"Ashton, when are you done?"
He looks up from the papers he's shuffling around with, "Uh, not much is happening today so I'm being sent home early after finishing inventory."
"I'll wait for you in the back office, okay?"
"It'll be a while until I'm done..."
"I know. That's okay, I can wait." I smile, finishing packing my bag.
Ashton grins, "I mean, as long as you're sure."
This conversation happened often when Ashton and I were working similar hours. One of us would say they'd wait for the other, but we'd double check every time.
While I waited in the back room, I pulled out my textbook to get some reading done. Until Michael sent me a text.
'Hey babe, Ashton invited me over for dinner, you guys need me to grab anything on my way over?'
'No, it's okay, bub'
'Okay, see you soon'
It didn't feel like Ashton was working for much longer when he walks into the room. He doesn't take long to gather his things, before pulling me up from my seat.
"Okay, okay." I mutter, following him out onto campus.
"Michael is heading over soon, right?" Ashton asks, as we walk to where the car is. Technically it's Kyle's car, but if he doesn't have plans he lets us use it if we need to.
I nod, the two of us getting into the silver vehicle. Ashton puts the keys in the ignition starting the car, so we can head home. Honestly, I don't know why we drove. Ashton hates driving in the city, rightfully so, and we normally take public transit anyways.
"God, nobody knows how to fucking drive!" Ashton exclaims, groaning as he falls back into his seat in frustration as we stay idling in our place in traffic.
"Ash, honey. you're from New York. It's worse there." I laugh, unable to hold back as I watch him.
He rolls his eyes, "True. But still!"
We sat in traffic for a short while, the two of us discussing our day. I had a class this morning, and he had one a couple hours later before we both had to come work.
"Finally, fuck." Ashton groans, parking the car in its spot.
"You need to relax." I laugh, the two of us making our way inside the building.
"Hey, guys. Michael's here." Kyle mumbles as he walks past us, heading to his room with a bunch of snacks in his hands.
"Thanks, Kyle." Michael laughs as he walks over to us.
"Hey, bub." I smile, quickly pecking Michael's lips.
"Disgusting." Ashton mutters, shaking his head as he walks into the kitchen.
"I literally saw you with some girl and your hand down her pants the other night, you can't talk!" I exclaim, getting tired of Ashton's comments, though they were always made out of love.
Michael grimaces, "What the fuck?"
"Right? He decided getting started on the couch was better than in his room." I tell him as he waits for me to finish putting my things away.
"It's the thrill of it all, it's my house too and you can't stop me!" Ashton calls from the kitchen, making me roll my eyes.
"Exactly, it's my house too. So, don't be gross in open spaces, 'kay?" I tell him, helping him retrieve all the ingredients he needs to make dinner.
"Whatever." Ashton mumbles,
"So, what's on the menu tonight? Seems like you're going all out once again." Michael asks, his eyes scanning across the food items all laid out.
"You'll find out at dinner. You'll love it, I promise." He replies, though more focused on prepping the food.
Ashton loved cooking for us when he had time to. Though he was always busy with work, school, trying to have a social life and everything else, he always tried his best to cook at least once a week.
"Come on, Michael, let's leave him to do his thing." I chuckle, looking over at how concentrated Ashton is before dragging Michael to the living room.
"How was your day?" Michael asks, pulling me close to him as we sit on the couch.
I groan, "Long. Class was boring, work was even worse."
"I know, I get it. I left halfway through mine this morning." He laughs.
"As long as you don't flunk out."
"Oh, don't worry. I'm killing it. Like, actually. Somehow." He says, shaking his head, "But work is going well, right?"
I nod, "Yeah. I've been back doing normal hours for a while, things are great there."
He smiles, kissing my forehead, "Good."
-
Nina and Kyle both joined us at the table as Ashton was finally sitting down, so we could all eat together.
"Thanks, Ashton. You're really the best roommate anybody could have." Nina tells him as she looks down at her food.
"You're high as fuck." Ashton quietly giggles.
"Uh, yeah." She mutters, looking over at me, "Sorry."
"Guys, it's okay. I don't want to hold you back from living your lives. I've been sober for a while now, don't worry about me." I tell them, after Nina apologizes and they all look at me like they feel sorry for me.
Though sometimes I might wish I was as high as Nina, I know I can't. Sometimes thinking about how I'd have to be sober for the rest of my life made me want to start drinking at this exact moment.
"Babe, you okay?" Michael quietly asks me, as the rest of them are in conversation.
I nod, "Michael, I'm perfectly fine. Please stop worrying about me."
He just forces a small smile, before finally beginning to eat.
Michael groans, "Dude, what can't you do? You're a fucking chef, phycologist, philosopher, artist, and a biochem student? Fuck."
