The Lines Between Us | ✔

|.29.|

September 29th, 10:23 am

Ash

''It's my birthday tomorrow.''

The neutral expression on my face turns to shock. ''What?'' I breath in heavily. ''Why didn't you tell me?'' I demand to know, lifting her body off mine; propping myself up on my left elbow. 

She smiles, doing the same, so she is faced opposite me. I love her smile. ''I knew you'd want to get me a present, and I didn't want to waste your money.'' Her eyelids flutter as she tries to avoid attention. Color flushes her cheeks.

''Don't worry about the money,'' I confess. Frankly, I have more than I need. I'm set up for life, but she doesn't need to know that yet.

''I can't not worry,'' She admits, readjusting her elbow and smiling up at me. It goes silent for a minute too long. ''Ash—?'' 

''Sorry . . . what were you saying?''

''I wanted to apologize for last night.'' She rubs a line along her forearm. ''I shouldn't have reacted like that, I'm really sorry.''

''I know.'' I think to myself for a second. I never want to make her feel uncomfortable. Telling her how I really feel will just hurt her more. ''Don't worry about it.'' I cough to change the subject. ''Now let's get back on with your birthday. What are we doing?''

She groans, turning her head so she can dig her face into the pillows. ''Do we have to?'' She attempts to move the covers over her face.

''Yes, we have to,'' I laugh, mimicking her sarcastic tone, and removing the duvet from her face. ''Why don't you like it?'' I need to know more about her.

''I don't really know. I was young . . . My dad died a few days after my birthday, so I guess it brings back memories.'' She covers her face with a limp, fake smile.

I stroke a finger over her lips. I love her mouth. ''It's okay to be sad, sometimes.'' The smile falls from her lips, and she allows herself to see. ''No one will judge you for having emotions.'' The entirety of September has been horrific. She's been at college no more than a few weeks, and has seen so much death. It's so wrong. Fucked up, even.

She fixates her mind on her story, moving it away from her father. I never knew about him. That he died. I thought that maybe her parents split up. When I first spoke to her, I talked about ringing her dad. I could never put my finger on why she looked so off. Now I know.''Besides, I don't like opening presents in front of people.'' 

I laugh, a puzzled expression coating my face. ''You don't like presents?''

''I didn't say that . . . exactly,'' A smile creeps on her lips. ''No, I like the presents, I just don't like people watching me open them.''

''Why not?'' I ask inquisitively. I'm glad she's smiling; happy for once. She's barely spoken a word these past days, and even then, they were short.

''What if my face goes all . . .'' She stops, thinking to herself. ''You know, disappointed.'' I look at her confusedly when I don't understand. ''They'll think I don't like the gift. And then they won't like me anymore,'' She frowns. I can't help but laugh. She punches my arm, then bashes her fist on the bed. ''Stop laughing at me.''

''You're scared of people hating you because you don't like their gifts?'' I smirk. It's hard to keep a straight face.

''It isn't that I don't like them, just my face looks that way. Anyways, I thought we just talked about this,'' She scowls.

I wait a minute, staring at her until she calms down. ''We're going out today,'' I declare. 

She registers that she doesn't really have a choice. Folds her arms against her chest, sitting up. ''Where to?''