked about each other like one hung the moon and the other, the stars. It's hard to be convinced that Calum has come to the sudden realization that his relationship wasn't all that he hyped it up to be.
"You talked to Mali, didn't you?" Ashton concludes. She's always been Calum's voice of reason.
Sheepishly, Calum ducks his head, but quickly waves a dismissive hand in Ashton's direction.
"Yeah, but she didn't tell me anything I couldn't have figured out on my own," Calum defends himself, to which Ashton responds with a chuckle. "Anyway, lover boy, what are you and Mel doing tonight?"
Ashton tries to control his face, but it's a struggle to not grin at the mention of it. He's not sure when he'll get over the fact that Mellony has actually accepted him in her life. He doesn't think she would have let just anyone in, and he's glad to have earned his spot. Sue him.
"We found a Groupon for the mini golf place downtown."
"Wow," Calum pretends to wipe a tear from his cheek. "Your first Groupon date."
Ashton giggles, giving his friend a soft shove. "Shut up, man."
The two of them amble down the aisle, falling into a comfortable silence. Ashton's surprised the assistant manager hasn't found them and told them to start doing their jobs, yet. Just to be safe, Ashton stops by a shelf and pushes some cans over to their proper price card.
Calum notices and does the same to the display case across from him, the both of them quietly working for a change.
Ashton manages to survive the rest of his day, despite a woman yelling at him about getting a refund for her toaster, and now happily walks out of the store with Calum in tow.
"I'm the customer, and if I say so, you have to take this toaster back!" The two mock the woman in unison, breaking up in laughter like a couple of teenage boys.
"You know what's funny?" Calum starts, poorly attempting to muffle his cackling.
"What's that?"
"I don't even think that toaster came from our store."
Ashton doubles over with mirth, holding onto Calum's shoulder for support. He's gonna be laughing himself red about this woman for weeks. Thank goodness for suburban soccer moms.
They reach Calum's Volkswagen and as Ashton is bidding him goodnight, Calum stops him before he gets to his own car.
"Hey, Ash," Calum calls, waiting until Ashton turns around to face him to continue. "I don't wanna be all mushy about it, but, I'm really happy for you and Mel."
Ashton wasn't expecting that. It's embarrassingly one of the nicest things Calum's ever said to him, as well.
"Thanks." Ashton sincerely says, wanting to convey how glad he is to hear that. "Goodnight, man."
Calum sends a thumbs up his way as he ducks into his car. "Night."
Ashton gets himself situated in his own vehicle, snatching off his name tag and tossing it into his cup holder, when he hears Calum's voice once again.
He's eased up next to him on his way to the exit, head leaned out of the window as Ashton rolls his down.
"Hey, bring me back one of those huge teddy bears, will ya? You shouldn't be the only one getting cuddled tonight."
Ashton barks out a laugh, sending the boy off with a honk as he watches him drive out of the parking lot.
Thank goodness for Calum Hood.
♡
"How do you even know what a bogey is?" Ashton asks, voice incredulous and high as he slings his arm over Mellony's shoulder.
"I don't, all I know is you got it twelve times, and you're losing." Mellony teases, though she contradicts it by getting on the tips of her sneakers and pressing a kiss to Ashton's jaw.
He grumbles as a form of reply, bending to catch her in a proper kiss before she returns to her normal height.
"You're only winning because you're almost as short as the dang golf clubs." Ashton jokes.
She sucks her teeth while smiling, fruitlessly trying to push him away from her. "Oh, be quiet, you sound like Neo."
Ashton feigns surprise. "Neo says dang now? Geez, we'd better watch that kid."
Mellony snickers, melting into his side, and Ashton decides that this is his favorite place to be. Next to Mellony with grins on both of their faces. He used to think that whole, sometimes home is a who not a where thing was stupid, but now he realizes he unpacked with Mellony the moment he met her.
Both figuratively and literally, he thinks.
"Shoot," The girl sighs, lazily lacing her fingers with Ashton's. "It's getting late, we gotta go get Neo from my mom's."
Ashton hums to show he's heard her. They'd been out for maybe five hours, and Ms. Martin has a Pilates class to take in the morning. It's about time to call it a night anyway, according to the employees that have started bumbling around the course.
"Alright. You better be happy, 'cause I was just about to get good." Ashton's humor meets no reaction, and he inquisitively raises his brows at her.
She's staring at her phone, intently reading whatever's on the screen. Ashton stops their stride, tugging her away from the groups of people walking around them.
"What is it, Mel?"
"My mom just asked me if we made it home with Neo yet." She says, emptied of the lighthearted mood she'd had moments ago. "Why is she asking me that?" Mellony's tone reveals her panic, and so do her sudden steps towards the entrance.
Ashton's head becomes clouded with worry for her and Neo, who is apparently on the way home. The man doesn't even know where to begin with this, but he can see Mellony dialing her mother a few paces ahead of him, so hopefully they can figure this out.
A/N: uh oh spaghettios
hey guys
if you enjoyed this chapter, let me know!!! also feel free to comment what you think is going on with Neo! I love seeing where you guys think the story's headed!! love y'all to pieces xoxo