Ashton laughs, "I know, right? But, thanks."
I roll my eyes, "Michael, you just boosted his ego way too much, now he's going to think he's elite."
"I already knew I was elite!" Ashton exclaims, putting down his glass he was holding.
"Bro, you're not that special." Kyle mutters.
Though Ashton acted as if he was better than us, he actually hated when anybody made jokes about it. He knew he was smart, he knew his mind definitely worked different than the rest of ours. That's why I loved when it was just the two of us up talking all night, Ashton would say things I'd never even think were real.
"Ashton, this is so good." Nina mutters, not paying any attention to what's happening around her.
Ashton giggles, shaking his head, "Will you all just eat, please?"
-
Carrying the dishes to the kitchen, Ashton follows closely behind. The two of us both placing them on the counter next to the sink. As I fill up the sink to wash the dishes, Ashton leans against the counter beside me.
"We haven't talked about this in a bit. How are you and Michael?" Ashton asks, his voice soft.
A smile stretches across my face, "We're doing well. Like, really well. I really like him, Ashton."
"He's totally in love with you." Ashton says, making me drop the dish I'm holding back into the sink with a loud crash. Quickly, my head shoots up to look at him.
"Don't say that." I tell him, shaking my head.
"Hey, you two okay in there!" Michael calls.
"Yeah, don't worry about us!" I reply, focusing back on doing the dishes and nothing else.
Ashton moves closer to me, "Kelsey... I don't think you're going to be able to react that way when he finally tells you."
"I- I'm not there yet. He- he can't be."
"He's liked you for a really long time now. I think he might be."
"Did he tell you something?"
"No. I'm just saying. But if he does tell you that, even if you're not there yet, just tell him you're not. You have to be honest."
I nod, "I know. I know that. I just... I didn't think he would be yet."
"Oh, come on. He obviously is." Ashton laughs, starting to dry dishes and put them away.
"Stop!" I exclaim, once again dropping what I'm washing as I look over at Ashton.
"I'm sorry!" Ashton yells back.
"What is going on in here?" Michael asks, entering the kitchen and leaning up against the counter.
I quickly turn back to the sink, not focusing much on Michael, "Nothing, just Ashton being annoying as usual."
"You sure?" He questions, as I hear him pat Ashton on the back as Ashton walks out.
I nervously chuckle, "Michael, everything is fine."
"Okay." He quietly mumbles in defeat, coming over and pressing a kiss to my cheek.
Smiling, I nod at him as I continue to finish up the dishes.
"I was thinking that after class on Friday I could pick you up and you could come to my place for the night?" Michael asks.
I nod, "Yeah. Sounds good."
Once I put away the final dishes, I go over to Michael and press a kiss to his lips.
"Are you sure you're okay?" He asks.
I lightly chuckle, "Bub, if you ask me one more time, I might lose it."
He laughs, "Okay! I have to go though, so I'll see you Friday, okay?"
"Okay. I'll see you Friday." I smile, kissing his lips again.
Once he's gone, I join Kyle and Ashton as they watch some show I've never watched.
"So, you're not here Friday night?" Kyle asks, his eyes still glued to the screen.
"Nope. Your friends can come over and you can get so drunk you destroy the place." I lightly chuckle, thinking back to the last time I was gone for a night. Coming back to the place it was a mess, people were passed out on the floor and somehow Ashton was asleep in the bathtub.
"Great, thanks."
"But don't actually destroy the place." I tell him.
He shrugs his shoulders, "Yeah, maybe."
I chuckle, shaking my head at him. Ashton reaches out for me, and I give him a confused look.
He groans, "I want cuddles!"
"Ashton..." I warn.
"I know. Michael. Whatever. I don't care. Cuddle me." He states, still holding his arms out to me.
I sigh, playfully rolling my eyes at him, but giving in. Ever since I started dating Michael I've always tried to be less affectionate with Ashton. After what happened with Luke, when I started dating Michael I just felt like I shouldn't. Michael said he didn't mind because he knew Ashton and I were always like this, but still.
"I'm sorry if I upset you." He whispers, making sure Kyle can't hear him.
"It's fine. I just don't want to talk about it." I reply.
I quietly sigh, closing my eyes as my head rests on Ashton's chest. He keeps an arm tightly wrapped around me, as he plays with my hair with his free hand. He quietly giggles as I shift in my spot to get more comfortable, before I fall asleep.
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hey. just a reminder the rest of the book isnt written like the first five chapters. ok. thanks for reading. luv u.
ALSO! i might change the title of the book and also just to 5sos instead of it saying luke bc.... well anyways. prob better that way. don't be alarmed if it changes.